I groove like that

I Holga-ed the Sun

2011-06-01T13:45:00.001-04:00

Holga, originally uploaded by eatpomegranate.

With my sister in our favorite shoes

2011-05-17T23:23:00.001-04:00

Photo by Wajiha Ibrahim.

Double Exposure

2010-12-05T22:57:00.005-05:00

When I was about 16 years old my Dad gave me his 35mm SLR camera. It was my most prized possession. I was always composing photographs in my head and I kept thinking about how lighting would work in various situations. Buying and developing film became an expensive hobby. Every shutter release was costing me a quarter. . . click click click. Twenty five cents per photo was a lot of money for a teenager, especially because I was shooting so frequently.

There was a point where it wasn't financially irresponsible to keep shooting film. Eventually I had to succumb to digital photography. Regardless, I never abandoned film. Here are a few photos from one of the best rolls I have ever shot.

I shot these on my Olympus XA using Ilford Delta 100 film. After shooting this roll once, I unwound it, put it back in the camera and shot it over again. The roll was developed under 3 heavy comforters (a make-shift dark room) at my friend Jeana Dee Allen's apartment. I was overjoyed with the results.

enjoy!

Ginger Zing!

2010-07-06T10:42:00.000-04:00

This is my guest post on Beer and Comics

Ginger is one of my favorite flavors. I have ginger in my green tea, I garnish my food with it, I even use ginger toothpaste for that extra zing every morning. So when I was looking to satiate my ginger craving in The City (NYC) the big “Ginger” sign on this bottle drew me in from across the deli.

Unfiltered Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost has pure and natural ingredients and a wonderfully fresh mouth feel. Unlike other ginger beers and ginger ales, it doesn’t leave you with an unnatural tongue burn. As you can see in the picture above, the small pieces of ginger settle at the bottom and it is recommended to give the bottle a gentle shake before you drink. It is made it with a surprisingly simple list of ingredients: water, pure cane sugar, ginger, and citric acid . There is only one Whole Foods Market in Michigan that is stocking this ginger ale but hopefully more will start [full distribution list here].

Abita gets Sassafras-y

2010-07-02T10:46:00.002-04:00

This is my guest post on Beer and Comics

Michigan has had absolutely beautiful weather lately and there is no better way to spend a Spring evening than making music with friends. In preparation for watching the sunset from my porch, Ian and I went for a quick shopping trip. As he perused the isles for the best microbrews, I search for root beer. I almost missed the stack of Abita root beer until he pointed out this six pack.

Abita brews their root beer with spring water and they use cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. This root beer is not very rooty and gives you a very soft mouth feel. Abita has kept the carbonation low so that you can enjoy the subtle taste. I wouldn’t pair it with any overpowering flavors.

I am really happy to see Abita is making muslim-friendly drinks. I highly recommend their root beer. It has been a fast favorite for me.

8/10

P.S. Thanks a lot to the Beer and Comics crew for letting me post here! I like root beer almost just as much as they like beer. I look forward to sharing my passion with you all.

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T13:53:00.002-04:00

I have one of the coolest fathers on the planet. Because of my Dad (and Mom) my siblings and I got to have the most enjoyable childhood. We had vacations amongst Himalayan peaks and my dad took us for epic motorcycle rides. Even though, we took it for granted at the time, I am glad that he would choose the motorcycle over the car when he took us out. I will never forget maneuvering heavy Pakistani traffic and having absolute confidence in his driving. I think Dads are the only people who get that blind confidence. Those motorcycle rides trained me for all the biking I was to do in adulthood.

Shangrila Lake, N.W.F.P Pakistan

Trango Towers - N.W.F.P Pakistan

Here are some more pictures of my Dad being a total bad ass. None of these photos are mine because most of them were taken before I picked up the camera.

My dad on his motorcycle with my uncles

My dad (far right) at a military dinner.

Getting ready to fly the SA-330 Puma

Motorcycle

2010-06-16T22:50:00.006-04:00

My friend Iron John Logan made this motorycle from an old steel bicycle frame. He rebuilt the frame to accommodate the fuel tank and a snowblower's motor. I got to test ride it yesterday and it brought back memories of my old bike. Regardless of the engine size, there is something exhilarating about motorcycles. I love this bike.

Cherry Hill Neighbourhood, Lansing, MI. Hugh C. modeling for me.

The motorcycle

Sickle Cell Anemia in Nigeria

2010-03-02T11:46:00.002-05:00

Photo from: Migration for Development
My professor (left in front row) just sent me this article about a sickle cell genetic counseling seminar we conducted in Abuja, Nigeria.

Article: Nigerian diaspora doctors join medical medical experts in Nigeria to raise awareness of sickle cell anemia

He was always cute in my eyes

2010-02-03T23:50:00.003-05:00

Aurailieus is on Cute Overload!

The fifty is nifty but. . .

2010-02-02T13:07:00.002-05:00

My 50mm prime lens is incredible for portraits and low light settings but I am really starting to miss having a wide angel perspective on the world.

I shot a roll with my old film SLR and here are a few of the pictures.

Notebooks from recycled paper

2010-01-15T00:12:00.004-05:00

Today, I went through my recycling bin and sorted out all the pages with single sided printing.

I took half the stack to Kinkos for binding and with the other half I made my own composition book.

BAM!

Happy New Year 010110

2010-01-01T19:48:00.001-05:00

I wish you a very Happy New Year.

I hope 2010 brings great things to all our lives.

Aurailieus wants attention

2009-12-22T15:52:00.001-05:00

Be Like Obama

2009-12-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

This is a children's notebook. I saw it on a hospital counter in Nigeria. Kinda made me think of the "Be Like Mike" campaign.

Twins in Lagos

2009-12-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

Photo: Lagos 2009

Like most other large cities in Nigeria, when traffic stops in Lagos, street vendors trickle their ways into the streets. I have seen street vendors selling anything from phone chargers and wall clocks to fried plantains and boiled eggs. As we drove out of the Lagos airport we saw these two ladies, both with twins(Ibeji) on their hips asking for food for their children.
Two studies conducted about three decades ago estimate that Nigeria has the highest twin birth rates in the world (Golding, 1990; Naylander, 1978). A town nearly 50 miles north of Lagos boast the highest incidence of twin births. The dizygotic twin birth rates vary by region but monozygotic birth rates are constant around the world.

