Stuart Firestein: The pursuit of ignorance

Bloomberg Businessweek: The Rise of the Intangible Economy

GDP is evolving.  It favors economies with higher levels of creativity and innovations. A good move to recognize R&D as an investment not an expense. 

Sami 

From Bloomberg Businessweek:
The Rise of the Intangible Economy

Download Bloomberg Businessweek+ and get your FREE issue
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bloomberg-businessweek/id421216878?mt=8

The U.S. is set to count investment in movies, books, and ideas as part of the gross domestic product. It's about time

(Story from July 22, 2013 issue)View Full Story

Sent from my iPad

WHY?

TALKS | TEDX

Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action

A talk worth listening to. His book was published in 2009 (see below).  

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action [Kindle Edition]

Simon Sinek (Author)

Fwd: It's the Egyptian Identity, Stupid - Al Monitor

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mona Khalidi <mk2388@columbia.edu>
Date: July 6, 2013, 3:42:47 PM EDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Fwd: It's the Egyptian Identity, Stupid - Al Monitor

Sent from my iPad

 

> Too bad the West insists on calling it a coup. What coup sets dates and ultimatums? What coup involves the Pope and the Azhar Sheikh, a noble prize winner, the judiciary, the youth and women, plus the Salafist party? What coup follows 22 million signatures for a vote of no confidence in the "legitimate" president? What coup follows the largest demonstration in the history of mankind calling for the deposition of the "legitimate" president. To hell with the West. They support a fascist terrorist regime because it serves the interests of Israel. America is annoyed its plans for a new Middle East have been thwarted.
> Egypt is once more at the head of the Arab world and a force to be reckoned with. We are jubilant and will move forward.
>
> ----- Forwarded Message -----
> From: Dr. Aisha el-Kholy <aishaelkholy@link.net>
 
> Sent: Thursday, July 4, 2013 9:32 AM
> Subject: It's the Egyptian Identity, Stupid - Al Monitor
>
> http://tahrirsquared.com/node/5156
>
> It's the Egyptian Identity, Stupid - Al Monitor
> Observers are shocked. They do not understand as they watch millions of Egyptians marching in protest, in every major city in Egypt, against President Mohammed Morsi. In Cairo alone, some estimated the number of protesters to be 5 to 7 million. That is roughly a quarter to a third of the capital's population. The crowds on June 30 may have been part of the largest political protest in history.
> Political analysts are baffled. Egyptians put up with the fraudulently elected Mubarak for 30 years, but now seek the departure of the democratically elected Morsi after only one year? Did they expect the man to have a magic wand that would allow him to solve all of Egypt's economic problems with a single stroke?
> It's not the economy, stupid. It is not just about the fuel shortages, power outages, deteriorating economy or soaring prices. Western media rarely, if ever, mention the Muslim Brotherhood's assault on Egyptian identity, culture and way of life as a core cause of protests. Could something so intangible motivate such massive demonstrations?
> The reality is that culture is much more tangible than one may think at first glance. Restrictive cultural policies affect education, art, newspapers, television programs, books, academia, laws, dress, food and beverages, sports, management of antiquities and cultural heritage, tourism and public holidays. These are tangible things that impact people's daily lives. When experiencing an abrupt change in aspects related to their self-image or the way their children are being brought up, people may panic and react quite strongly. Egypt might be experiencing one of these instances more than anything else.
> Attempts by the Muslim Brotherhood to convert Egyptians to their conservative values did not start just last year. Funded for several decades by generous donations from Wahhabi sheikhs, the Salafis and Muslim Brothers slowly began to infiltrate Egyptian society and gradually succeeded in making Egypt visibly different, first by calling for small things, like asking women to wear the hijab and putting their preachers in control of key mosques, and then by expanding to launch a network of charities with a political agenda — preparing Egyptian society for Islamist rule.
> The Muslim Brothers was banned before the 1952 revolution because of their involvement in political assassinations and after the revolution were prosecuted by the regime of Gamal Abdel Nasser after an attempt on his life. Nasser's successor, Anwar Sadat, decided to allow Islamist organizations to regroup to counterbalance socialist and Nasserist political streams in the 1970s. Sadat was assassinated in 1981 at the hands of Islamist extremists. Near the end of Mubarak's rule, he offered large concessions to the Brothers to create a bipolar political system in which the only alternative to his ruling National Democratic Party would be the Muslim Brotherhood. After the 2011 revolution, the Brothers decided that this was their time. They had to seize the moment before it was gone.
> Morsi was elected president of an ancient nation with an established way of life — in fact, one that Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Brotherhood, detested and considered immoral. Sixty-five years after Banna's death, Morsi, obedient member and leader of the Brotherhood, runs for the presidency of Egypt. As soon as he assumes office, he gets busy appointing his "Brothers" to key government positions as part of the so-called Tamkeen plan, a plot to control Egypt that is said to have been drafted by Khairat al-Shater himself.
> The plan, which the opposition refers to as Akhwwana, or Brotherhoodization, requires that only officials loyal to the Brotherhood ideology be appointed to key government posts, among them the portofolios for education, media, religious affairs, social affairs and culture. The reason is simple: If Egyptians are taught to think like the Brothers, it will ensure a lengthy reign for the organization, which could then win elections before they were even held.
> Of course Egyptians are angry over prices, fuel shortages and electricity outages, and these problems have amplified the cause of rebellion. But Egypt is a nation that has patiently coped with shortages for decades. What has made people especially angry now is the sense of losing Egypt's distinctive way of life.
> For starters, the constitution passed by an Islamist majority codified ultra-conservative restrictions on freedom of faith and expression, using terms that in effect could penalize people who do not allegedly comply with "social values," meaning, more or less, whatever values the government and its allies deem fit. Education experts warned that newly appointed Brothers at the Ministry of Education were changing curricula to conform to the Muslim Brotherhood's conservative ideology. The Brothers also removed chapters from history books describing their organization's violent past. When Minister of Culture Alaa Abdel Aziz fired a number of high-profile officials and was rumored to be considering a ban on ballet, artists and performers staged a sit-in and held several ballet performances in the street, including "Zorba the Greek."
> Read the full article on Al Monitor: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/07/egyptian-identity-stupid.html#ixzz2XxkjmChc
>
>
> Aisha elKholy,Ph.D
>
>
>

