Afghan women use graffiti as a medium as a voice
An Afghan woman’s tryst with graffiti to bring in positive changes in her country…
Inspiration can manifest itself in any form. Sometimes, it might seem too bizarre to relate to whereas at other times it might appear to be quite discernible that people would be just falling in love with it altogether. The other important aspect of this is that it’s not time-bound at all. One can say that it’s always a spontaneous reaction inside a human brain which is considered very opportune.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in war-torn places of the world where people struggling do have the guts to let their lives be an example of some great achievements. They want to make sure that deep beneath the constant shelling and bombing there is at least an element of eternal peace and harmony which can create a harmonious environment. One such volatile region is Afghanistan, still mired into sectarian violence and bedlam but at the same time trying hard to pick up the pieces after what has been a devastating experience almost on all fronts. More often than not, it’s mostly women who dream of getting rid of the inhumanely beleaguered past to start a new life.
Leading the motivating crusade to change the status of the country through her art works is Shamsia Hassani, 24. She teaches sculpture at Kabul University as an associate professor and she loves her profession a lot. Besides, she also heads a modern-day art group ROSDH as its founding member. In the entire country, she is the only female graffiti artist supported by a male graffiti artist Qasem Foushanji who too works on issues that people have to grapple with on a daily basis. He is also one of the members of her association ROSDH. “We are the two trying to shine light on the state of affairs our country is ducked in, “said she.
The capital which used to be a prime target of numerous bomb attacks and assassinations has now emerged as the popular hotspot for showcasing one’s artistic acumen like hers. Amidst the ruins of Kabul’s cultural heritage, she has displayed her own specialty in graffiti by drawing a spray-art work of a female hiding her face behind a sky-blue veil. Likewise, all other spray-paintings of women have been done to convey different messages to society which is still embroiled into mischief of the past. “The images reflect the impenetrable dimensions of women’s survival in Afghanistan. They are anguished about their way of life as it stands. I planned all this secretly at the destroyed Russian Culture Center here in Kabul because it was a safe place to do so, “said she.
Making sure that its message is decoded well by people while they see it, she has buffed it up with a beautiful verse. “If a river lies in a dried state, it could get filled with water any time but once the creatures living inside it are dead because of this, they can never come back ever again” is her translated version of the poem already embedded into cavernous holes which were created inside the walls due to heavy shelling. In reply to this anguish bursting through her illuminating face, she said, “The moment I realized what it was about, I could only think of it reflecting the lows and highs of Afghans. More importantly, those who lost their lives can no longer be with us”.
So what led her to tap into this medium to demonstrate the aspect of ‘Yes, we can’ against the odds? Was it her fondness for graffiti because of its direct connection to people’s consciousness? Her interest in graffiti arose thanks to an artist from Britain named Chu who had visited the country way back in 2010 for the purpose of rendering the know-how of street art to the budding artists here. And that’s how she became a pupil of his training and got a chance to know about this people’s friendly medium at first-hand. Initially, she used to sketch her works and paint them in oil which she still does as part of her teaching at Kabul University.
Since her training session with Chu in the field of graffiti, she had become a well-versed at this in every way, letting the sore feelings or emotions flow on the surface. “It’s easy to persuade a big crowd to come peer at your graffiti-the street magic of art which an exhibition cannot do. Therefore, I prefer to use spray cans and stencils than otherwise to glorify my work as more society-centered in the context of its larger aims.
“Art like this is more accessible to people from all walks of life including those who aren’t well-read in society. More or less, each Afghan will be aware of what art is if graffiti is ubiquitously splashed on the walls and fences.” Every second is important for her and she finishes her graffiti accordingly. “Usually I am very fast when it comes to doing graffiti because I may not be so lucky next time to find some other opportunity to continue my work. Therefore, the value of time in my case is quite significant, “said she.
With a sad note, the excitement just gets overshadowed by the conservative elements that are still rampant across the country and barging with their dictatorial agendas which try to suppress the voice of women. “There is always the possibility of women being harangued unnecessarily in our intolerant society, making it difficult for them to step outside their homes, “said she.
When one’s determination is too strong to evaporate, there is no chance that obstacles will stand in the way to create unnecessary incongruity. “What one could refer to as unusable stuff could also be utilized if one’s frame of mind is in a positive tenor. I am displaying my works in buildings which have been left bare open as a result of infighting going on but they seem to be a perfect corner where people could relate to what they are going through, “said Shamsia.