In the scientific community there are many hypothesis regarding environmental factors that determine multiple birth rates. Similarly, most Nigerians have their own impression of why so many western Nigerians give birth to twins. A few people mentioned that the yoruba
diet was the main factor, while others suggested various enviromental factors.

Golding, J. (1990) Factors associated with twinning and other multiple birth. In Golding, J. (ed.), Social and Biological Effects on Perinatal Mortality. Vol. III. Perinatal Analyses. Bristol University, Bristol, pp. 21-66
Naylander, P.P.S. (1978) Causes of high twinning frequencies in Nigeria. In Nance, W.E., Allen, G. and Parisi, P. (eds), Twin Research. Part B: Biology and Epidemiology. Alan R. Liss, New York, pp. 35-43.

Village birth attendants

2009-12-06T15:12:00.000-05:00

We recently visited a village outside of the federal capital territory of Nigeria. The route was unpaved and a 4x4 pickup truck drove us in. I can't imagine how much rougher that trip would have been in a smaller car. An NGO founded by an architect and an urban planner is doing a lot of work at this village. We got a tour of a new school being built there. Apparently the Japanese embassy is also funding a lot of the new construction.

After the tour, we went into the settlements and talked to people who spoke either Hausa or English. Considering the treacherous route to the nearest hospital very few people make the trip unless they are in a dire state. Understandably women aren't able to make the trip to the hospital to deliver their children either.
Someone told us about a local birth attendant. This is a picture of where many women in the village deliver their children.

Jumma in Abuja

2009-12-04T11:21:00.000-05:00

Photo: National Mosque shot in 2008

Photo: People socializing after the Friday prayer 2009

I went to the Nigerian National Mosque in Abuja for the Friday prayer.
Fortunately the Nigerian Muslims don't have to worry about a minaret ban.

In queue for petrol

2009-12-02T16:57:00.000-05:00

Petrol stations in the Federal Capital Territory have been hoarding gasoline in anticipation of a hike in crude oil prices. There is a chance that the Nigerian government will deregulate the sale of gasoline in the country. It is suspected that the petrol stations would hike the prices whenever there is a shortage. All around Abuja you can see mile-long lines of people in queue for gasoline. Our driver had to wait 8 hours to get the car filled up. Some people have been spending nights in their cars to keep their spot in line. For emergency situations people buy gasoline in jerrycans for two or three times the regular price.

Turning things around

2009-11-26T01:10:00.001-05:00

Photo: A woman waiting for medical care outside the hospital. (as shot) November, 2009

In low-resource health care settings physicians have to acclimate in order to provide the best possible care to their patients. It is important to best utilize what is available to them in order to make a diagnosis. Two days ago we went to a clinic in Nassarawa state, Nigeria; just a little north of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Alongside the highway we saw many scattered settlements. People from these small villages go to a central hospital to receive the most pressing medical care needs.

Physicians at this hospital make diagnoses without basic lab tests or equipment. Our project provides these physicians with a bacterial culture machine which may be used free of charge. On our last site visit we were shocked to notice that at this hospital the bacterial culture machine has only been used a handful of times. The local physicians have become habituated to practicing medicine in a low-resource hospital. Adding basic services provided at other hospitals is perceived as a burden to the physicians' diagnostic regiment.

Hopefully, we can turn this around.

Happy Birthday

2009-11-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

It is nice to be back under the Nigerian sun. Today was my first full day here. We woke up around 7 am and started the day with fried yam. Later in the afternoon we were invited to the Nigerian Ministry of Health to make a presentation about the sickle cell project. The public health division was incredibly enthusiastic and very supportive about the what our team is doing. It was the division director's birthday today. While we were there people sang her the Nigerian version of the "happy birthday" song. This version was so different from what I am used to in the US that I don't think they will need to pay the Time-Warner any royalties. The song ends with "how old are you nowwww? How old are you nowwww?". She turned 59 today.

In the evening we went to a huge carnival with people from all the Nigerian states representing their respective cultures. More pictures to come on my flickr site when I get back to the US.

I think we are off to the outskirts of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT) tomorrow.

peace

My Olympus XA

2009-11-18T11:25:00.000-05:00

Both my parents love photography and I grew up around cameras. My parents took most of our childhood pictures on an Olympus XA rangefinder camera. I remember this camera was a precious item in our household. My dad bought it from one of his photographer friends in the early 1980's.
In the last few years my parents have moved on to digital photography and I am starting to inherit all the awesome film gear. Recently, my Mom gave me this Olympus and I have been shooting with it regularly. I feel guilty for letting my DSLR collect dust on my shelf.
My style of photography totally changes when I am taking pictures with a film camera. I can't do any test shots to quickly check my exposure or to see how light is falling on my subject. I have to think much more and it is really fun to go lo-fi once in a while.

This is a picture of Grand River (Lansing, MI) about a block away from my apartment.

This is Eric at an incredible Jamaican restaurant in Lansing. They blast Jamaican music all day.

I had to open the back of the camera in a (not so dark) room. This was an unexpected result. The light leak is perfectly over the manhole.

My friend's dream

2009-11-12T12:03:00.000-05:00

Dude,

Last night I had a dream that we were high school friends and we were
in the amazon trying to save children from slavery under this evil
baker. Bread was made by a windmill and the children had to shove all
the ingredients down these Tim Burton-like tubes as fast as they could
before this roulette wheel came and chopped their fingers off. Once
the children got too old, the old lady chopped them up and baked them
into bread.

We tried to get the media involved by telling the children's stories.
But, the rest of the world was deaf and blind and couldn't think about
anything but the loss of their senses. ...They just ate bread.

So...

I woke up.

I still feel a little strange about that dream.

But, on a more positive note - we were high school superheros trying
to save children in the Amazon. That's pretty bad ass.

I think maybe I'm watching too much Highlander. If you're interested,
I want to share my love of that beautiful 1990s TV show. It'd be good
stress relief for you. It's completely mindless.

My Sugar Gliders

2009-10-30T12:19:00.000-04:00

Meet Aurailieus: He is typically pretty relaxed but this day he was really interested in what is happening outside the window.

