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)
Newport Beach Doctor teaches about latest advancements in implants
Orange County is home to the Housewives and of course is home to some of the top doctors in the world for two reasons, the climate, and the number of people that do whatever it takes to look their best.
Dr. Michaelis is one of the most sought after dental implant dentist in Newport Beach and is an educator and patient advocate in the field of oral surgeons.
Dr Thomas Michaelis offered IJR NEWS the below article
With the latest advancements in dental implant technology it is now possible to have your Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon remove a non-restorable tooth, place a dental implant and then have a temporary crown attached to the implant all in the same day! Gone are the days where you had to wait 6-12 months before the dental implant was ready to use. The newer implant designs now allow for immediate loading. It still takes some time for the implant to integrate with your jaw bone before the permanent crowns can be made, but the overall treatment time has been significantly reduced!
The highest, most predictable success rates regarding immediate loading of dental implants involves a ‘team’ approach. The ‘team’ consists of you, your restorative dentist, and an experienced surgeon. I like to call this the ‘Medical Model’ of implant dentistry. In medicine, the general practitioners will always refer out to a specialist any problem that they are not trained to manage or where they feel it would be in their patients’ best interest to be referred to a specialist. This isn’t as common in dentistry. General dentists often want to keep their production up so instead of referring complicated
situations out to those better trained to manage them, the general dentists attempt, often with poor results, to manage these patients themselves. If a medical patient needed their gallbladder out, that patient is always referred to a surgeon. If a dental patient needs a dental implant, many of those patients are NOT referred to a surgeon. Why not? They’re both surgeries! I’m not quite sure what the reason is. If your dentist offers to do your implant surgery just know that you have options. Ask them who they would want to place an implant in their mouth….and go there. I’m partly kidding but the point I want to make is that it is critical to long-term success to be an informed consumer. The bottom line is, just be careful regarding who you choose to perform your surgery, whether it’s your gallbladder or a dental implant.
Newport Beach doctor warns the public about substandard dental implants
Newport Beach Doctor puts integrity before money – Dental Implant cautions in Orange County
Newport Beach doctor warns the public about substandard dental implants
It seems with the Internet, the public is more armed than ever to look for discounts in every area they can. Many major stores and services have opted to use internet coupons as a source for marketing. One Newport Beach Doctor thinks consumers should use caution with internet coupons when it comes to medical practice (click here for YouTube video).
In fact, this Newport Beach doctor has made it a point to educate the public about the harms of choosing to have a discount medical procedure, specifically a dental implant. Dr Tom Michaelis is a board certified surgeon that has earned a reputation of the highest integrity. However, sometimes playing the spoiler, doesn’t always sit well with those trying to make fortunes for providing services they are not qualified to do.
Dr. Tom Michaelis is making it a priority to educate the public when it comes to dental implants and has made it a very important part of his practice to be a patient advocate. In fact, for Michaelis and his business partner are often called to testify as expert witnesses in cases involving malpractice. In many of these cases, performance is ultimately compromised because of lack of training, education, experience, and sometimes a combination of all three.
It seems everywhere people look these days, there is a discount to be had with dental implants. Part of the reason is because of how implants have change the lives of so many people. Especially to those that might still have dentures, have had their teeth hurt in car accidents or injuries, and numerous other tooth fairy stories. Unfortunately where there is opportunity, there is inherited abuse and many doctors will unfortunately cut corners in procedures they’re not qualified to perform to make extra money.
IJR News was able to interview the Newport Beach Doctor, Dr. Tom Michaelis to ask him to explain the importance of quality dental implants and the necessary doctor experience to look for. Michaelis told us , “An implant that will hopefully be attached to you for the rest of your life has to be one of quality, it should be made of the highest grade titanium so it can properly attach to the bone. There are many companies that wish to make a quick buck and choose to use titanium parts or produce titanium parts that are nowhere near the quality of a good titanium implant needed for an optimal dental procedure. The problem is that many of these companies are fly-by-night operations and aren’t held responsible if an implant fails.”