As prejudices of all sorts continue against women, she favors virtual graffiti which gives her a lot of scope to send the clear message without being bogged down by hateful comments from men in the street. This is what she does. She captures the shots of places liked by her and then tries to work upon them using latest tools like Photoshop where she makes the entire thing digitally attractive. Sometimes, she publishes an image of the street on which to insert graffiti dimensions with the help of a paintbrush. When she is done with all this, she puts the painted images in a scanner to get their print outs looking quite authentic. But they are not. Every now and then, after printing the pictures she does graffiti with brush, oil and acrylic color on the picture walls. What else could she do in such fragile circumstances?
Whatever graffiti works she has been able to do so far, most of them have shown women wearing burqas. Nonetheless, she has given a modern touch to them by bringing in new contemporary silhouettes with sexy hips and shoulders. In some of her works, there are fishes mired in an immovable state inside their soggy territory.
“The truth is that sometimes politicking is not the right way to resolve matters relating to people’s interests. Rather, they could be addressed amicably by different means which teaches no divide at all. And the prowess of art is a genuine method to bringing an end to conflicts, “said she.
Her family’s roots are etched in Kandahar (Taliban’s safe haven) where she comes from. Strangely, her birth took place in Iran. Her parents had fled to this country as a result of continuing violence where they lived like refugees.
“I chose art just as everybody did during my childhood. The road wasn’t that easy. A lot of them simply gave in and went to do something else. Though there were no art teachers to guide me, I was determined to go on and spruce up my knowledge about art as a whole.”
While living in Iran there was another hurdle waiting to striker her. As she got promoted into ninth grade (the appropriate time for learning art lessons in the country), her face became pale after hearing that such lessons were forbidden for Afghans, forcing her to opt for accountancy.
However, Shamsia and her parents decided to come back to their own native land. Soon afterwards, she enrolled at the University art department in Kabul to make up for what she had missed. Though there were conventional barriers here and there, she kept her spirits high and moved on with doing research on contemporary art. Since she is a professor at the University, she wishes to launch a graffiti course in her bid to make as many Afghans familiar with art as possible. “I have inkling that my city can be a backyard of stirring graffiti adorning every wall if this course comes into being, “said she.
That’s why graffiti is the most sought-after phenomenon among youths fighting for their rights worldwide. And certainly Shamsia Hassani is no exception but someone to be really admired for her forward-looking essence in a region where nothing is predictable.
By Nagmani
International Correspondent/ Writer, IJRNews
An Afghan woman’s tryst with graffiti to bring in positive changes in her country…
An Afghan woman’s tryst with graffiti to bring in positive changes in her country…
Inspiration can manifest itself in any form. Sometimes, it might seem too bizarre to relate to whereas at other times it might appear to be quite discernible that people would be just falling in love with it altogether. The other important aspect of this is that it’s not time-bound at all. One can say that it’s always a spontaneous reaction inside a human brain which is considered very opportune.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in war-torn places of the world where people struggling do have the guts to let their lives be an example of some great achievements. They want to make sure that deep beneath the constant shelling and bombing there is at least an element of eternal peace and harmony which can create a harmonious environment. One such volatile region is Afghanistan, still mired into sectarian violence and bedlam but at the same time trying hard to pick up the pieces after what has been a devastating experience almost on all fronts. More often than not, it’s mostly women who dream of getting rid of the inhumanely beleaguered past to start a new life.
Leading the motivating crusade to change the status of the country through her art works is Shamsia Hassani, 24. She teaches sculpture at Kabul University as an associate professor and she loves her profession a lot. Besides, she also heads a modern-day art group ROSDH as its founding member. In the entire country, she is the only female graffiti artist supported by a male graffiti artist Qasem Foushanji who too works on issues that people have to grapple with on a daily basis. He is also one of the members of her association ROSDH. “We are the two trying to shine light on the state of affairs our country is ducked in, “said she.
The capital which used to be a prime target of numerous bomb attacks and assassinations has now emerged as the popular hotspot for showcasing one’s artistic acumen like hers. Amidst the ruins of Kabul’s cultural heritage, she has displayed her own specialty in graffiti by drawing a spray-art work of a female hiding her face behind a sky-blue veil. Likewise, all other spray-paintings of women have been done to convey different messages to society which is still embroiled into mischief of the past. “The images reflect the impenetrable dimensions of women’s survival in Afghanistan. They are anguished about their way of life as it stands. I planned all this secretly at the destroyed Russian Culture Center here in Kabul because it was a safe place to do so, “said she.
Making sure that its message is decoded well by people while they see it, she has buffed it up with a beautiful verse. “If a river lies in a dried state, it could get filled with water any time but once the creatures living inside it are dead because of this, they can never come back ever again” is her translated version of the poem already embedded into cavernous holes which were created inside the walls due to heavy shelling. In reply to this anguish bursting through her illuminating face, she said, “The moment I realized what it was about, I could only think of it reflecting the lows and highs of Afghans. More importantly, those who lost their lives can no longer be with us”.