Here is Josephine. She is the curious one and has a really short attention span. I love her.

Orange

2009-10-16T23:33:00.001-04:00

Orange, originally uploaded by eatpomegranate.

Another memory of this Michigan fall.

Meet Rusty

2009-10-11T14:54:00.001-04:00

IMG_2088, originally uploaded by eatpomegranate.

Fall is approaching!

2009-10-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

Language preservation

2009-07-28T16:56:00.000-04:00

When I am at home with my family, we do our best to talk in Urdu. Of course, sometimes dinner table debates evoke sentences in English but that is uncommon. I still think of English as my second language. There are some things I can express much easier in Urdu while other topics require English.

A few months ago, I was having a conversation with my sister in Urdu and then she asked me to help her with her Chemistry homework. As soon as we cracked open the book and started talking about how to balance a chemical reaction, I switched to English. I feel like both these languages are distinct tools for me and I can't imagine communicating without one or the other. When it is necessary for effect while telling jokes, Punjabi also gets thrown into the mix too.

Our family tries our best to preserve Urdu in our new lifestyle, but who knows where it will be centuries from now. I was listening to a story about a group of linguists who are making digital audio archives of dying languages and once again I came across an article about them in NYTimes.

"Kim is a dying language, and Dr. Childs a field linguist. From his base here in Tei, a small fishing village on the Waanje River, he canoes up the narrow waterways that cut across the river’s floodplain, and hikes a few miles inland, to where the last Kim communities remain. Based on recordings taken there, he has devised an alphabet and compiled a dictionary and is finishing a book on the grammar."

Check out the full article
here

Hogs out my car window

2009-06-11T16:41:00.000-04:00

Islamabad heat

2009-05-18T11:59:00.000-04:00

Photo in Islamabad, Pakistan 2006 by Adil Ibrahim

My brother ~~and I~~ and me biking in Pakistan on a hot day (~100 °F).

My Review of Swiss Army Renegade Watch

2009-04-20T16:41:00.001-04:00

REI

The Renegade Swiss Army watch features black on black styling and is made in Switzerland with precision Swiss quartz movement.

Great watch, not so great wristband

eatpomegranate Lansing, MI 4/20/2009

Gift: No

Pros: Quality Construction, Light, Comfortable

Cons: Strap broke, Scratches Easily

Best Uses: Daily Use, Travel

Describe Yourself: Athletic, Practical

Like another reviewer said; this watch is not designed for water sports. I took this on the lake and water got under the glass (SA fixed this).
I commute by bike in cold Michigan winters and the temperature fluctuation resulted in some fog under the glass (SA fixed this too).
Lastly, I bought a new cloth strap from SA and now I love it. I have had this watch for several years now.

()

Communal Fruit Bowl

2009-04-09T23:02:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago my friend shared a Planet Green article about starting a communal fruit bowl at work. It is incredible how much coffee we consume during a workday, so I thought a bowl of fruit may offer a much healthier distraction. There is nothing like a crisp apple.
I brought up this idea at work and one of my co-workers offered to let me use his wood shop for making a bowl.

The fruit bowl is a big hit and this is how I made it.

After a piece of walnut was cut in half and we put the two pieces through the planer.

Jon getting me comfortable with the table saw

All these pieces were cut at a 60 degree angle.

At the end of Day-1. Check out my face guard. ROCK!

All the pieces glued together

A view from the top before we put it on the lathe

After a half hour on the lathe, the bowl started taking shape

FRUIT BOWL!

Golden Harvest, Lansing MI

2009-03-12T22:21:00.001-04:00

This is my favorite breakfast place in Lansing.

Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart

2009-03-06T00:15:00.000-05:00

The is the best CAPTCHA I have ever seen.

Flickr CAPTCHA

footbaths for muslims

2009-03-03T11:59:00.000-05:00

Mosques in Turkey - 2007

After lunch I often look for a quiet hall or empty classroom to make my afternoon prayer. Personal hygiene is a huge thing in Islam and before Muslims pray we perform an ablution. This includes watching your face, cleaning your nose, ears, teeth, your arms and feet. It is almost like a mini shower but usually a sink is used.
Unfortunately for Muslims in the Western world and especially in the corporate environment this ablution invites prolonged stares. I read this article in the NY times about installing foot baths in school where there are a lot of Muslims. With the growing number of Muslim in Mid-Michigan I think it is about time Michigan State University does the same.

Lansing Polar Bear Plunge

2009-03-01T23:15:00.000-05:00

I got this roll of film on the streets of Nigeria and it was really grainy.

Chicken Chicken Chicken

2009-02-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

Photo: Karachi, Pakistan Summer 2007
I am often busiest towards the end of the word day. As I was wrapping things up the director of our department walked over to my desk and handed me this paper (see pdf version). He said it was really important that I look it over immediately. Of course, I put my stuff aside and started reading it and I don't think I have laughed this hard in a very long time.

I also just found a presentation of this paper at a conference.

mood music

2009-02-02T04:17:00.000-05:00

I often visit All Music when I come across a new artist. I just noticed that they have artists listed by mood!

Check it.

Alice's Restaurant

2009-02-01T16:04:00.000-05:00

Alice's Restaurant
by Arlo Guthrie

This photo was a runner up

2009-01-11T23:16:00.000-05:00

Best and Worst of 2008

YAY!

Welcoming the New Year's Sun

2009-01-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

Photo: A cell phone shot of the New Sun.

For the last couple of years, I have celebrated the New Year with wonderful friends, staying up late and sleeping in the next day. I guess some things don't change because this year I was up late once again but the morning of the New Year was uniquely special. For a few years now, I have wanted to roll into the new year on a yoga mat but unfortunately I never followed through with the plan. Our local yoga studio in Rochester, MI was having a New Yea's day event. They was a scheduled new year's day class where they would do 108 sun salutations this year. Although, it would have been ideal to do something at midnight, I couldn't ask for much else. It was the great idea.
So, for my "alternative" New Year's Day celebration I woke up around 7am, prayed Fajr, took a quick shower and headed to the the studio. Around 8am, at the studio, we started doing sun salutations in sets of 18. The instructors would introduce new variations each set. I think we were in the studio for about 2 hours and I walked out of there feeling like a new person. I did this more than 24 hours ago and I am still feeling the yoga high. It was an amazing start to the new year and I hope it brings good things my way.

