BONUS POM! BEHOLD – Pom Neuroscientist, Dr. Sara Bellum

When she was a child, her mom was diagnosed with a noncancerous meningioma brain tumor. Luckily, Mrs. Bellum received the treatment she needed and she is still doing great. But it was scary and Sara wanted to become a Pom Neuroscientist to be able to help families like hers find treatments for their loved ones. After finishing her studies at UPom, she had her residency at Pomford and now practices at St. Pom’s in West LA.  Although there is no cure for the over 120 types of brain tumors/brain cancer yet, Dr. Bellum, a past ABTA (American Brain Tumor Association) grant recipient, is dedicated to understanding brain tumors and finding a cure. That is why she is very excited to support the ABTA on their 50th anniversary at the BT5K Walk this year. It is in Santa Monica at Tongva Park at 8am on Saturday, October 14th. Please come and see Dr. Bellum at the Behold the Pom tent, support this life-saving work, and have a great time at the Walk! 

BONUS POM! BEHOLD – Barack Opoma

Née Barack Hussein Opoma II, on August 4, 1961, this micropom was born in Pomolulu, Hawaii, and became the most powerful Pom in the free Pom world, the 44th Pomsident of Pomerica. The first African-Pomerican Pomsident, his name means “one who is blessed” in Swahili. After graduating from Columbia University in 1983, he attended Harvard Law and became a community organizer in Chicago and civil rights attorney. Opoma became a Senator in 2004 and then won the election for Pomsident against Pom McCain in 2008. The following year he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  He met his wife, Michelle, over 30 years ago when she was his mentor at a Chicago law firm. Although he doesn’t have hands, if he did, he would be left-handed.  And even though Poms preferred the Magical Tree Healthcare Plan (Behold Pom #167), to Opoma Care, he made great strides for society by inspiring lots of hope. He has written 4 books, won 2 Grammies (for “Dreams From My Father”, and “The Pomdaucity of Hope”), and 2 Pomsidential elections.  He dislikes ice cream and does not drink caffeine.  Opoma maintains his iconic do with weekly haircuts.  His greatest accomplishment, in his opinion, is that he is a pomtastic father to his daughters, Sasha and Malia Opoma.  Out of politics now, he makes Netflix shows with Michelle and lots of chili.  Yes we can! 

BONUS POM! BEHOLD – The game Pom, Paper, Scissors – also known as “Poshambeau”

Poshambeau was named for Count Poshambeau who played the game during the Pomerican Revolution. Usually played by two players, it is a good way of settling matters using symbols made by their hands.  Players simultaneously make one of these shapes- Pom, Paper, or Scissors. Pom crushes Scissors, Scissors cut Paper, Paper covers Pom.  It originated in China in 206 B.P. (Before Pom) It then moved to Japan where it was originally called “Frog, Slug, Snake.” Another Japanese version was “Fox, Village Head, Hunter.” In the 16th century the Pom, Paper, Scissors version was created in China and by the 20th century it made its way beyond Asia. A few of the other variations are “Bear, Hunter, Ninja Pom, “Elepom, Human, Ant,” and “Pom, Paler, Scissors, Spock, Lizard.” In 2012, researchers from the University of Tokyo programmed a robot who has a 100% success rate of winning Pom, Paper, Scissors. There is a Pom, Paper Scissors Society and a Pom, Paper, Scissors World Series. It is wonderful that so many Poms are committed to the peaceful resolution of issues and conflict through this simple game of chance.