So what led her to tap into this medium to demonstrate the aspect of ‘Yes, we can’ against the odds? Was it her fondness for graffiti because of its direct connection to people’s consciousness? Her interest in graffiti arose thanks to an artist from Britain named Chu who had visited the country way back in 2010 for the purpose of rendering the know-how of street art to the budding artists here. And that’s how she became a pupil of his training and got a chance to know about this people’s friendly medium at first-hand. Initially, she used to sketch her works and paint them in oil which she still does as part of her teaching at Kabul University.
Since her training session with Chu in the field of graffiti, she had become a well-versed at this in every way, letting the sore feelings or emotions flow on the surface. “It’s easy to persuade a big crowd to come peer at your graffiti-the street magic of art which an exhibition cannot do. Therefore, I prefer to use spray cans and stencils than otherwise to glorify my work as more society-centered in the context of its larger aims.
“Art like this is more accessible to people from all walks of life including those who aren’t well-read in society. More or less, each Afghan will be aware of what art is if graffiti is ubiquitously splashed on the walls and fences.” Every second is important for her and she finishes her graffiti accordingly. “Usually I am very fast when it comes to doing graffiti because I may not be so lucky next time to find some other opportunity to continue my work. Therefore, the value of time in my case is quite significant, “said she.
With a sad note, the excitement just gets overshadowed by the conservative elements that are still rampant across the country and barging with their dictatorial agendas which try to suppress the voice of women. “There is always the possibility of women being harangued unnecessarily in our intolerant society, making it difficult for them to step outside their homes, “said she.
When one’s determination is too strong to evaporate, there is no chance that obstacles will stand in the way to create unnecessary incongruity. “What one could refer to as unusable stuff could also be utilized if one’s frame of mind is in a positive tenor. I am displaying my works in buildings which have been left bare open as a result of infighting going on but they seem to be a perfect corner where people could relate to what they are going through, “said Shamsia.
As prejudices of all sorts continue against women, she favors virtual graffiti which gives her a lot of scope to send the clear message without being bogged down by hateful comments from men in the street. This is what she does. She captures the shots of places liked by her and then tries to work upon them using latest tools like Photoshop where she makes the entire thing digitally attractive. Sometimes, she publishes an image of the street on which to insert graffiti dimensions with the help of a paintbrush. When she is done with all this, she puts the painted images in a scanner to get their print outs looking quite authentic. But they are not. Every now and then, after printing the pictures she does graffiti with brush, oil and acrylic color on the picture walls. What else could she do in such fragile circumstances?
Whatever graffiti works she has been able to do so far, most of them have shown women wearing burqas. Nonetheless, she has given a modern touch to them by bringing in new contemporary silhouettes with sexy hips and shoulders. In some of her works, there are fishes mired in an immovable state inside their soggy territory.
“The truth is that sometimes politicking is not the right way to resolve matters relating to people’s interests. Rather, they could be addressed amicably by different means which teaches no divide at all. And the prowess of art is a genuine method to bringing an end to conflicts, “said she.
Her family’s roots are etched in Kandahar (Taliban’s safe haven) where she comes from. Strangely, her birth took place in Iran. Her parents had fled to this country as a result of continuing violence where they lived like refugees.
“I chose art just as everybody did during my childhood. The road wasn’t that easy. A lot of them simply gave in and went to do something else. Though there were no art teachers to guide me, I was determined to go on and spruce up my knowledge about art as a whole.”
While living in Iran there was another hurdle waiting to striker her. As she got promoted into ninth grade (the appropriate time for learning art lessons in the country), her face became pale after hearing that such lessons were forbidden for Afghans, forcing her to opt for accountancy.
However, Shamsia and her parents decided to come back to their own native land. Soon afterwards, she enrolled at the University art department in Kabul to make up for what she had missed. Though there were conventional barriers here and there, she kept her spirits high and moved on with doing research on contemporary art. Since she is a professor at the University, she wishes to launch a graffiti course in her bid to make as many Afghans familiar with art as possible. “I have inkling that my city can be a backyard of stirring graffiti adorning every wall if this course comes into being, “said she.
That’s why graffiti is the most sought-after phenomenon among youths fighting for their rights worldwide. And certainly Shamsia Hassani is no exception but someone to be really admired for her forward-looking essence in a region where nothing is predictable.
By Nagmani
Honorary IJR News guest journalist
Related articles
- Graffiti Artists Make Great Body Painters (bellasugar.com)
Wi-Fi hotel charges necessary?
Why are we still paying for hotel Wi-Fi?
“A lot of hotels lived well off telephone income,” says Kurt Ritter, president & CEO of Rezidor Hotel Group. “Telephone income was a big part of — I don’t want to say cheating — but overcharging the customer.