Flannelettes

2008-12-30T23:27:00.000-05:00

Flannel is back!
Can you dig it?

winter wonderland

2008-12-21T16:12:00.000-05:00

Photo: My bike was lonely at the bike racks last week. :(

I recently went to Golden Harvest with some wonderful friends. It is one of my favorite diners in the Lansing / East Lansing area. On the walls of the diner they have old Michigan license plates. In the late 50's and the early 60's on the bottom of the license plates it said "water - winter wonderland". This is the first time after living in Michigan for 12 years that I am really enjoying winter. I have finally learned how to dress properly. With the bone chilling winds off my mind I can't get over how beautiful it is outside. Michigan truly is a winter wonderland.

weather.com

2008-12-16T21:05:00.000-05:00

Like most other bike commuters Weather.com is one of my most frequently visited sites. I often roll out of bed and automatically direct my browser to the a weather site. This is how I decide if I need to wear ski goggles and a mask for my commute. One of the developers working in my department wrote up some code so my work computer's wallpaper is a live animated image of Michigan weather. As I was leaving work, this is what the map was showing. . .

I wonder if Google is trying to make Michiganders feel better about what is ahead because instead of snow for my Gmail template I see a sunny day.

2008-12-08T21:50:00.000-05:00

Chinese Translation - by M. Ward

2008-12-03T18:50:00.001-05:00

A friend just introduced this song to me and I have been listening to it on repeat since then. I looked it up on YouTube and realized that it has one of most beautiful music videos I have ever seen. So, I had to share it.
This winter I have been getting attached to songs instead of broader genera. By the end of this Michigan winter I think I will have a soundtrack to bring back memories of the happenings of 2008.

Enjoy.

Cargo Only

2008-11-29T14:35:00.000-05:00

Photo: Nassarawa State, Nigeira 2008

Technically passengers are not allowed to ride in the cab of trucks like this. People put a label on the side of the truck indicating that the truck is used for "Cargo Only" . . .

The roof doesn't count right?

Autumn 2008

2008-11-21T23:26:00.001-05:00

Mandatory autumn photo.
I was just gone for a week. Where did all the beautiful leaves go?

Photo: Washington, DC 2008

My mom Rocks

2008-10-21T20:21:00.000-04:00

My Mom just bought a bike and they made a movie about us.

P.S. Except this guy can do way sweeter tricks.

Via Hutchinson and John Prolly

Love in Italy

2008-09-22T22:48:00.001-04:00

Am I a PC?

2008-09-21T17:19:00.000-04:00

In their new ad campaign, Microsoft is trying hard to disabuse the coffee sipping, tree hugger, dirt worshiper stereotypes about Mac users. Regardless of how hard Microsoft tries to get rid of these perception about Mac users, it doesn't change that fact that when I walk into a coffee shop everyone but one or two people have a glowing apple behind their laptop screens.

Cognitive Daily is an interesting science blog about peer-reviewed journal articles on psychology. The Friday edition of this blog is called Casual Fridays. For a change of pace they conduct incredibly UNscientific surveys of their readership to set straight all kinds of questions. Last week the casual Friday blog was about whether we lost more sleep over the 2008 republican national convention or watching Micheal Phelps at the Bejing Olympics. This week they tackle the mac-head stereotype. Check it out here.

HARVEST!

2008-09-01T19:42:00.001-04:00

Photo: Summer 200

Bejing 2008

2008-08-21T13:05:00.001-04:00

The New York Times is one of the first things I see when I roll out of bed. Like clockwork I crack open my laptop, check my email and read the headlines on the NY Times front page. I am sure many of you read about the American cyclists who caused international unrest by wearing masks when they arrived at the airport. Apparently they were "scolded by the United States Olympic Committee for embarrassing their Chinese hosts".
Initially, I was surprised at the Chinese response to these elite athletes protecting their lungs but after a little research I can see how they would be offended. China has made great efforts to reduce pollution for the athletes. The Chinese ~~have made~~ were forced to make major lifestyle changes in order to reduce the pollutants in the air to more acceptable levels. The growing number of people driving in China and consequently all the cars idling in traffic jams are the biggest contributors to such elevated carbon monoxide levels. This article has a cool animation about the dramatic decrease in carbon monoxide due to driving restrictions.

Men in Skirts

2008-08-18T18:11:00.000-04:00

Photo: NYC 2008, Me in my new Skirt

I am absolutely hooked on Google Reader! It is one of the best methods for satiating my information hunger but that is just another post for a different day. On my Google Reader feed I am subscribed to The Sartorialist and a few weeks ago Scott Schuman made a post about "men in skirts". Not unlike most of the other post on this blog this one has over a hundred comments about everything from the above / below the knee debate to whether the world is ready for men in skirts. I say the world has been ready for men in skirts for a whiel. Men wear skirts all over the world. It is about time we bring the trend over to the west.

I grew up in Punjab among both men and women in skirts. You say skirt - we said lungi. Lungis are worn all over South Asia and even in parts of the Middle East. Nothing is more comfortable than a loose cotton garment when the sun is blazing.

My friend just got back from Yemen and brought me back a futa. Futas or Ma'awiis are the Yemeni version of the lungi. I wore mind around Manhattan yesterday and on my drive back to Michigan. I bared dumbfounded stares as I stepped out of the car at gas stations all across the north east. I don't care how many people stare, this is the MOST comfortable garment I own. Men in skirts = Revolution

At this occation a perfect song comes to mind. CHECK IT

5 Years Time

2008-08-10T19:50:00.000-04:00

Noah and the Whale: 5 Years Time

Random Acts of Kindness

2008-08-06T13:52:00.000-04:00

Most mornings on my commute to work I encounter at least one disgruntled driver. Either they lay on their horn to get me out of their way or yell the typical "get on the side walk!" line. Only if I had the time to stop them and have a long "Same Road, Same Rules" conversation. Usually I just keep on biking quietly and it is already a bad start to a happy day.
This morning was an exception because a guy in a huge car stop next to me at a red light and was unexpectedly nice. He asked me about my commute and how I put my bike together. A few seconds later the light turned green and we both turned opposite ways. He renewed my faith in Mid-Michigan drivers.