“In addition, many of the dentists that are heavily marketing dental implants, lack the experience, education, and training to carry out such procedures but have exceptional marketing skills. Unfortunately, when it comes to a procedure such as dental implants, patients might want to put some research in the doctor performing these surgeries and also investigate the exact implant going into their mouth.”
IJR news is investigating some of these doctors and encourage feedback from patients that have had a good or bad experience with dental implants. Doctor Tom Michaelis can be reached at www.doctornewportbeach.com
Dr. Roxana Greenman Ph. D.
Advisory panel IJR NEWS
ContactIJRNEWS@gmail.com
BMW is being sued for accusations of inaccurate odometer readings
In Orange County, California, a long time BMW loyal owner is suing BMW for what the owner claims is a lease that turned into a cash cow for BMW. The BMW enthusiast said this particular 528i just went sour, and eventually blossomed to lemon that carried a heavy price tag with its “magic miles” it accumulated by lease end.
With an alleged out of control odometer, and irrational driving habits brought to the attention to the plaintiff by her longtime accountant, things just didn’t add up.
(IJR News exclusive March, 20,2012) According to an IJR News interview with R.M. Greenman, the plaintiff in this case, she lives one mile from her daughter’s school and works out of her Newport Beach home. She hasn’t been on a major road trip since the economy went bad and hardly ever drives because of the proximity to her daughters school and that she works from home. Over the course of 2 1/2 years, her BMW 528i cars odometer claims she accumulated over 70,000 miles.
The car, which was repeatedly brought into the BMW dealerships countless times, was never really address in any capacity according to the plaintiff. In Fact, R.M states that at around 25,000 miles the cars odometer was getting 54 MPG (captured by her cell phone on many occasions), in which BMW confirmed, documented, and fixed “the malfunction.”
Although this owner has owned several BMWs in the past and has never made such claims, she feels she was dealt the ultimate lemon and only agreed to talk to IJR News in order to bring this to the attention of other lease owners that might have been victim to the same type of situation.
The Plaintiff told IJR this, “I asked the dealership to simply give me a new lease with a different car at around the 20,000 – 25,000 mile range (I even called corporate), I made every payment on-time for the entire period of the lease, but I feared driving the car every day. The worst part is that I could never enjoy the car in almost any capacity and at the end of the lease, I was asked to pay an enormous amount because of the bodacious miles. I must be in the wrong business, if I could lease cars and get an extra 50k miles added on at the end, it would be a no-brainer .”
Even after over five times of bringing the vehicle into BMW service, BMW and its technicians claimed they couldn’t find the problem. Although documented service records indicate that BMW claims to have fixed a miles per hour signal on the vehicle when it was reading close to 60 miles per gallon in its calculations, the final explanation was “that it would not affect anything else?” The plaintiff, having a PhD from Stanford in engineering repeatedly claimed to have challenged the technicians and service managers on this improbable explanation, and simply asked “how could it not affect anything else?”
When finally turning the car in at 70,000+ miles the owner claimed to have the original tires, with the exception of one tire being replaced due to a roadside hazard, BMW has argued they are all different tires, yet carfax can’t find such tire purchases other than the one tire the Plaintiff claimed was replaced. Everything else on the car was in its original condition including brake pads, belts hoses, and provided date stamped pictures of an engine that looked factory fresh when vehicle was turned in. The plaintiff in this case feels that she is not alone. In fact, she feels that there are probably several people out there in which this has happened to and it’s possible that with an odometer malfunction on this model, BMW can benefit financially in a fairly very sophisticated fashion.
BMW has denied this claim and in fact after the vehicle was turned in, BMW hired an expert witness to drive around the car and test the alleged accusations. This of course only creates an even more indistinct view, as a chain of custody has been breached from the previous owner. In Journalism, we compare these types of tests as to having a drug dealer test the narcotics he got arrested for without the cops overseeing the operation. When a customer turns in a vehicle for any kind of service or especially at the termination of a lease they obviously also lose control of whatever happens to that vehicle.