“Everyone wants to make money, but I think you should make it in a reasonable way and internet, it’s not a good idea to charge. It’s like the air you breathe, the water you turn on — it should be for free.”
The Rezidor Group owns mid-tier chain Radisson Blu and has offered free Wi-Fi since 1995, which is now available in more than 50,000 rooms worldwide.
“If I use the 60% (Wi-Fi) usage that we have over the chain and the median figure that travelers pay, we would have roughly $10 million more income a year,” Ritter says. But he adds that even though the revenue from Wi-Fi could fill the international phone-charge void, he isn’t tempted to charge.
See also: Marriott mogul’s 55 years of hotels
For hotel guests there’s the added frustration of inconsistency. Some hotels charge for Wi-Fi per device, others offer it free only to loyalty members; some chain hotels offer free Wi-Fi at their budget brands but charge for it at their luxury ones; sometimes Wi-Fi is free in the lobby. With no set rules, hotels charge as much or as little as they like.
Take five-star hotels in London as an example: The Hilton Mayfair’s daily rate is $32, and it also charges $120 for five days or $150 for a week, while Hilton Gold and Diamond members get it for free; the Haymarket hotel also charges $32 a day or 50 cents a minute; Four Seasons offers complimentary Wi-Fi for basic use, like emailing and social media, but charges $32 a day for a premium level with faster Wi-Fi. Other charges range from $15 a day at The Savoy to $41 a day at The Ritz Hotel.
Joe Germanotta, chief executive, GuestWi-Fi
Joe Germanotta, chief executive of GuestWi-Fi, Wi-Fi provider to hotels such as Crowne Plaza and the Intercontinental Hotel Group, doesn’t see a problem with Wi-Fi rates.
“When you have to pay for it as an amenity they guarantee you the reliability and speed and the security,” he says. “And it’s becoming a very expensive proposition for the hotel to maintain these services, so it makes sense that they have to charge for it.”
Germanotta says it costs a hotel roughly $375 per month to pay for Wi-Fi, which is why not all hotels charge for it. So when some budget and luxury hotels, along with bars and cafes, offer it for free, it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at the hotels that don’t.
But some argue the real cost for hotels comes in keeping up with ever-changing Wi-Fi specifications.
“What’s been happening over the years is the bandwidth, the internet size requirement, has gone up tremendously and that number keeps growing and growing — and that’s where the hotel has a problem,” Germanotta says.
See also: Richard Gere’s boutique hotel
The Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, London, charges $10 an hour or $25 a day, allowing for up to six devices, but guests can use Wi-Fi for free in the lobby and bar.
“Given the constant re-investment and the constant drive with new technology coming in much faster than most of us can adapt … we’re at a point where we take any bit of profit and continue to re-invest in the technology,” says Monika Neger, chief information officer for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
She adds that if hotels charge for Wi-Fi, the service must be excellent. “Some of the challenges the industry has had is charging for not very good bandwidth and this has really caused the entire industry to reflect and say how are we going to manage this?” Neger says.
“We’ve had to make investments in areas that we’ve never invested in before — meeting space, in the lobby. We are spending at minimum $250,000 per year in all of our properties to bring them up to current specifications.”
She adds: “The hotels who have yet not adopted any type of operating cost to set off this investment will find themselves in a difficult position.”
Juliana Shallcross, managing editor at HotelChatter
Paying the bills may be difficult but so is keeping customers happy. It’s not just how much they have to pay that’s frustrating for guests — it’s also the difficulty of just logging on.
Jean-Jacques Cesbron, from New York, is co-founder and president of Cami Music, and is on the road every other week.
“Every hotel has a different system,” he says. “Some require a code from front desk, some require you put in a credit card number, some just ask for your room number and then charge to your room.
“The fact is that it is a crapshoot to get a quality connection and the inconvenience of figuring out the process to get it is terrible.”
With the growth of social media and websites like HotelChatter, it’s becoming clear that guests’ changing demands can’t be ignored. Since 2004, HotelChatter has published an annual Hotel Wi-Fi report, praising the brands and boutiques that offer high-quality networks and naming and shaming those that don’t.
“Getting charged each night for 24 hours Wi-Fi seems like pure profiteering on their part, but I think hotels are starting to realize that they will lose valuable customers and valuable business by charging crazy amounts for Wi-Fi,” says Juliana Shallcross, managing editor at HotelChatter.
“What we are probably going to see more of is a tiered pay structure, where basic internet is free for emailing and updating your Facebook status. Anything more involved, like downloading movies, large PDF files, then you’ll start to pay,” she adds.
Hotels not only need to adapt to guest activity, they also need to be aware that for many guests Wi-Fi is not an extra luxury, like the mini bar or dry cleaning, it’s part and parcel of the guest experience — like hot water and clean towels.