A perfect cup of coffee

2008-08-02T19:49:00.000-04:00

Al Waha Hookah House, July 2008

Top 5 Favorite Running Ads

2008-07-26T13:48:00.000-04:00

5. Nike Running: Enjoy the Weather

4. New Balance: Breaking up with running.

3. New Balance: Love Hate Anthem

2. 2008 Olympics: Fastest white guy

1.Brooks: Run World Run

Italy in America

2008-07-26T12:49:00.000-04:00

Photo: Venice 2008

Last night I was organizing my music collection and I came across some old podcasts. I found a great NPR story about aerosol art, more specifically Paco Rosic. When he was six his mother showed him a book of Michealangelo's work and he was stunned by the art. Paco has since dreamed of painting the Sistine chapel... talk about ambition.

Today, at the age of 27 he owns a restaurant in Waterloo, Iowa and has a spray paint version of the Sistine Chapel covering the celing of the whole restaurant. Paco's aerosol art is about half as big as the Michealangelo's painting but the perfect back drop for an authentic Italian dining experience in Iowa.

VIA NPR

get inked

2008-07-17T23:01:00.000-04:00

Photo: A couple in peeks in a tattoo parlor. Chicago, July, 2008.

I would probably never get a tattoo but I have always admired art on other people's bodies. Typically, people put much thought into how they decorate their bodies. Throughout history tattooing has been a cultural and religious practice for people all over the world. People get tattoos for many reason; medical, cosmetics, identification, spiritual markings, and of course decoration. People get permanent makeup such as lipstick and eyebrows, while cancer patients get tattoos to mark the exact location for life sustaining radiotherapy.

Tattoos are often a window into a person's mind and display the most intimate of memories. The Michigan Center for Forensic Psychiatry is using tattoos in the prison system as red flags for antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). The researchers conducted a semi-structured interviews for inmates with and without tattoos and correlated tattoos with ASPD. Also, tattooed inmates were more likely to have a history of substance and sexual abuse.

Although, the research team surveyed a very small study sample, they published a paper in the Journal of Personality and Mental Health. This is an interesting finding but it is unlikely that one study of only 36 people is going to make any conclusive suggestions regarding inmate tattoos and their psychological state.

via: wiki and PMH article

dunnet

2008-07-13T18:26:00.000-04:00

I work with several computer programmers and it is a perfect environment for constant exposure to tech-trivia. Many of the people working here are aspiring video game designers. I often get to hear about the newest, hippest games on the market. Even with constant advancements in game design it is nice to revert back to text-based games. You have to rely on your imagination instead of the incredibly realistic virtual environment.
I was exploring Terminal on my computer and I came across a really cool text-based game that is a part of every Macintosh operating system. On macintosh systems, Terminal opens up in a UNIX shell and if you type the following you text, you are prompted by a short discription about where you are.

emacs -batch -l dunnet

Give it a shot and don't be affraid to type what comes to mind. You will be surprised at all the possibilities.

VIA: nethack

uppercase

2008-07-09T00:34:00.000-04:00

It is very often that I copy a citation or a quote from a web page into a word processor and all the text is upper case. So, instead of retyping everything I just discovered the coolest thing in Microsoft Word! If you have text that is all uppercase you can highlight the text and press SHIFT + fn + F3 (mac) or shift + F3 (PC) to convert it to lowercase.

Now I don't sound like I am yelling.

Reese

2008-06-30T13:15:00.000-04:00

Steaming hot Korean rice green tea and Reese's peanut butter cups.

What was lost is found

2008-06-14T15:30:00.000-04:00

Photo: Parma, Italy 2007

“At that age, it’s one of the worse things in the world to wake up and not see your bike where you left it.” -- 50 Cent, on the theft of his childhood bike.

I totally empathize with fitty because for some reason things like to get stolen from me. A couple of days ago, I was sitting at my desk and I got a phone call from the police regarding my bike. They said that they had recently impounded a bunch of bikes that were stolen by the same person. The Raleigh was included in this bunch but the story gets even better. Some other person then tried to steal my bike from the police impound lot!
I left work early and rushed to the police impound to pick up my bike. They had stored it in a special impound lot with walls that were double the size of the other ones. I know I should be mad but it is kind of flattering that my bike was appealing enough to be stolen twice. BAM!!

I got the bike back home safely and it is in pretty good shape. I noticed some pretty long scratches and the thieves cut my leather seat. I am happy to be rejoined with my bike! Thanks to the PO PO.

OH YEAH, while my bike was gone I bought another one. :-D

Bo

2008-06-02T18:12:00.001-04:00

A couple of years ago my friend introduced me to Bo Diddley's music and I was instantly hooked. He was one of the pioneers of rock n' roll but was too modest to accept the honor. He attributed the rock n' roll craze to Chuck Berry.

Today, at the age of 79 he passed away but left us with such memorable tunes to cherish forever.

Rest in peace Bo.

The raleigh is gone

2008-05-22T00:07:00.000-04:00

My freakin' bike got stolen today!!!!!

I haven't been this sad / angry in LONG TIME!!!

This was a perfect bike and I had carefully chosen every SINGLE part on it. It was totally customized to the most detailed specifications.

I was leaving a coffee shop after a long night of studying and I walked up to a sawed bike-lock and no Raleigh.

~~WHAT THE FUCK~~

sorry

Garden Project

2008-05-19T20:35:00.000-04:00

Photo: Spartan Village porch 2006

When I was a kid we always had a vegetable garden in our back yard. There were those summer-time meals when everything on the table was from our own garden. For the last ten years or so I have maintained a garden at my parents house (about an hour away), but I recently found out about a community garden project here in the Lansing area. Without a car it would have been impossible to make enough trips home to establish a good garden. I am pretty new to community gardening and it has been an wonderful experience so far. All the gardeners are really friendly and helpful. The Lansing Garden Project is a program of the Greater Lansing Food Bank. I didn't know much about them till now but they are dedicated to providing healthier food options for low income house holds. The surplus produce from these community gardens go to the needy in our area. Last year they served almost 1,500 people with fresh produce.

I work at a local food bank in Lansing and it is so great to know that lower income households are not restricted to high sodium, canned foods.

