The Tests in Life

"The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and the moments of convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge and moments of controversy."

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Atlanta, January 27, 1965

Islamic New Year

Al-Hayat Al-Dunya

The Unknown Tragedy

Bhopal! The unknown tragedy... Check out some of the links and educate yourselves on one of the worst technological catastrophes in recent history that still remains unjustly unresolved. To this day the plant continues to contaminate the city, water supply and inhabitants.

Andrew David Simpson - Won't Go Quietly

http://bhopal.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster
http://bhopalithemovie.com/BHOPALI_the_movie.html

A Writers Journey

"In order to write all a man needs is paper and a pencil. Furthermore, when a thing has been written, it is written forever. When it is printed, nothing can stop it from being printed again and again if the thing wants to be printed again and again. I must therefore be a writer."

- William Saroyan.

Easier said then done Armenian guy from Fresno.

William Saroyan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Legacy of Intolerance

Religious intolerance based in fear, leads to unjustifiable hate and is unAmerican by all measures. A lesson from the past parallels many of the stories we see today.

Mary Dyer preached that God was not exclusive to the clergy and offered to teach men and women how to read and understand the bible. Upon entering Puritan Boston for the third time to contest a religious ban, the middle-aged mother of 6 was arrested, paraded and hanged in 1660 before a public audience at the Boston Commons for the sole crime of being a Quaker. However she did not die in vain, but rather became a matyr and is remebered today for her strength and fortitude in the face of ignorance and injustice. Her story inspired the adoption of a new standard of religious tolerance in Massachusetts, which was latter adopted into the US Constitution.

Denying a people the right to practice their religion freely, whether it is to build a place of worship or in the proper circumstances pray at work is to betray the memory of people like Mary Dyer and so many others who have fought to build a nation of tolerance and equality, which is part of the America, we all hold dear. Let us pray we do not give way to ignorance and fear-mongering.

Dyer's last words before she was hanged were "Nay, I came to keep bloodguiltiness from you, desireing you to repeal the unrighteous and unjust law made against the innocent servants of the Lord. Nay, man, I am not now to repent." Let us not forget.

the New Scene

the New Imperative

"I've never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something good in men that really yearns for discipline."

Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers Football Coach; 1913-'70

As I spend hours upon hours toiling over MCAT material and honing verbal skills, I can't help but feel how important it is to live a life of discipline; discipline of mind, body and spirit. This realization, a conclusion in the making for a sometime now, actualized in this post, is something I have yearned for a longtime, and tasted time and time again. It is by no measure an easy feat, but one that requires conviction and perseverance.

As a devout Muslim, it is not only a desire but an imperative. A Muslims day starts with the remembrance of God, in the morning prayer (Fajr), which is to be preformed before sunrise. This mandatory prayer requires implementation of proper sleep habits. While many fall back to sleep after prayers (myself included so many times before), the few that stay awake enjoy a special period of the day. The twilight hours are a unique and perfect opportunity for reflection and personal growth. The air is cooler, fresher, quieter and more serene. Actions in the early morning set the pace for the rest of the day, whether its getting an early start at work, academia, a morning run, spiritual development, whatever it is, the rest of the day just seems more fruitful. To adhere to this type of living is an achievement in itself and bound to lead to a much more fulfilling life.

Inspired by Muhammad

"I believe in coexistence, so did Muhammad" and "I am inspired!!"
http://www.inspiredbymuhammad.com/

Got this from a CAIR tweet. Very cool UK ad campaign!

Congratulation Class of 2010!!!

I'm not part of the the graduating class this year, but having gone through the feelings last year, I know what it feels like..... the immense sense of accomplishment for the past 4 years, anxieties of moving on to a new future, maybe even with its uncertainties, but enjoy your moment, because you more than deserve it!!! To all my friends part of the class of 2010. Congratulations!!! and best of luck in all your future endeavorers! :D

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thoughts

"Every day may not be good... but there's something good in every day"

Smoking Baby

Indonesia and the rest of the South Asian Island nations are easy prey for Tobacco companies because of lax to no regulation and payed off politicians. As a result, theres is an endemic nicotine addiction spanning several generations and many communities. Check out the smoking baby:



And more importantly recognize WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY on May 31st! See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_No_Tobacco_Day

Peace.

Moonwalking Birds

Moonwalking Birds!! Michael Jackson would be proud. Just saw this on Nature (on PBS). Thought this was great!

Dreaming in Kabul

American Indie Rock..................from Afghanistan!

Surprisingly not bad, reminds me a bit of Oasis. Check it out and lemme know what you think!



Apparently their the first rock band from Afghanistan

Great Story on Giving Self-Sustaining Aid to the Third World

Bringing a Better Life into Focus - CBS Evening News - CBS NewsCBS Evening News: Bringing a Better Life into Focus - Nonprofit Gives Locals the Chance to Start a Business While Providing Vision Care for Underserved Communities

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/05/eveningnews/main6463605.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColUpperPromoArea

Here's the link to the org
http://www.visionspring.org/home/home.php

Into the Abyss

Next month or so are going to be intense for me, so going to drop off the radar for a while and give it my all. See y'all on the other side!!

Peace!

Hope in Hell: Inside the World of Doctors Without Borders

I picked up this book from the library today, Hope in Hell by Dan Bortolotti. The book offers an insiders look into the world of doctors without borders, a organization I admire strongly and may one day be a part of. I wanted to share a potion of the back cover of the book.

"Doctors Without Borders sends more than 3,000 volunteers annually to conflict zones, refugee camps and anywhere else in the world where medical care is desperately needed.

Volunteers often work in poor and dangerous places. Some are traumatized, kidnapped, even murdered. many watch their idealism become disillusionment, their friends become strangers. Others feed on the adventure, fall in love, or find the family they never had."

Yikes! This is definitely not an undertaking for the faint of heart. I can't wait to dive into this one and get a better idea of my aspirations for the future. Expect updates and reflection in the coming weeks.

An Appreciation for the Scale of Things

As an aficionado of the sciences, I have grown to appreciate the size of the molecular world and all that's in it. And its amazing to see how different microscopic organisms and molecules relate to each other. However at times that may become difficult when your dealing with units like nanometers. I mean how in the world do you relate to a nanometer! (yes I know its 10^-9 meters), but most of us lack any intuitive sense of what it is.

So ever wonder how the size of an atom compares to say a hemoglobin, or even a chromosome to a blood cell? Egg to a sperm? Well wonder no more.

The Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah put together this amazing model on the relative size and scales of the microscopic world. Cell Size and Scale

Even more so, check out:

Inside a Cell
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/insideacell/

The Sympathetic System (Fight of Flight Response)
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/cellcom/

Cell Communication
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/cells/signals/

Wondering how they look in real life?

Red Blood Cells (above) and Purkinge Neurons (below)- Courtesy of Wellcome Images

Surronded by Books

The only thing better than spending every waking hour surrounded by books, is being able to spend it outside writing your own story.

In the Pursuit of Knowledge

"Acquire knowledge, it enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven. It is our friend in the desert, our company in solitude and companion when friendless. It guides us to happiness, it sustains us in misery, it is an ornament amongst friends and an armor against enemies." Prophet Mohammed (pbuh)

Sand Mandalas: The Neverlasting Art Piece

Found this interesting! I'd hate to thing what would happen if you mess up while making it.