NJ is permitted to continue teaching after verbally abusing an autistic child
Stuart Chaifetz Secretly Tapes His Autistic Son at School, Discovers He’s Being Bullied by Teachers
By Lylah M. Alphonse
After sending his son to school wearing a wire, Stuart Chaifetz found out that his son, Akian, was being bullied …When his 10-year-old son, Akian, started getting into trouble at school, Stuart Chaifetz was stunned. The notes from Horace Mann Elementary School in Cherry Hill, N.J., said that Akian, who has autism, was having violent outbursts and hitting his teacher and his aide – behavior that the boy had never exhibited before.
“I could not understand why this was happening,” Chaifetz, a 44-year-old animal rights activist in New Jersey, wrote on his website. “I had never witnessed Akian hit anyone, nor could I dream of him lashing out as had been described to me.”
Related: Bullying, child abuse hastens aging in kids
In October 2011, he met with Akian’s teachers and school therapists. A behaviorist was called in, but during several classroom visits he didn’t see Akian become violent. “He tried to create a scenario that would push Akian so far that he would lash out,” Chaifetz explained. “And Akian did not.”
“If Akian was pushed and didn’t do anything, what was setting him off?” his dad wondered. After six months of meetings yielded no answers, he decided that he needed to know what was happening in his son’s class. Like Akian, all of the other kids in his class also have autism, and complications from the disorder prevent them from being able to communicate to their parents about what goes on in the classroom.
“The morning of February 17, I put a wire on my son, and I sent him to school,” Chaifetz says in a video he created to showcase the audio clips. “What I heard on that audio was so disgusting, vile, and just an absolute disrespect and bullying of my son, that happened not by other children, but by his teacher, and the aides — the people who were supposed to protect him. They were literally making my son’s life a living hell.”
The recordings are raw and intense. Angry adults yell at kids to “shut up,” “shut your mouth,” and “knock it off.” Adults have inappropriate personal conversations in front of the children, discussing how drunk they were the night before, complaining about their husbands, and talking in detail about adult issues. More than once, an adult goads Akian to the point of tears — and then laughs at him.
“Go ahead and scream,” one adult hisses menacingly at Akian. “Because guess what? You’re going to get nothing… until your mouth is shut.”
And later: “Oh, Akian, you are a bastard.”
“The six and a half hours of audio I had proved that my son wasn’t hitting the teacher because there was something wrong with him — he was lashing out because he was being mocked, mistreated and humiliated,” Chaifetz writes on his website, No More Teacher/Bully. “His outbursts were his way of expressing that he was being emotionally hurt at school.”
Chaifetz gave the entire six-and-a-half-hour recording to the Cherry Hill School district (you can hear more of the clips here). One aide, Jodi Sgouros, was fired. Another aide and the teacher, whom theCollingswood Patch identifies as Kelly Altenburg, were reassigned but not fired.
“I don’t know why the teacher wasn’t fired,” Chaifetz writes on his blog. “Maybe the District had no choice; perhaps tenure or HR regulations did not permit them to do so. I know that they were sincere and shocked when they found out what happened. I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt in this.”
On Tuesday, officials at the Horace Mann School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, directed calls from Yahoo! Shine to the Cherry Hill School District’s offices; a call to a spokesperson there was not immediately returned. Cherry Hill Public School District spokesperson Susan Bastnagel told the Collingswood Patch on Tuesday only that the incident is “an internal personnel matter that the district took seriously and handled appropriately.”
Chaifetz disagrees, and has started a Facebook page and launched a petition at Change.org calling for the teacher’s dismissal. He’s already gathered nearly 18,500 signatures. “No one who treats children like that, who calls them vicious names, who humiliates them, who batters them verbally, deserves to be a teacher,” Chaifetz says in the video.
“How is it possible that teachers and staff can do these things, and you have evidence — not just accusations, but evidence — and they’re still teaching?” he said in an interview with Babble.com. To me, that’s the bigger outrage here. How many times has this happened before? How many times will it happen again if I remain quiet?”
For his part, Chaifetz says that what he really wants from the teacher and aides involved is a public apology and a willingness to take responsibility for their actions.
“I want an apology, not for me, but so one day I can play this video back for my son and say Akian, you didn’t deserve anything that happened to you,” he says in the video. “I’m not going to sue anybody. I’m not going to file a lawsuit. It’s not about money. It’s about dignity. This is to reclaim my son’s dignity.”
Mad Cow disease found in CA
Mad cow case confirmed in California
(CNN) – The nation’s fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), sometimes referred to as “mad cow disease,” has been confirmed in a dairy cow in central California, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday.
