Baha'u'llah, an introduction

I read this book one page at a time as I was falling asleep each night. Though a more readable account of his life and work is probably available here, I found great comfort in the words and language contained in this book.

Many of the ideas in Baha'i faith remind me of Quakerism, but the very existence of Baha'u'llah and his supposed greater than average "messenger of God" abilities really strike me as antithetical to the whole idea of equality and equal access to God's wisdom. But I am no theologian, and I have much to learn. I will keep an open mind as I broaden my religious horizons.

Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks

Suddenly I'm interested in neurology. And absolutely amazed by how mysterious and unknown the brain remains.

This book was full of anecdotes, some extremely fascinating, and some incredibly boring. My favorites included:

Brainworms

Absolute Pitch

Musical Savants

Synesthesia and Music

Music and Amnesia

Aphasia and Music Therapy

Parkinson's Disease and Music Therapy

Phantom Fingers

Athletes of the Small Muscles (Dystonia)

Will probably revisit this book as I learn more about each of the disorders. Great to put a human face on each condition and learn how music is related. I really want to keep music in my life.

Is Sugar Toxic (New York Times Magazine) by Gary Taubes

This article is fascinating. Actually the research and hypotheses that Taubes investigate are fascinating. I really need to learn some more biochem before I feel absolutely comfortable agreeing with all the ideas put forth by Lustig at UCSF.

The most frightening part of this article was actually not how sugar becomes fat, but how policy comes from agricultural and industrial lobbyists. Frightening...

Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Unbelievable how much corn we grow in this country, and how the free market forces have attempted to shape the inelastic demand of human hunger into a profitable enterprise that can sustain continuous growth. Also fascinating how artificially low oil prices have supported this bubble of energy intensive agriculture. Not going to be pretty when it bursts.

The Long Lonliness by Dorothy Day

Interesting historical insights, but poorly written in a really rambling style.

At least I know who Dorthy Day is now...

International Service Corps for Health

This is a great idea!

some quotes

"Cuba provides an imperfect but
potentially informative example
of the dividends of "exporting"
doctors. Having put key principles
into practice domestically,
particularly the principle that
health care is a right and is essential
to economic and social
development — albeit with unclear
results for its own population's
health — Cuba extended
this mandate to international
public service. The country hoped
to focus on bridging gaps in the
health care workforce and invested
invested
in training and educating
local professionals in developing
countries. The impact has been
noteworthy: between 1999 and
2004, Cuban foreign-service workers
increased doctor visits in resource-
poor communities by 36.7
million, provided health promotion
outreach for millions of
underserved
people, and taught
900,000 medical education courses
to local personnel."

Treat the Patient, not the CT Scan by Abraham Verghese

The advantages and dangers of computers
the "ipatient" vs. the real patient
how physical exam skills are atrophying as American physicians increasingly just rely on technology.
"But all that training can be undone the moment the students hit their clinical years. Then, they discover that the currency on the ward seems to be "throughput" — getting tests ordered and getting results, having procedures like colonoscopies done expeditiously, calling in specialists, arranging discharge. And the engine for all of that, indeed the place where the dialogue between doctors and nurses takes place, is the computer."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/opinion/27verghese.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1