As American school children start their summer vacation plans, I got to thinking about the state of unrest in so many countries and what it was like for children in Syria, Yemen, Japan, Egypt, Mongolia, and so on. With so much strife going on in the streets, are there even classes available for them to […]
Returning Soldiers and Humanitarian Action: Bridging the Gap
A few days ago, I heard a news item that really caught my attention. It was about Team Rubicon – and maybe you’ve heard about them, but their mission was new to me. And while the news story was heart-warming, it had a very sad beginning: the wide-swipe of a killer tornado. But what is […]
When a Pencil is Still a Weapon: Torture and Untreated PTSD
Have you heard of the film that has recently come out, called “The First Grader”? It’s based on the real life story of an elderly Kenyan man, Maruge, who in his youth fought with the Mau Mau during the rebellion that precipitated Kenyan independence from the United Kingdom. The Mau Mau rebellion is generally recognized […]
Recognizing the Risk of PTSD in Our Patients
When we think of PTSD, many practitioners automatically think of soldiers, rape survivors, or childhood abuse survivors. Few of us think about other groups of people, particularly the patients in our hospitals, with a high risk of developing PTSD. According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons […]
Microsoft and Skype…Continued
When Skype was founded in 2003, I’m sure that a merger with a global technological giant like Microsoft was far from their minds, or even dreams. According to Microsoft’s official press release, the driving idea behind Skype was to “break down barriers to communication” and connect people across the world for little cost.¹ And it […]