The carcass was at a Baker Commodities Inc. rendering facility in Hanford, California, according to Executive Vice President Dennis Luckey.
The company renders animal byproducts and had randomly selected the animal for testing last Wednesday, he said.
“We are in the business of removing dead animals from dairies in the Central Valley,” he told CNN in a telephone interview. “As part of that program, we participate in the BSE surveillance program.”
Public health officials said the risk to public was extremely low.
The sample was sent to UC Davis for initial testing, which came back inconclusive. It was then sent to the USDA’s laboratory in Ames, Iowa, where it tested positive, the agency said.
The carcass was in quarantine Tuesday night. “We’re waiting now for USDA to tell us how to dispose of it,” Luckey said.
Luckey would not divulge on which farm the animal was found. He said his company tests 1,000 to 2,000 animals a year, which he described as “a small percentage” of the overall number of animals it renders.
Had it been rendered, it could have been turned into an element of a number of products, including chemicals or feed for poultry or livestock, he said.
But it would not likely have spread the disease, since USDA regulations prohibit high-risk parts of the cow, such as brains and spinal cords, from entering the food chain.
Eating contaminated meat or some other animal products from cattle that have bovine spongiform encephalopathy is thought to be the cause of the fatal brain disease in humans that is called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
The fatal disease was blamed for the deaths of 150 people in Britain, where there was an outbreak in the 1980s and 1990s.
In people, symptoms of the disease include psychiatric and behavioral changes, movement deficits, memory disturbances and cognitive impairments.
BSE can cause infected animals to display nervousness or aggression, difficulty in coordination and standing up, decreased milk production or loss of body weight, according to the agency.
It is usually transmitted between cows through the practice of recycling bovine carcasses for meat and bone meal protein, which is fed to other cattle. In this case, the USDA reports that it was a rare form of BSE not likely carried by contaminated feed.
The USDA said it remains confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef and dairy products.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the odds of a person contracting mad cow disease, even after consuming contaminated products, are less than one in 10 billion.
California Department of Public Health Director and Public Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman issued a statement Tuesday saying residents do not need to take any specific precautions.
Unlike most other meat-borne illnesses, such as those caused by E.-coli bacteria, cooking does not kill the infectious agent that causes mad cow disease.
Consumers who wish to exercise extra caution can follow the advice presented by the Web-based consumer advocacy group Consumeraffairs.com, which advises the avoidance of brains, neck bones and beef cheeks, bone marrow and cuts of beef that are sold on the bone. The group also says to choose boneless cuts of meat and ground beef only if it has been ground in the store.
“Evidence shows that our systems and safeguards to prevent BSE are working, as are similar actions taken by countries around the world,” said John Clifford, the USDA’s chief veterinary officer.
Last year, 29 cases of BSE were reported worldwide, down 99% since the peak of 37,311 cases in 1992. “This is directly attributable to the impact and effectiveness of feed bans as a primary control measure for the disease,” he said.
“A case of a single cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy is not a reason for significant concern on the part of consumers, and there is no reason to believe the beef or milk supply is unsafe,” said Sarah Klein, food safety attorney for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
“If the cow were exposed to the typical strain of BSE via animal feed — and the government says that’s not the case here — that would have represented a significant failure.”
But she said the government would have had a difficult time tracking down other cattle that may have been eaten the same feed because the nation lacks an effective animal ID program.
“California 90210″ illustrates medical marijuana
Medical marijuana movie release of “California 90210″ is coming
Dear Californians,
Early this morning, U.S. Federal agents raided Oaksterdam University, the nation’s first college which prepares students for careers in the medical marijuana industry. Although medical marijuana is legal in California, it is still prohibited by federal law.
An upcoming documentary CALIFORNIA, 90420 offers an in-depth look inside Oaksterdam through the eyes of its faculty and students. The film prominently features three figures at the core of Oaksterdam University: Richard Lee, OU’s Founder and President, Jeff Jones, OU Horticulture Professor, and Dale Sky Jones, Chancellor of OU and recent head of the Prop 19 campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in California.
Speaking on today’s raid, Director Dean Shull commented, “Oaksterdam University is at the very heart of our documentary, CALIFORNIA, 90420. It’s hard to believe the Federal government doesn’t have better things to do than raiding a learning institution that creates legal jobs in California.”
CALIFORNIA, 90420 hits theaters in select cities on April 20, 2012, a date commonly recognized as a cannabis holiday.For more information on the film, please visit: http://www.90420.com/. Screeners are available on request and we are happy to arrange interview with subjects from the film.
Thanks,
Russ
Russ Posternak
Murphy PR
212-414-0408
“Newport Beach spinal surgeon attempts to “buy his way” to favorable reviews
Evidence continues to pile against Dr. Tony Mork AKA DR. Anthony Mork.
