Life is indeed precious, and so the preservation, and enhancement of this issue gets all of our attention.
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For the past eight months in the US, there has been a vigorous, and loud debate on how health care will be reformed. The voice of the politicians, insurance companies, lobbyists, tea party protesters boon across the landscape.
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Well, there is a significant component of healthcare that stays out of the political food fight ,and keep their eyes on the prize of training the new doctors the service our needs, and do the innovation needed to conquer the diseases still haunting our well being.
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Effective leadership is key to provide the ethical, and innovative framework to enable such a possibility.
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Dr. Albert Reece, MD, PHD, MBA
Well, we found such a person in Dr. Albert Reece. His medical school supplies 50% of the doctors for the state of Maryland. He leads to school that ranks in the top 50 in the nation. His concerns for healthcare generously spills beyond the bounds of Maryland and has touched the lives of folks in his native land of Jamaica.
He was recently recognized for his untiring effort when he was awarded the Marcus Garvey Universal Negro Improvement Association Award. Listen to the interview below to see what his contribution.
In 2006, he came dean tof the prestegious school of medicine at the University of Maryland.
Dean Reece received a B.S. degree (magna cum laude) from Long Island University and an M.D. from the New York University School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center and a postdoctoral fellowship in maternal fetal medicine at Yale University School of Medicine.
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In addition, Reece holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, and an M.B.A. from the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University. He has published 11 books, four monographs, and 450 peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and abstracts. Reece is a sought-after lecturer, nationally and internationally, in his areas of expertise.
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An expert on the mechanism of diabetes-induced birth defects, Dean Reece and his research group have pioneered the discovery of the dominant biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the cause of these birth defects, as well as methods to prevent these anomalies. He and his research team have also developed a technique for early prenatal diagnosis with potential for use in curative fetal therapy.
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Dean Reece is a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences, and he serves on IOM’s Board on Health Sciences Policy, the March of Dimes Scientific Advisory Committee, the Administrative Board of the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the Executive Committee of the National Council of Deans. He has also served on boards at several federal government agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality and multiple committees and councils at the National Institutes of Health. In May 2006, the National Academies’ National Research Council and IOM announced Reece’s appointment to a newly commissioned committee to monitor and revise the Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Most recently, Dean Reece became Chair of the Council of Deans for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in October 2008.
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We have the privilege of getting a few ticks from his busy clock to give us some of his keen insights into the field of healthcare, far away from the noisy debate that is shaping on national policy.
Suppose as a teenager you found out the details of a family tragedy and you felt compelled to find out the details, what would you do?
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Alex Haley, the author of Roots may have had a much better circumstance than Beverley East, author of , Reaper of Souls, the historical novel that tells the compelling story of the Kendal train tragedy of 1957.
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Beverley East, Author
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Her family had migrated to England, and her dad had silently borne the pain of losing 14 members from his young children, but now the puss was out of the bag. What would this curious daughter do? Well, with a resolute determination, Beverley sets out to find all she could about this tragedy.
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On vacations back to Jamaica, while others walked the white sandy beaches, Beverley could be found toiling away in libraries gathering every fact, every lead that would give her a full appreciation of the events and impact of this tragedy.
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The results is a historical novel that tells the story of the Scotts who leave three of their children at home before boarding an ill-fated excursion train. Using the backdrop of real events from the 1957 Kendal Crash, the story follows Eve, Austin and Esther as they struggle to find purpose and joy after suffering the depths of despair.
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This is no somber, dark tale, but a thriller extraordinaire, filled with conspiracy, child ghosts and a pile of dead bodies.
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This is the way author Colin Channer characterized this fine work as follows. ” Beverley East has put her heart and soul into this gripping family saga that shuttles between the past and present with the locomotive power of a speeding train. With terminal points in England and Jamaica, Reaper of Souls is a tumultuous journey teeming with characters who will live with you in memory for a very long time.”
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I had the distinct privilege to listen to Beverley read from her brilliant work, bringing alive the many characters to animate this compelling story.
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After listening to her colorful presentation, I just knew I had to get a fuller telling of her story. This led to the following interview.