TALKS | TEDX

Jackson Katz: Violence against women—it's a men's issue

http://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue.html

Article: So Far, There Are Only 3 Big Winners in the Smartphone Market

So Far, There Are Only 3 Big Winners in the Smartphone Market
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/05/so-far-there-are-only-3-big-winners-in-the-smartphone-market/276250/

Shared from Technology on Flipboard. Download Flipboard for free here.

Sent from my iPad

Sami AlBanna sent you a video: "Thomas Insel: Toward a new understanding of mental illness"

Sami AlBanna has shared a video with you on YouTube Insightful about mental disorders and the brain. Recommended. Very insightful. Thomas Insel: Toward a new understanding of mental illness by TEDtalksDirector Today, thanks to better early detection, there are 63% fewer deaths from heart disease than there were just a few decades ago. Thomas Insel, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, wonders: Could we do the same for depression and schizophrenia? The first step in this new avenue of research, he says, is a crucial reframing: for us to stop thinking about "mental disorders" and start understanding them as "brain disorders." (Filmed at TEDxCaltech.) TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more. Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate Follow TED news on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tednews Like TED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector Help center • Email options • Report spam ©2013 YouTube, LLC 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066

iDoctor

This is a must see short youtube.  It describes how the iPhone (smartphone) are already being used on a daily bases to lower the save lives, cost of healthcare, and provide remote physician assistance.

 iDOCTOR...

This is a real eye opener, very fascinating, and possible with today's technology. LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN MEDICINE Click:   iDoctor

See also:  an interview with Dr. Eric Topol   

His Book:
The Creative Destruction of Medicine: How the Digital Revolution Will Create Better Health Care
Eric Topol M.D.  

3D Printing Technology Transforming Medicine, Logistics, and Retail

Please see below for a super fascinating combination of science, medicine, surgery, and technology.

-----------------

Check out this amazing TED Talk:

Anthony Atala: Printing a human kidney

Sent from TED app for iOS
http://itunes.com/apps/tedconferences/ted
------------------

Also see the following for basics on 3D Printing.
------------------
Check out this amazing TED Talk:

Lisa Harouni: A primer on 3D printing

Sent from TED app for iOS
http://itunes.com/apps/tedconferences/ted
------------------

Hantoush; a Fairytale by Saleha Hamdeen

I received a message from a relative and friend (please see trail at the end of this message).  I think this is a wonderful short story.   Sami AlBanna

========================== Saleha Hamdeen, a 14 year old Bedouin from Palestine, won the International Hans Christian Andersen Award for her fairy tale, "Hantoush," which was chosen from among more than 1,200 fairy tale entries from all over the world..