Money cannot buy everything, not even good reviews from websites that specialize in the review game.
This is especially true on Doctor rating and review sites. When doctors have a continual habit to perform questionable practices even if not true, perception is reality in most cases, especially on a information highway such as the internet. What has become a review website game among users, advertisers, and businesses, has become a focus of this doctor. However, it is hard to overlook the compounding reviews that all point in a similar direction.
IJRNews has been investigating Dr. Tony Mork AKA Anthony Mork, a Newport Beach spinal surgeon, for the last month,and has uncovered many patterns.
Dr. Mork MD, who recently transferred his business from Florida where many internet users claim was the start of his downfall. After numerous self-posted articles on IJRNews website, IJRNews decided to investigate the claims. After countless review testimonies and no return calls by Dr. Mork’s office, we found an abundance of similarity in many of the patient reviews.
The most disturbing feedback that we uncovered was that by a web specialist who showed the IJRNews staff how they described of how Dr. Mork was paying to advertise with various review websites to get on top of the same review websites were Dr. Mork had complaints. Because of the recent class action lawsuits against review websites, such as Yelp, websites cannot remove bad reviews once posted until they naturally fall off the radar. That is the way it is supposed to be, although not always observed.
IJRNews asks that if anyone else has comments or testimonials whether good, bad or indifferent regarding Dr. Tony Mork or Dr. Anthony Mork, a Newport Beach spinal surgeon, please contact us or leave your comments. We appreciated and want to share the information gathered from our readers to inform the readers of vital information prior to going under any surgical procedures.
Newport Beach Doctor accused of camouflaging surgery centers
Newport Beach Surgeons – Surgical Centers in Newport Beach –
Dr. Anthony Mork – Spinal Surgical Centers – Newport Spinal Surgery –
MicroSpine Surgical Center
This article has been submitted by readers regarding repeated reports investigated by IJR staff about Dr. Tony Mork (Anthony Mork), we welcome any comments that either support or dispute this already heavily reported accusations. IJR News does not endorse or dispute the articles that are posted by independent authors but are posted for informational awareness, and if the meet world Journalism standards
This article was submitted by one of our readers regarding a surgeon that has had several malpractice accusation claims against him through very transferable means and fronts. Besides the abundance of apparent provable claims this Newport Beach spinal surgean continues to perform procedures. The point of this article is to investigate deeper into the several reports of medical malpractice from procedures under the care of endoscopy endoscopic spinal surgeon Dr. Anthony Mork (a.k.a. as Dr. Tony Mork).
Mork, originally from DeFuniak Springs, Florida to his most recent location Newport Beach, Ca. Information received by IJRNews has confirmed his practice Microspine Surgical Center continues to perform these procedures out of Newport Beach California uner Anthony Mork. This is an outrage to think the Board of Orthopedic Surgery continues to grant Dr. Mork the certification to perform surgery with several victims testifying to his negligence. IJRNews has received official reports filed by more than 5 complaints against Dr. Anthony Mork and his practice for charges ranging from malpractice, fraud, misdiagnosis, to performing unnecessary procedures solely for profit. If that was not enough this doctor has been using aliases for his practice and himself. Regardless of numerous complaints tot he performing these r It has been brought to our attention that a spinal surgeon licensed in Florida has been performing procedures that have left many with poor to unsatisfactory life threating results. A numerous of complaints have been filed against this doctor but are unsuccesful per the doctor moving locations.
We welcome the readers of IJRNews.com to comment on their thoughts regarding the
TESTIMONIES
Numerous articles and accusation against Dr. Anthony Mork of Newport Beach can be found all over the internet. Before having any ind of consultation or work by this surgeon please read the following sites:
- Leah writes – “I had lumbar surgery by Dr. Anthony Mork in 2003, a laser-assisted discectomy. Even though the surgery made my back and leg pain better, shortly thereafter I developed a severe post-operative infection which required 6 weeks of IV antibiotics, oral antibiotics, sleeping in a recliner for a year because I couldn’t lay down from all the pain, a back brace which I wore for 24 hours a day, and a four-wheeled walker. I cannot express how much pain I was in. I contacted Dr. Mork about the infection and was told that it never happened before with any of his patients. I don’t believe him. Any doctor that has done 5,000 surgeries in 5 years, which Dr. Mork claims, is bound to have several patients who develop post-operative infections. Even though I respected Dr. Mork at the beginning of this process, I have lost all respect for him and would never recommend him to anybody. By the way, my L5-S1 disc dissolved due to the infection, and those two vertebrae fused on their own. I am doing a lot better now, can lay flat to sleep, no more walker or cane, and am stronger. But I will never forget the hell that I went through because of Dr. Mork.”