I have not been to the local mall since last year. Before you acuse me of not supporting the effort, the FEDEX and UPS trucks know my address better than the postman, as I prefer the on-line experience. My youngest daughter cajoled me into experiencing a real mall experience as we made our way back to college, yes back to school shopping.
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The only other shopping season that surpass back to school is Christmas. I was in for a rude awakening at my real mall experience. Sure the anchor strore were still there, but severl store windows were darkened, or new enterprises occupied old store fronts. I find myself looking at the mall map to get around. I was witnessing the aftermath of our economic Katrina. A cautious mood at best is in the air.
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Ladies, you our chief purchasing agents have spoken. Take a look at the latest trends
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Although women have been affected less from an unemployment perspective , 73 % of women shared that this recession has changed the way they think about saving and spending.
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Given this, others are adopting to the new consumer reality. Here are a few tips shared by Marti Barletta, a leading thinker on marketing to women.
Price overshaows value - brand loyaly loses
Thrift counts more than convienence - time saving is taking a back seat.
Sustainables trump disposables - resuables are in
Essentials eclipse indulgences - upscale products are hosed.
Online shopping in in vogue- the internet offers more ways of finding savings
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One of the winners in all of this is Walmart. Their pricing and convienence continue to bring them consumer success even in this terrible recession. They also have another powerful weapon that needs to get more profiled because of its success. It is Walmart’s use of social media through their elevenmoms blogging program.
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Wal-Mart equipped eleven mommy bloggers known for their shopping smarts with a video cameras, makeovers, a photo shoot, and an opportunity to turn their frugal ways into short videos of money-saving tips.
This play critic was talking about playwright & producer, Basil Dawkins’ latest work,
“Which Way is Out”.
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Basil Dawkins
For those who may not be aware of the magnificent breadth and scope of his work, let me take a moment to share.
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Celebrating over 30 years in theater as actor, producer and multi award winning playwright his latest offering Which Way Is Out? Follows a long tradition of issue oriented plays rooted in the Jamaican experience which theater goers all over the world continue to find relevant current engaging and entertaining.
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His list of successfully written and produced plays include Flat mate, Parson and Mrs Jones, Couples, Champagne and Sky Juice, Same Song , Different Tune, / God Bless, Power Play, Toy Boy, Feminine Justice, What The Hell Is Happening To Us, Dear?, Forbidden, No Dirty Money, A Gift For Mom, No Disrespect, Hot Spot, Uptown Bangarang, Uptown Bangarang 2.
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Basil has through the years served his community and his industry well. He has been President of The Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists, he has served on the Government of Jamaica Advisory Board on Arts Culture and Entertainment, The Ward Theater Foundation and currently serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the CHASE fund set up by the government of Jamaica to fund projects in Arts and Culture.
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His plays have continued to be selected by amateur and professional theater groups for performances in Canada , USA , Great Britain and the West Indies . In his country he was recognized for his contribution to the development of theater when he was awarded the prestigious Musgrave Medal. He has been awarded Keys to several USA cities and for his works he has been awarded numerous Actor Boy Awards by the International Theater Institute – Jamaican Chapter, in the categories, for Best Script, Best Productions, Best Dramas, and Best Comedies
This Saturday & Sunday, your opportunity to experience the cultural excellence of the Caribbean.
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We had the distinct privilege to share a few moments of conversation with Maylynne Walton one of the fine actress of his latest work.
Maylynne Walton
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Maylynne studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and was awarded a scholarship to Emerson College in Boston . With 15 years of ballet and 10 years of professional theater in Jamaica , she also stars in Jamaica ’s longest running soap opera, Royal Palm Estate, and has done 5 local films. Her nominated theater roles include Joey Clarke’s Making a Killing, David Heron’s 4Play and University Players’ After Mrs. Rochester. For Basil Dawkins’ Productions, Maylynne has played in Uptown Bangarang and Uptown Bangarang 2, making Which Way Is Out? her third outing with Basil Dawkins Productions.
The unemployment rate and other technical terms used to describe the impact fail to capture the anguish and human toll of the economic tsunami.