Life and Death

2008-05-07T18:26:00.000-04:00

Photo: Lamps in my living room, 2007

I let one of my friends from work borrow my book, "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel. Today, he gave it back to me and as I flipped through it I came across this really funny quote. I could never have found it if I was looking.

"I can well imagine an aetheist's last words: 'White, white! L-L-Love! My God!' - and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agonostic, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays true to dry, yeastless factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying, 'Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain,' and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss the better story."

The fat David

2008-05-05T17:43:00.000-04:00

Photo: The fat David. Window shopping in Florence, Italy 2008.

Michelangelo's sculpture of David is the ultimate symbol for the European Renaissance. In Italy it is tough to get away from the tacky plastic replica's of David. These replicas are a tourist's favorite. After a few days of walking around Florence at every turn of the corner you could see David. It wasn't until I visited the Accademia Gallery to see the actual sulpture I realized what the hype was all about. I am not an artist but this sculpture was incredible even through my eyes. As you exit the Academia gallery they have a huge photograph of people looking up at David in awe. After a couple of hours of looking at all sculptures it is funny to see how the sculptures look at us. hahaha

Midwest Rabit Resque and Re-Home

2008-04-30T01:41:00.000-04:00

This litte bunny was a brand new arrival last time I was at Midwest Rabbit Resque.

Check them OUT.

I want a dog

2008-03-23T11:17:00.000-04:00

Photo: Dogs in Venice, Italy 2008

I grew up with dogs. My grandparents and parents always had dogs around our house. My grandmother is especially great at training dogs. Once, she told her german shepard to "sit and stay" and this dog sat there for hours! Unfortunately, I can't have pets at my current apartment. In fact, a few months ago I got a fine for having hamsters and a bird in my apartment. If I get caught with pets again they will probably evict me.

I think later this year I will have be in a perfect place to get a nice dog. I have been doing research on breeds for a few months now and instead of narrowing down my search I have just discovered new possibilities. I don't have very specific needs other than a dog that can go on a run with me. I plan on being in the midwest for a while too, so preferably the dog would be able to handle the weather.

HELP

Locked in love

2008-03-06T02:32:00.003-05:00

Photo: Padua, Italy 2008

A couple of weeks ago I made a pretty spontaneous decision to buy a plane ticket to Italy for spring break. I haven't been able to blog from here but today I had some free time for a quick note.

So far I have seen so much beauty and I can't wait to get my film developed. I have loved walking around and getting lost in the narrow Italian streets. On many bridges I noticed locks like these. Lovers put a lock on the third light post of bridges and throw away the key as a symbol of eternal love. I read that this tradition started when a novelist, Federico Moccia wrote a novel called "Ho Voglio di te". A part of the story mentions putting a padlock on a bridge and tossing the key to locks the couples in love forever.

Now there are locks on most of these bridges.

Red Cedar on a Winter day

2008-02-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

Islamic Banking

2008-02-12T19:05:00.000-05:00

After that last few days of subzero temperatures here in Michigan I have started considering the option of ..... YES, a car. I came across this Reuters story as I was researching interest free loan options in the US. Sharia law (islamic religious law) has a set of principles dealing with how muslims should conduct their daily transactions. Especially interest or charing a fee for the use of someone's money is prohibited. Muslim banks also don't invest in businesses that sell haram products or services.

I was totally shocked to see how many islamic banking institutions are available to US citizens. For auto loans they have a Lease-to-Purchase model. Instead of interest on the principal borrowed amount they just charge a set fee for the loan. I have a lot more research to do but this is such a great facility.

VIA Wikipedia & Reuters

awwwww

2008-02-11T22:54:00.000-05:00

Video Killed the Radio Star

2008-02-04T14:38:00.001-05:00

I was on the road for most of yesterday, so I kept myself entertained listening to the radio. Many of you probably know that the superbowl was yesterday and I remember one of the DJs asking listeners to call in if they are not planning on watching the super bowl. She said "How could you be doing ANYTHING else!". When I moved to America, it took me a while to understand American craze for football. I am still not a devoted fan but it is definitely fun to watch the big games.
Even the president of our graduate student organization had a departmental superbowl party. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it but there was no way I was going to miss out on the fun. I listened to the first quarter and then the last 1 minute of the game on the radio. The commentators did such an incredible job at keeping the game alive. In a the world of iPhones, 3lb laptops, digital cameras, instant gratification and immediate access to information, it is a tough job to paint such perfect pictures of the game. Thanks to the radio everything for the coin toss to the final moments of the game were exciting.

Thank you radio, I still love you.

Letting go

2008-02-01T11:57:00.000-05:00

About three months ago, I put the key in my car ignition just like any other day and zipped across the state to visit friends in Detroit. On that drive, I specifically remember thinking about how much I loved that car. It was a 1995 Buick LeSabre and it drove as if War wrote "lowrider" just for her. That night the unthinkable happened and someone stole my beloved Buick. The Detroit Police seems so sure they would find it but it has been months now and still no recovery. My lifestyle hasn't changed much, except for the fact that I can't make any spontaneous trips. I have been biking just a little bit more and life is good.

So last night I finally took the Buick keys off my key chain. I think it is time to move on. These last few months have made me realize that it is not so bad to live car free. Of course, once in a while I need to rent a car to get around but otherwise it has been great.

Scientists for better PCR

2008-01-24T02:40:00.000-05:00

If you are a scientist you will really appreciate this.

Via Renee B.

Eid at Summer's Ranch

2007-12-22T02:25:00.000-05:00

Photo: summer's ranch 2007

These last three days were are a muslim holiday called Eid-ul-Adha and during this time muslims around the world sacrifice a goat or sheep and distribute a portion among the poor and hungry.

Muslims eat Halal meat and it has to be slaughtered according to strict guidelines. Due to lack of observant butchers around here, we usually send money back to Pakistan and our family members fulfill the obligation of distributing meat for us. This year was especially unique because we found out about a ranch here in Michigan that lets muslims do the sacrifice themselves. In Pakistan and India this is a common practice but it is wonderful to have access to an organic farm where muslims can get halal meat.