Leah’s comments and numerous others can be found @ http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showthread.php?677-Microspine-Center-Florida&
- mgt55ddrt wrote - ”my name is dan and dr mork nicked my spinal cord in my neck and put me in a wheel chair.
over a five year period I still where a brace for drop foot. my right arm and hand are curled up.
I have no balance and stumble everywhere.he created a stroke on my right side.its kind of like he said sorry about that and sent me home.never heard from him again.”
find his post and others @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr-Y8wTQ3Q4
-Steven Barone writes - ”I have personally experienced and which I believe, in my opinion, have contributed to and resulted in permanent injury that I sustained while being treated at the MicroSpine Surgery Center while under the care of Dr. Anthony Mork and Dr. Scott Haufe of MicroSpine”
Steven’s statements can be found @ http://www.microspinehurtme.com/index.html
- georgia_paraleg claims – “I am a victim of Microspine and Dr. Mork. I went in with minor problems. Due to his leaving bone fragments in, I suffered an 8 mm (about 1/2 inch) tear to the dura or thecal sac, and severely leaked spinal fluids. The failures of this clinic left me with partial paralysis and largly contributed to my divorce. I am, and may always be, a chronic pain patient. In addition to the great work of microspine, they have had the audacity to send me to collections for not paying for the two additional surgeries it took to correct his mistake (I paid for the first surgery in cash up front). If I could do it all again, I would run as fast as I could away from Microspine or Dr. Mork. btw…they keep you sedated but awake during the surgery so you can feel the drilling in your back, and Mork isn’t even nice about it. If you say ouch, you will get “don’t say ouch, tell me where it hurts! is it the same pain or is it different?” The guy is nuts.”
georgia_parelg comment can be found @ http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showthread.php?677-Microspine-Center-Florida&s=5925f51f14bb4b975dfcc7a406b26b59
Girls go to Jupiter and Boys go to Mars
Although this is been a very close race since first recognized by children in the 1st to 4th grade levels, the subject seems to be a everlasting debate. The stats are finally in, and they might in fact change the course of time as we know it. Boys go to Mars to get more candy bars and girls go to Jupiter to get more stupider
In a random email sent to 25,000 IJR News readers the results are in, it seems that 55% of those polled feel that boys actually go to Mars to get more candy bars, and of course, girls go to Jupiter to get more stupider. Is stupider even a word?
The most interesting thing about the official IJR News survey was that 60% of the emails sent out were to females and 30% to males, and 10% refused to say. Just as there are more woman alive in the U.S. and are eligible to vote, the U.S. has never sen a woman president. This simple fact adds substance to the new results.
This sample poll according to most dietitians is a very accurate estimate as to be national poll asking the same question.
Although the IGR staff doesn’t side or concur with this result, it is official, and we must honor it. This is finally a time for the boys of this world to celebrate, and they’re going to have a lot of candy bars and go to Mars. Unfortunately, for the girls of our world, they will end up going to Jupiter and well apparently according to the study won’t gain much knowledge there.
For comments or questions please contact the author
Ciara Greenman – Guest junior journalist representing Orange County, and is a proud member of a California Distinguished School. ContactIJRnews.Gmail.com
Safety and security concerns for Times Square NYE raise questions
New Year’s Eve security main focus for NYPD
NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told CNN Thursday that he plans to strategically deploy thousands of resources, including 35 mounted horses, explosives-sniffing dogs, and uniformed as well as plainclothes officers on Saturday.
Kelly said the precautions are essential to combating the serious terror threat the city continues face in a post-9/11 world.
COBRA teams to handle chemical, biological and radiological threats will be pre-deployed to key locations, according to the commissioner.
“We operate under the assumption that we’re at the top of the terrorist target list, and we’ve had 14 attempts at terrorist-type attacks.” Kelly said.
To that end, before event-goers enter Times Square they must pass through a comprehensive security checkpoint.
These checkpoints will be erected at each of the 16 entrances to Times Square and will include metal and radiation detectors as well as bag searches. Backpacks and alcohol will not be permitted.
Past the checkpoints, at least 500 cameras and numerous helicopters with infrared capacity will survey the 65 pens, constantly scanning for security threats and breaches, according Commissioner Kelly.
For Kelly, coordination will be crucial, so the Joint Operations Center “will be activated, where we have representatives from units throughout the department and federal, state and local agencies. So you can get face-to-face coordination, which is very important aspect of what we do.”
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to watch the ball drop, according to Times Square’s official website.
Kelly said that the department will seek to ensure the security and safety of the public so they can enjoy the festivities.
“I think it’s something you have to do at least once,” he said. “It’s sort of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s a happy event. It’s an exciting event.”
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