IJR news asks any BMW owner that has experienced a similar situation to contact us immediately and we will forward your information to the plaintiff and her lawyer in order to entertain the possibility of a class action or simply add witness if this case goes to trial . In this case THE BICKEL LAW FIRM, INC. a California attorney firm that specializes in lemon law lawsuits, has taken this case and is preparing for trial if the case can’t be settled in the next few weeks.
IJR News is a consumer advocate company and simply brings various articles, whether submitted to us for evaluation or investigated by our staff, to the forefront of World-class news. We encourage all readers to confirm facts on anything you read on the internet and or print.
V.P. IJR NEWS – Senior Journalist – contactIJRnews@gmail.com
Food stamp usage is on the rise again
Image via Wikipedia
The number of Plumas County families who rely on food stamp assistance has nearly doubled in two years.
Social services director Elliott Smart said the numbers show “the recessionary economy has not begun to recover” in the county.
“Applications for public assistance programs have continued to trend at historic high numbers,” Smart told the county’s board of supervisors during its Feb. 21 meeting.
Smart said the quarterly trends report showed more than 250 new applications per month, on average.
“Last August we had 368 applications, which is the highest number I have ever recorded,” Smart said.
As of December, 2011, 655 families were in the CalFresh (food stamp) program. The average eligible household received about $320 per month.
See this weeks newspaper for a more detailed story.
“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
Italian discover 8 additional bodies
8 bodies found on doomed Italian ship; 7 employees investigated
Rome (CNN) – Eight more bodies were found Wednesday aboard the shipwrecked Costa Concordia, Italian officials said Wednesday, and seven cruise line employees were being investigated.
The bodies were all found on a part of the ship known as bridge four, which is under water, Italian civil protection officials said. The discoveries raise the number of confirmed dead to 25, with seven people still missing.
The cruise liner struck rocks and turned on its side January 13 off the Italian island of Giglio.
Four of the bodies were recovered Wednesday, including those of a woman, man and little girl, civil protection officials said. They have not been identified.
Five-year-old Italian girl Dayana Arlotti is among those unaccounted for after the wreck.
Because of deteriorating weather conditions, rescuers from the Italian fire brigade halted recovery operations for Wednesday, officials said.
Meanwhile, seven more people — four Concordia officers and three Costa employees — are under investigation, prosecutor Francesco Verusio said. They include Roberto Ferrarini, head of the cruise lines’ crisis unit. Ferrarini was on the phone with the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, the night of the incident.
The seven have not been charged, detained or arrested, Verusio said. They are suspected of committing multiple manslaughter, shipwreck and failing to alert maritime authorities.
“The establishment of the truth is essential in order for justice to be done in the first instance for the victims but also with regards to our crew and indeed the entire company,” Costa said in a statement. “We have complete faith in the judicial system and we have offered our fullest collaboration to the authorities from the very beginning.
“We have no doubt that (the) professionalism of our company, as well as the ability of our onboard and ashore people to cope with this extraordinary emergency, will be recognized.”
Schettino remains under house arrest while investigators examine possible charges against him. Earlier this month, a Florence, Italy, court rejected a prosecution motion that Schettino be jailed as well as a defense motion that he be freed, according to attorney Alessandro Antichi.
The captain faces possible charges of manslaughter, shipwreck and abandoning ship in connection with the wreck.
Schettino has said managers of the cruise line instructed him to sail close to the island and has denied allegations that he was sailing too fast. He has said the rock the ship struck was not indicated on his charts of the area.
“We believe the placing other Costa personnel under investigation is simply due to the necessity for the authorities to provide such individuals with the guarantees afforded to everybody under Italian law, especially in view of the special evidentiary hearing that will commence in the coming days,” Costa said.