At the ranch we stood in line behind a dozen other muslims. Most people had already picked out and paid for their animals. We knew it was going to be a long day but we made the best of it. I even ordered pizza from the only pizza shop in town and it really started to feel like Eid. My cousin brough his kids to the ranch and I am sure it was an eye-opening experience for them. It is difficult to associate the fresh meat at the supermarket with a living animal. Today my parents and the rest of our family distributed the meat amongst family / friends and sent the rest to the poor.

KI BS

2007-12-13T20:38:00.000-05:00

Photo: Death ride 2006

I think I messed up my iliotibial band. This is the BEST time of the year to be out running and I am icing my freakin' knee instead. Thanks to Google there is so much great info on the internet about it.

Check it

1. What is iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS)?

2. Pre-workout stretches and ways to strengthen the iliotibial band.

Give one Get one

2007-12-02T21:08:00.001-05:00

(summer 2007)

This year was my first time taking part a Black Friday shopping adventure. Every year, I hear people talking about the incredible deals they got after waiting in line all night outside a local computer store or mall. I don't think I have the same devotion/time in the day and secondly I didn't really need anything so it was a perfect people watching opportunity.
As it gets closer to the holiday season, there are many more coupons in my already bulging mailbox. The stores seem to be a little busier and people use every opportunity to check off gifts for their family members. I have heard of many great ideas this year but one definitely stands out. One of my friends bought a laptop from the "give one get one" laptop campaign. This project is run by an organization called One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) and they hope to provide a laptop for every child in a developing country. Until December 31st you can buy a $399 ($200 is tax deductible) laptop for yourself and they send one overseas to a needy child.
After my last summer of research in Pakistan I got an idea of the conditions in impoverished school systems. These laptops run on a linux based operating system and are designed to work in areas where there is a lack of a good telecommunications network. They build a network with other nearby laptops to provide internet access to everyone.

So this year, if you are having trouble figuring out what to get for that special someone, this is a great option.

p n l

autumn 2007

2007-11-10T23:48:00.000-05:00

Autumn would be my favorite season of the year if it didn't ensue the fear of a cold winter ahead.

on two wheels

2007-10-09T23:44:00.000-04:00

(a motorcycle in Karachi, Pakistan 2007)

Last night was a beautiful night for a bike ride. I was on my way back from a coffee shop, it was pitch dark on the streets and all I could hear subtle hum of my tires rolling over the asphalt. The speed and the disconnect from the world always puts me in a perfect euphoric state. I get so much thinking done on my bike, but I am not alone in enjoying this blissful state of mind while biking; Kary B. Mullis discovered Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) while coasting on the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Mendocino on a motorcycle.
Dr. Mullis was awarded a Nobel Prize for this discovery and if you have spent any time in a lab you know how important this is in most scientific research. PCR machines amplify small pieces of DNA into millions of copies. Next time you are watching CSI you should thank someone thinking hard on a motorcycle.

Plants for the workspace

2007-09-18T23:50:00.000-04:00

Moss 2007

I have a new desk (thanks to my brother) and there is nothing like a peaceful work space. I have been doing a little research on how to add a green to this picture. These are my top four picks

4: Epipremnum aureum (Pothos): I grew up with this plant in every corner of the house. My mom espeically likes it and I think my grandmother have one on her mantle piece. It deserves to be higher on this list but I really need something new and different. I think it might be a good choice because it is so hardy and the green and white leaves contrast so well. It would also be great in low light. Most people plant these in hanging baskets or let them hang down from a table.

3: Crassula ovata (Jade) : OK! This is a popular plant and I have had one for a while and just recently

2: Chamaedorea elegans (bella) : I recently found discovereed this plant, even though I am sure I have seen it around. It is perfect as and office / indoor plant and looks beautiful.

1: Monstera deliciosa (Fruit Salad Plant, Ceriman, Monster fruit, Monsterio Delicio, Monstereo, Swiss Cheese Plant, Mexican Breadfruit) : I saw this plant at my friends apartment recently and my mom had a huge one of these are our old house. With proper care it can grow pretty big and I might not be able to keep it on my desk but it would be perfect for the study room or my office.

If you have other recommendations please let me know because I am going to make the final decision very soon.

pete's dream

2007-09-12T21:16:00.000-04:00

So one of my friends just told me that he has been dating Paris Hilton for the past few weeks and has since totally changed his impression of her. I guess in real life she is a really down to earth and even a little insecure. He said that he feels really comfortable hanging out with her and they have had great conversations. Since, my friend lives in Michigan, Paris has been visiting frequently and they even had to share a room with his brother for a few nights.
Of course, I asked the obvious questions about what he thinks about the paparazzi and the constant media attention and he said that he hasn't had to deal with it as much lately. It is incredible how easisly the media can distort our opinion of a person. I hope them the best of luck in the land of z's.

text message from a friend

2007-09-03T15:06:00.000-04:00

Khalid! :) i'm getting married in a park by the river on saturday! Don't ask! Can u come? Only close friends and some family :)

2007-08-27T00:38:00.000-04:00

Photo: In the field; Pakistan 2007

All scientific work is incomplete - whether it be observational or experimental. All scientific work is liable to be upset or modified by advancing knowledge. That does not confer upon us a freedom to ignore the knowledge we already have, or to postpone the action that it appears to demand at a given time.
Who knows, asked Rober Browning, but the world may end tonight? True, but on available evidence most of us make ready to commute on the 8.30 next day.

Sir Austin Bradford Hills. "The Environment and Disease: Association or Causation?" 1965 The Royal Society of Medicine.

Karachi, Pakistan

2007-08-18T23:54:00.000-04:00

I am back from Karachi and slowly uploading my pictures

my british cousins

2007-08-03T03:30:00.000-04:00

"no, its W H A T with a silent 'h' and 't'"

radio

2007-07-24T02:57:00.000-04:00

I was scanning the radio and I heard some really good techno so I turned it up a bit and the dj goes "put your hands up, put your hands up, put your hands up for DETROIT". There are so many things around this city that remind me of the US. This guy at the university had a Detroit Red Wings decal on his motorcycle, another guy selling paan was wearing a Michigan State University t-shirt. There are McDonalds and KFCs at every turn of the street.
There are awesome coffee shops all around but thankfully Starbucks hasn't (yet) take over this side of the world.

