"Viruses, Pandemic, and Immunity" (Arup K. Chakraborty and Andrey S. Shaw)

TITLE: Viruses, Pandemics, and Immunity
AUTHOR: Arup K. Chakraborty and Andrey S. Shaw
PUBLISHER: Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2020, (224 pages).

If the year 2020 was known as the year of the pandemic, the year 2021 would be known as the year of the vaccines. For the past couple of months, most of us in society cannot avoid the topic of viruses, pandemics, vaccines, quarantines, etc. With social media so freely available, information and misinformation could spread like wildfire. Once out there, it is impossible to retract or remove it from circulation. Even medical professionals often differ in their interpretations of the best approaches to take.  Since the declaration of Covid-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, large parts of the world have shut down global travel and implemented widespread restrictions on people movement. There is a need for more reliable and scientifically tested information. In fact, the best way to address fears and avoid pandemonium behaviour is to share reliable and trustworthy information as quickly as possible. This book is a contribution toward this cause. The authors are not only medical professionals but also on the teaching faculty of renowned schools like the MIT and the University of California, San Francisco. They begin this book by reminding us that pandemics are nothing new. There were serious influenza-related breakouts back in 1918 (Spanish Flu), 1957 (Asian Flu), 1968 (HK Flu), and 2009 (H5N1). The history lessons include the two eras: Pre-Vaccine and Vaccine eras. Before the discovery of vaccines as a defense tool against viruses, people resorted to all kinds of non-scientific speculations about the causes of the diseases. Even the name "influenza" was derived from the popular idea that illnesses were caused by the Italian word for "influence of the stars." Gradually, the thinking shifts from helpless acceptance toward observations of why people recovering from illness were not infected by smallpox. This led to theories such as the "expulsion theory" and "acquired immunity." With the discovery of cowpox as protection against smallpox, the stage was set for more research on "vaccinia," the Latin name for cowpox. Thanks to the work of Edward Jenner (1749-1823), the threat of smallpox was addressed in a large scale. We learn also from history that vaccinations were controversial then, not just today. Readers will slowly join the dots of healthcare and medical advancement to give credit to van Leeuwenhook's microscope, Robert Koch's postulates, Louis Pasteur's research on the anthrax vaccine, and how our present work derives much from Pasteur. The modern challenges include the search for a solution against coronaviruses and contagious diseases. Readers learn about the way viruses work; the way human cells replicate; the differentiation of the body cell into DNA, RNA, and Proteins; and how cells reproduce. They then describe the manner viruses enter our cells to make us sick. Knowing the genome and viral DNA/RNA aids in finding ways to battle them. They explain the reasons for the pandemic in a post-agrarian culture. 

"The Learning Cycle" (Muriel I. Elmer and Duane H. Elmer)

TITLE: The Learning Cycle: Insights for Faithful Teaching from Neuroscience and the Social Sciences
AUTHOR: Muriel I. Elmer and Duane H. Elmer
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (224 pages).

From time to time, I would hear graduates speak about how disconnected their college education was from their jobs. Some would say that what exists in practice do not quite match up to the theories they learned in school. Among older folks, they prefer to tell us that experience is worth much more than the educational qualification. This common sentiment is also felt among seminarians and those who had theological education. I once came across a study that shows how inverted the expectations are between seminaries and churches. What church elders and members claim are more important often do not align with theologians and biblical scholars' expectations. Ideally, they should be the same. Practically, they are more different than thought. Helping to bridge this divide is the aim of this book. As educators for the past 50 years, the authors share their passion for teaching and give us insights about how to learn. Their underlying assumptions are:

Vital Signs Vol 20

TITLE: Vital Signs, Volume 20: The Trends that are Shaping Our Future
AUTHOR: Worldwide Institute
PUBLISHER:  Washington DC: Island Press, 2013, (168 pages).

What are the trends in the future? What are the signs and what makes them so vital that it has to be included in this book? These are questions I ask as I began reading this book.  Since 1992, the Worldwide institute, based in Washington DC has been keeping watch on signs that will affect the future of the earth and the people who live on it. Presenting articles that first appeared at the Worldwatch Institute website, each volume brings together research and findings from a group of dedicated contributors. This edition is the fruit of 23 researchers. In this volume, the focus is on the world's production and consumption trends for energy, food, transportation, and rising demand for earth's resources. Aware that there is a price for progress and development, the Worldwide Institute calls it "vital signs" from a sustainability and a responsible stewardship of earth's resources perspective. 

One thing that is stark is that for every benefit there is a cost. For every meeting of a demand, there is a cry for a greater demand. For every additional investment for energy resources, there is an exponential demand for energy, especially fossil fuels. For every increase in food production, there is also an increase in waste production. For every step of advancement, there is a price in terms of depletion of earth's resources. The link is also complicated by advancement that is closely associated with economic progress for the poorer nations as well as social conditions. With many poorer countries trying to attain the progress of the West, they soon learn that every benefit will have their costs too.

The solution must be both scientific as well as institutional. Science and technical know-how can only do so much. There must be infrastructures in place for implementation and distribution of these knowledge and skills. Five key trends are highlighted in the book.