The company said it “would like to express its complete trust and solidarity in these individuals, being absolutely confident in their professional competence and ethical correctness, who performed their duties with the highest professionalism and dedication in the hours following this grave incident.”
Suicide bomber uncovered by Dept. of Justice
Authorities: Suicide attack on U.S. Capitol foiled
Washington (CNN) – A 29-year-old man from Morocco was arrested Friday and charged with attempting to bomb the U.S. Capitol building in a suicide attack, authorities said.
Suspect Amine El Khalifi made an initial appearance in court and, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, according to the Justice Department.
He allegedly went to a parking garage near the Capitol on Friday and received what he thought was a vest with explosives and a firearm, both of which had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement. He was arrested before leaving the garage.
“Today’s case underscores the continuing threat we face from homegrown violent extremists,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security Lisa Monaco. “Thanks to a coordinated law enforcement effort, El Khalifi’s alleged plot was thwarted before anyone was harmed.”
The suspect was charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against government property. Authorities say the public was never in any danger.
As news of the arrest broke, the Senate had just wrapped up voting on a payroll tax cut extension deal. The House of Representatives had already voted on the deal and members had left, or were leaving. Tourists were also at the Capitol, as is usual.
During his initial court appearance, El Khalifi wore blue pants and a green T-shirt with the words “Ready in Season” on the back. He had short black hair, a trimmed, thin beard and tattoos on his inner arm. He stood straight, showed no emotion and did not speak.
The suspect, an immigrant from Morocco, is in the United States illegally. He had been closely monitored as part of a lengthy and extensive undercover operation, police said, adding that U.S. Capitol Police had been “intimately” involved in the investigation.
The suspect entered the United States in June 1999 on a B2 visa — which allows for trips for pleasure, tourism or medical treatment, according to an FBI affidavit. His visa expired that same year and he has been living in the United States illegally ever since.
In January 2011, a confidential source reported to the FBI that El Khalifi met with other individuals at a residence in Arlington, Virginia. A person there produced what appeared to be weapons and El Khalifi “expressed agreement with a statement by this individual that the ‘war on terrorism’ was a ‘war on Muslim,’ and said that the group needed to be ready for war,” the affidavit read.
At another point, El Khalifi allegedly said he would “be happy killing 30 people,” it said.
One law enforcement official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told CNN that authorities are searching two locations in Virginia in connection to the investigation — one in Arlington, the other in Alexandria.
A second law enforcement official said El Khalifi is not connected to a terrorist organization and was acting alone.
El Khalifi thought he had met al Qaeda members who would assist him, but in fact he was dealing with undercover FBI agents, said the second source, who declined to say whether the FBI has audio or video recordings of the suspect talking to undercover agents about his plans.
A third source briefed on the matter said the suspect was identified through an existing criminal, not terrorism investigation. When asked about possible entrapment, the U.S. government source said the suspect went out on his own to buy component pieces for an improvised explosive device.
After news of the arrest broke, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor hailed the work of the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police in thwarting the alleged attack.
“These brave members of our law enforcement community make daily sacrifices in their work to keep us safe and deserve tremendous credit for their efforts leading up to today’s successful sting,” he said.
President Barack Obama was informed on Thursday about the FBI’s plan to arrest El Khalifi, a White House spokesman said.
Top congressional leaders were also briefed on the arrest and operation, a congressional source said, though it was not clear exactly when.
Unlike some other recent attacks on the Capitol, Friday’s alleged suicide plot involved a suspect willing to kill himself.
In September last year, a federal grand jury indicted a man for allegedly plotting to use large remote-controlled model airplanes filled with explosives to attack the Capitol and the Pentagon.
A man was arrested in September 2008 two blocks from the Capitol after an officer spotted a rifle in his car.
And in July 1998, a gunman fired shots in the Capitol building, killing two U.S. Capitol Police officers.
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