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Like a tornado, it strike swats within communities and industries leaving many staggering and drowning in a sea of debt and despair.
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One powerful tool that we do possess to battle the sinking feeling of despair is hope.
Hope is said to give energy to the mind to explore the possibilities of a new day. Hope stays the course even when doors are slammed, and phone calls are not returned.
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Putting a face to and sharing the odyssey of the journey from joblessness to employment can hopefully inspire those of us in the unemployment vice.
“I am grateful for all of my problems. After each one was overcome, I became stronger and more able to meet those that were still to come. I grew in all my difficulties.”
At a recent after dinner stroll, I could not help but notice several men engaged with their kids in ordinary, but meaningful manner. First, I noticed a pile of three parked bikes, followed by a bouncing ball. Yes, this dad was teaching his three daughters soccer. The kids ranged from 3 to 9, and it was marvelous to see him balance their varied skills and interest. A block away, I spotted a nervous dad, teaching his daughter to drive. she was learning how to reverse and park between two vehicles. Talk about a hair removal situation.
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These men are the salt of the earth, doing day in day out the ordinary things to keep their families going. I want you to notice how much advise on being a good father will be spewed around today.
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Contrast this with mother’s day, where women are simply affirmed for their nurturing, sacrificial ways.
Why is this? Some men are just “seed sowers” who do not participate in their children lives. These are not dads, so do not confuse the responsible men with these men.
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Let me take this moment to salute all men whose fathering go beyond the boundaries of the biological sphere.
Join me in saluting the coaches, teachers, deacons, elders, uncles who give of themselves to make a difference in so many lives.
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If he sits in shirt sleeves and suspenders at a ballgame or a picnic, call him ‘Pop‘
If he wheels the baby carriage and carries the bundle meekly, call him ‘Papa‘
If, however, he makes a pal of you when you’re good, and is too wise to let you pull the wool over his loving eyes when you’re not; if moreover you’re quite sure no other fellow you know has quite so fine a father, you may call him ‘Dad‘.
There is always some group doing measurement and comparisons.
I must be a sucker for these, and I cannot seem to help myself but to check out how Jamaica is doing in these surveys.
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The development of the 2009 GPI is overseen by an international team of peace experts and is calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit on behalf of the Institute for Economics and Peace, using 2008 data from a wide range of respected sources, including the International Institute of Strategic Studies, SIPRI, the World Bank, various United Nations offices and peace institutes.
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It is endorsed by prominent individuals including Nobel Laureates Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of Finland, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, President Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, as well as individuals from the world of business, including Sir Richard Branson..
The index defines peace as the absence of violence., and uses a series of 23 qualitative, and quantitative indicators to do the measurement. With the global recession, they measured an increase in violent conflict and political instability.
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The expected suspects dominated the bottom of the rankings, namely Iraq, Afgananstian, Somalia, Israel (?), and Sudan. The most peaceful was New Zealand, followed by Denmark, Norway, and Iceland.
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Jamaica ranked 102 in the world, and the US is ranked 83. In the Caribbean /Latin America region, we were 16 out of 23. The most peaceful was Chile, and most violent was Columbia.
On Sunday, May 31, Oliver Samuel and Camille Davis led an all star team of Glen “Titus” Campbell, Sharee McDonald-Russell & Courtney Wilson in a much anticipated appearance on the campus of Howard University . Cramton Hall was chock full of fans who defied the recession to get some much needed yardie comic relief.
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This comedy was written by Patrick Brown and directed by Trevor Nairne. The name is a great flip the script technique that captures the tension of multiple familial and societal situations with craftily placed comic relief.
The All Star Team
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This is definitely Broadway quality production, and I look forward to the DVD edition to get a second dose of healthy laughter.
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I also enjoyed the innovative means being used to garner support for the Ward Theatre through its foundation.
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Ward Theatre
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This is the epic center of cultural achievement in Jamaica, and a landmark that needs our support to be restored to its prominence and presence.
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So why can’t you wait to get your hands on the DVD of this play?
Life is indeed precious, and so the preservation, and enhancement of this issue gets all of our attention.