1) Energy and Transportation Trends

There is a mixture of good and bad news for oil. The good news is, the rate of consumption has gone down. The bad news is, consumption levels are still high. Impact is felt whenever problems occur in the Middle East. The projected trend is for Canada's oil sands production to increase even as the conventional oil producers maintain production at a steady level. Any slowdown in oil consumption is well negated by the increase in coal and gas use. Then there is China whose coal consumption currently ranks at number 1 in the world accounting for 49.4% of the world's consumption. Not only that, China also leads in terms of wind power, with several new power projects installed. Thankfully, progress is also made in funding for non-fossil fuel research and development of renewable energy supplies. This is an area to watch for.

2) Environment and Climate Trends

Development usually comes at a cost, and green house gas emissions and CO2 production are some of them. With regards to China, there is a double whammy. Not only has China overtaken the US in terms of CO2 emissions, she still lags behind the rest of the world when it comes to funding for "Carbon Capture and Storage Investment" projects. The CCSI projects are considered important for the environment from an anti-pollution standpoint. Critics argue that such projects also consume lots of of energy which somewhat cancels out the good it is trying to achieve.

3) Food and Agriculture Trends

Used for human consumption, animal feed, as well as biofuels, annual grain production has reached a record high of 2.37 billion tons. These include rice, wheat, and coarse grains. Weather challenges continue to threaten production. Projects are currently being undertaken to protect and to support the farming industry, especially vulnerable farmers. With disease and drought, meat consumption has tapered with a smaller increase. Most popular meat is pork followed by poultry. The United States is still the largest consumer of meat in the world and Asia the largest producer. Statistics also show chicken as the most popular in the US, South Africa. In China, Germany, Vietnam, pork ranks #1. India consumes the most milk while Brazil the most beef. 

Then there is seafood where "aquaculture" tries to fill in the insatiable appetite for various seafood. Both wild and farmed seafood continue to grow, with "aquaculture" currently meeting up to 40% of the world's fish consumption. Research also shows that wild fish stocks are dangerously unsustainable with about 57.4% fisheries fully exploited. With rising fish production comes environmental concerns too, like degradation of marine habitats; antibiotics use; introduction of invasive species; illegal fishing; etc. One bright spark in the report is the positive impact of organic farming, especially in Europe. These initiatives have reduced the need for harmful fertilizers and pesticides. There is also an interesting report on the investing on women farmers who together help produce nearly half of all food production. This is especially for those who are not fully compensated in poor regions. .

4) Global Economy and Resources Trends

There is an alarming wage gap widening as wages fail to keep pace with productivity. Countries in Europe such as Norway, Belgium, and Germany lead the way in fair compensation. Countries at the bottom half include Philippines, Mexico, Hungary, and Brazil. Solid waste production continues to grow. with the OECD countries together producing more than 1.5 million tonnes of waste per day! Losses due to natural catastrophes are also very high. Japan tops the list where the earthquake and tsunami have cost US$2.1 billion. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and drought from the other regions of the world helped create total losses of US$3530 billion of which only $870 billion are insured. Water scarcity is in the radar. One-fifth of the world are living in water scarcity areas. Arab countries have the least water availability while North America has the most.

There is an interesting report that talks about the increase in Internet advertising and marketing. The comment in the report talks not about the Internet displacing directly the traditional avenues like print, TV commercials, billboards, etc. It observes that "consumers grow overexposed to advertising" and prefer more subtle approaches through blogs, social media, and selective product placements.

5) Population and Society Trends

We have all heard about migration. What about "climate change migration" where harsh weather conditions have forced migration around the world. Take Bangladesh for example, where people have grown accustomed to recurring floods. Most people outside have concentrated on sensational headlines such as people being forced to move from low levels to higher plains, but have failed to account for the human resilience of the people to tough it out.  Migration is less possible with lands that are steeped in poverty. Many developing countries continue to seek a better world like the developed West. Eighty-Two percent of the world's populations currently live in the developing world. Many of them are in Asia which also boasts megacities that are crowded, and have a huge appetite for energy, food, and other resources. The biggest megacity is Japan with 37 million people followed by Delhi (22.7m) and Mexico City (20.7m). Los Angeles is the most populated North American city at 13.4m and Istanbul is tops the list for Europe at 11.3m. The poorest regions, represented by slum areas are countries in the Sub-Sahara Africa, South and East Asia.  

If you are interested in trends and numbers, this book has a lot of them not only to whet your appetite, but to get you thinking about the way our world is heading. The usual observations are there. Consumption of resources are rising, while earth ability to sustain these levels are decreasing. The developing world continues to increase in food production and population. So do there consumption, waste, and pollution levels. There are many other things that are left out in the trending report. What about education levels? What about the technological industry? What about medical sciences? What about the pharmaceutical research? What about the state of the political and social trends?

Perhaps, in a future volume, these and others will be covered. Richly informational, this book is not just about numbers and trends. It is about the future of us and our loved ones living in an increasingly globalized world. This alone is reason alone to pick up this book.


Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Island Press and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Honeycomb Kids" (Anna M Campbell)

TITLE: Honeycomb Kids: Big Picture Parenting for a Changing World and to Change the World!
AUTHOR: Anna M. Campbell
PUBLISHER: Nabiac, NSW: Cape Able Publisher Australia, 2012, (264 pages).

Big-Picture parenting. Using the honeycomb metaphor, the author tries to convince readers that it takes a village, or a community to build a good future for our kids. No one bee exists for itself. Neither does the queen bee lives for itself. One cell does not make a honeycomb. Together however, the whole community thrives. Every bee lives for others. The end result is a beautiful honeycomb that not only provides sweet honey and nutrients for the bee community, it brings great benefits through pollination, provision of food, and great contributions to the environment.

Written in two parts, Part One talks about the big issues that demand our attention. The author argues for greater attention to an explosive population growth that threatens to overwhelm our existing way of life. She lists climate change, natural disasters, water scarcity, food shortages, energy supply, price of oil, nuclear energy, healthcare, nutrition, pandemics, toxins, and genetic engineering, as threats we must all wake up to. With globalization, there will be social unrest, terrorism fears, and a squeeze on the struggling middle class in society. With technology, there is a temptation toward instant gratification, commercials that aim at innocent children, and many other risks. Nineteen words fill up the bad honeycomb.

Part Two brings in the key purpose of the book: Building Big-Picture Parenting through "cooperation, industriousness, shared decision-making, planning, determination to survive together, reverence for nature, yummy stuff, and a little bit of magic!" Nineteen words fill up the good honeycomb. We then have 24 chapters of ideas, tips, and creative activities to enable us to do BPP.

1. Sense of Community, Citizenship, and Cooperation: we are urged to build community bonds within the local community and to support them whenever we can
2. Smart Thinking: we are urged to think more for ourselves rather than simply soaking in what the media tells us, to develop an attitude of continuous learning, and wisdom.
3. Building Hope and Resilience: builds self-esteem and confidence in life
4. Competition vs Connection: explains the limits of competitive behaviour and the higher importance of connectivity.
5. Fairness: Life is not just about grabbing and fighting for our needs or our rights. It is about putting things in perspective that there are many situations worse than our own sense of fairness.
6. Healthy Life Choices: we tend to take good health for granted. Eating well starts by thinking the big picture advantages that go beyond costs, and what popular opinions tell us.
7. Kitchen Garden: we need to learn to understand making good healthy food choices
8. Getting Dirty: The garden teaches us more than simply industry and thrift. It teaches us to appreciate the goodness that it provides, something we often take for granted.
9. Meaningful Work: Working for money is perhaps one of the most common but most meaningless activity. 
10. Home is where the heart is: Buy a house sensibly, and not what the world promises, but what we need.
11. Money cannot buy you love: Not everything will be ok if we have all the money in the world. Be measured in your focus on money-making, understanding the pros and cons. This chapter also provides tips on thrift and wisdom if how money can be spent.
12. Nature knows best: Nature and humanity is connected in more ways than we know. If we see the connection more and more, we see our meaning of existence better each day.
13. Laughter is the Best Medicine: Key to happy living.
14. A Sense of Perspective: This is one of the most important factors in thinking big picture.
15. Five R's (Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, Redistribute): Living well includes ecological, social, spiritual concerns. 
16. Compassionate Consumption: Don't consume as if the whole world is meant to give you what you want. Consume in a manner that acknowledges what we need, not wasting on unnecessary stuff and how we can help others. There is also a section arguing against irresponsible marketing.
17. Using time wisely: Have time to work, sleep and play.
18. Rome wasn't built in a day: Do not live under the tyranny of instant gratification and rush to fulfill our superficial wants. Big picture parenting requires long term thinking.
19. Unconditional love: When we give our children unconditional love, we prepare them for adulthood in advance.
20. Home truths: Truth is most precious of them all. Better than toys, electronics, and many materialistic things the world offers.
21. It's all in the delivery: We are all at different stages of our lives. The better we understand, the better we live.
22. Facing the music: Learning to accept short term consequences for long term gains.
23. You can do this: Inspiration when young is a great way to instill and prepare for future leadership.
24. Zest for life: Joy is a powerful energy source for living.

This book is great advice, filled with wise tips and smart ideas for daily living. Many parents grow up without the privilege of learning all of these from their own parents. If the advice in this book can be shared more widely, it is a powerful way to inculcate good values in our children. 

For me as a Christian, this book falls short because it presupposes man knows what is best for man. Written for a secular audience, obviously this book avoids religious talk, other than a few quotes of spiritualists like Deepak Chopra, and a few others. I can also argue that those are religious positions as well, which should be excluded in any secular book. There is a bit of New Age philosophy in this book, especially the part of loving the earth. It is generally a good book and a great reminder for parents to parent with a big picture philosophy. Unfortunately for me, it does not go far enough. Man cannot survive on good advice alone.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided free by Cape Able and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered are mine unless otherwise stated.