See Pakistan

2007-07-17T08:44:00.000-04:00

I really wish I had time to take a road trip from Karachi to Lahore, or better yet if the Blue Barrons made a trip to the Pakitan we could make it a 2 week cross country (literally) bike trip.

I think that is the best idea I have had in a long time

.

My friend and I made a list of things to do while I am here in Karachi and I am slowly checking them off.
I really wish I could post pictures with this blog. Today, I am going to try to get some of the negatives scanned.

.

I am becoming more of a Pakistani every day
Here is proof:

-I drink called PAKOLA for lunch
-I bargain like a CHAMP
-I speak in punjabi when I joke
-I don't even flinch when a bus 2 feet from hitting the car
-I cross busy roads like I have been doing it all my life

barbers in Pakistan

2007-07-13T13:56:00.000-04:00

For the last couple of days I have had bad gastroenteritis because I thought I was hardcore enough to eat street food. I guess there is a little bit of "gora" in me. To freshen up a little bit I went to this hip barber shop. My beard was starting to get a little out of control and many people had recommended that I go there (hidden agenda, who knows?). The barber spent about 20 minutes perfecting my beard. After that, there was a chai break . . . of course!. Next, he started trimming my hair and as soon as he got done a cold glass of Mountain Dew apeared infront of me. I started getting up thinking this had to be it but he sat me back down. The barber gave me a facial and put on a mask. THEN, I got the most AMAZING head, neck, and back massage! Keep in mind, all I asked for was a beard trim but everything else was just part of the package.

So far, I think this has been the coolest thing I have discovered in Pakistan.

I am going back next week.

This is a traffic jam

2007-07-10T14:49:00.000-04:00

Notice; Cars, busses, motorcycles, rickshaws, bicycles, and pedestrians all roll together because lanes are for whussies.

The best cup of chai

2007-07-07T10:33:00.000-04:00

I am not a regular chai drinker; it seems that some people can't funtion without chai. I have to admit, in Pakistan it is hard to go a day without a cup. Everyone I meet offers me a chai, everytime I walk in someone's office their secretary brings chai. I recently met a really cool doctor; he and his secretary had a code word for chai. I didn't even have time to accept or refuse the offer and in a few minutes they was chai on the desk . . . "how much sugar do you take?"
Anyways, today was a beautiful day here in Karachi, the clouds have been saving us from the intense solar heat and we have had a non-stop breeze from the West. I woke up from a long nap and asked one of the people who work here for chai (dood patti style). I sat outside in the lawn sipped on this perfect cup. It is still breezy and that made for the best combination of hot and cold. Suddenly, all the parrots and crows stopped singing thir respective songs, the sun started setting, and as I was sipping the last few drops of chai the sound of adan started emanating from mosques around me; "allaaaaaah ho Akbar". I don't think I will forget that moment for a long time because it will define how much fun I had in Karachi on summer.

by E. Koohan Paik

2007-07-07T01:42:00.000-04:00

Things like this make me want to be a liberal arts major.

"To replace an indigenous language with a colonial tongue immediately puts the native at a disadvantage. As the colonized mind realigns to the worldview and universe embodied in the new language, it begins to rationalize the world through colonial eyes. Soon, the colonized people see all things native as inferior, including themselves, so they acquiesce to assimilation and exploitation. The phenomenon is known as internalized oppression. Once the mental landscape has been conquered, the rest is easy."

VIA C. Ryan

street people

2007-07-04T06:30:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I saw two really cute old beggars. I got out of the car and sat on the curb with them and had a nice chat. I don't know what it is about some people that I can't help but wanting to learn everything them. I have made some life-long friends this way.
I had my SLR with me and I really wanted to take a portrait of them. Unfortunately, they apologized and asked me not to. I will probably never see them again but no one can stop me from snapping my built-in shutters.

Mountains beyond Mountains

2007-07-02T04:39:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading a book; "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder. It is a great narrative of the life of Dr. Paul E. Farmer and his efforts to fight TB in the developing world. Coincidentally, yesterday I saw a NGO here in Karachi and they provide free care for people with TB and leprosy. I talked with a physician there for a long time about the services they provide and how they get by with such little funding. It is so refreshing to see such an organization in Karachi. The health care system for some of the lower class neighbourhoods is in bad shape. I wish I could have taken pictures but it would have been impossible do so while protecting the patients' privacy.
The physician was so happy to see someone back in Pakistan to do research. I recommended the book to him and I think everyone in the public health sector should read it.

BAM

time is flying by here

Mangoes

2007-06-29T03:14:00.000-04:00

I bargained like a champ yesterday; Rs.25/ Kg of mangoes! woot!

Research in Pakistan

2007-06-27T06:47:00.000-04:00

I have already seen more of Karachi than people who have been living here for decades. yay research!
Monsoon season started recently and I have seen some INSANE storms as well. People have been telling me that it hasn't rained like this in years. Some of the innner city streets are flooded, but so far it hasn't kept me from my field work.

I have shot a couple of rolls of film but I still captured the things I want to save on film. I will have many stories for you all when I get back.

love love love

sleepy time

2007-04-24T15:20:00.000-04:00

I hate sleeping! As a child one of the only things that got me in trouble was not going to sleep on time. I NEVER participated in the country-wide afternoon siesta; it seemed like such a foolish idea. I am not sure if this is still true but at least nine years ago the country would shut down in the afternoon. It was so irritating to think that everyone was just laying in bed and wasting their time when they could be so productive. I remember biking laps around our neighbourhood all afternoon.
Not much has changed for me since childhood but with the stress of grad school, I think my brain is fried by midnight . I hate to concede but I just don't think I can live on the 4 hours per night schedule anymore. For the last week, I have been sleeping at the same time as most 'neurotypical' people. Lets see how it goes.

I need sleep

2007-04-14T16:26:00.000-04:00

REST Summer '04

There are many things I have done on a bike, like going in my back pack and checking my pda for updates, using my cell phone, rolling up my pants or doing all those things at the same time. But today was a first, I FELL ASLEEP while biking. I use the same route to go to school every day and it has become so mechanical. I was biking to class around 9 am and for an instant my head bopped down and I was out. I woke up when I realized that I was off the road and about to go in a ditch. EEEEEK! I have no recollection of what how I got off the road. I am sure the people driving by got a nice laugh out of it.