==========================

Hantoush; a Fairytale by Saleha Hamdeen I live in a small tent in the Abu Hindi valley. During the day I attend the El Khassab School, which was made with Bamboo sticks. The Israeli soldiers took our agricultural land, closed it off and turned it into a shooting range for their practice. My 70 sheep live in the tent with me. After school, I milk the sheep and make cheese that I sell to the townspeople. The streets are rough and unpaved because the soldiers use them for shooting and training at night. I hate the sound of the bullets and machine guns, it drives me crazy to hear it and I want to run away, to escape. I do not have a bicycle, I do not have a car, but I do have something I use to escape. Sh-h-h, get closer, get closer! I will tell you my secret. I have a flying sheep! His name is Hantoush. He is black with long ears and 2 wings that he hides under his fleece. He only takes them out when I want to escape and whisper in his ear, “Hantoush, my lamb, spread your wings from under your wool!” I sing this in his ear when the soldiers start shooting! Then, I climb on his back and ride to the skies. Yesterday, we flew to Barcelona! Let me tell you something about the valley of Abu Hindi, there is no soccer field because the land is a mine field. So Hantoush and I fly to Barcelona where we met Messi, the famous soccer player with the most scored goals! We played soccer with him for long hours! Hantoush, my sheep was the goalie. I was friends with Messi and his team. We scored 5 goals! Messi wants me and Hantoush on his team in Barcelona, but we had to decline his offer as we have to go back to Abu Hindi to care for the other sheep. They are waiting for me. Who else can milk them and care for them? My father has been in jail for the last 6 years and he has 19 years more to go. Let me tell you another secret. Sh-h-h, come closer. In two years, Messi will visit Abu Hindi and we are going to hold the 2014 World Cup at the Valley of Abu Hindi! Together, we are going to clean the field from mines and build the largest stadium in the world. We are going to name it Hantoush Field! The mascot will be a lamb! All are welcome- we are all waiting!

===============

The Message arrived to me from this trail.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Hana Lababidi

Date: April 1, 2013 2:05:44 AM EDT

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Asma Fathallah
Date: Sun, Mar 31, 2013 at 1:48 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Andre Dirlik
Date: Fri, Mar 29, 2013 at 2:22 PM

 ---------- Original message ----------

Eyes

Eyes

My vision quickly deteriorated last October, 2012.  I assumed that I had to change my glasses. It was that time anyway. It was eighteen months since my last eye test. The optometrists mentioned that while a correction to my eye glasses lenses has to be made, the cataract in both eyes has advanced considerably from their levels of more than a year ago and it might require surgery in the coming twelve months. "We will have to watch it but it is getting close," he said.  

Three weeks after ordering my new glasses, I received them. I could only see slightly better than the previous glasses and the degree of fog in my field of vision increased considerably. The eye glasses specialist advised that because of the type of advanced lenses I ordered, it will take about two week for my brain to adjust. I waited another three weeks but it was clear that my vision deteriorated quickly and the fog increased. By Christmas, I was having difficulty seeing clearly the television screen in our living room and increased challenges for driving at night. 

Linah, my wife, and I decided to look for an Ophthalmology. We hit the Internet research and medical evaluation sites.  One of the very useful sources was the Washingtonian top 100 doctors. Correlating all the research from multiple sources, we were able quickly, within a day or two, to narrow the list to ten top Ophthalmology in the DC greater area with cataract surgery practices. We then added other criteria, like years of practice, success rate per year, number of operations per year, proximity to where we live, etc. Our search results narrowed the list to five that meets our acceptable parameters. 

We decided to check one more source, Angie's List, before we contact these doctors.  Three of the five doctors on our short list turned out to have an A rating at Angie's List. They were all located within eight miles from where we live. Interestingly, all three doctors provided email contact information which remain a rare mode of communication among medical professionals in the greater DC area. Most doctors do not like using emails and only allow fax communications for document exchange and office telephones. 

We received responses from the doctors and contacted Dr. James Heltzer’s office to talk to the office manager. Our discussion was amiable and I sensed her caring.  I was scheduled for an appointment in Jan 22, 2013 even though I did not have a referral from another Doctor which is the normal channel for scheduling such appointments.  

On Jan 22, 2013, Linah and I went for the appointment.  We sensed from the beginning the degree of friendliness and openness of the staff. It is a very friendly work environment. Subsequent visits confirmed the same.  After few tests, it was determined that I have functionally lost vision in my left eye and my right eye was not too far behind.     The cataract was very advanced.  We met with Dr. Heltzer who reviewed the results and amiably answered all our questions. My wife and I were impressed with his professionalism, knowledge, and his surgical record.  We completed the scheduling of two operations one for the left eye to take place in March 12 and the second for the right eye to take place in March 26 for the right eye. We also scheduled multiple pre and post operations office visits.  He instructed me to stop driving at night since my vision is really impaired not only I cannot really see moving objects well in the dark but also my sense of depth is curtailed.  I am not allowed to drive at night until at least we clear a successful surgery in the left eye, i.e. few days after March 12. 

The surgery was a breeze. As the Dr. Heltzer explained he uses laser to open a one millimeter cut (imagine that!) in the top of the chamber were the lens sits. He then uses a hollow needle that is less than 1 mm in diameter to penetrate the chamber. The needle employees ultrasound to break down the old lens and to suck the pieces through the small pipe in the needle.  The same pipe is used to deliver the new eye which opens up and anchors itself. The type of lens not only opens the vision, it also corrects for medium to long distance vision and corrects the stigmatism which sharpens the vision, particularly in the medium to long range. 

After the unbelievably easy operation as an out patient, I had my first post-operation office visit.  Linah and I again observed that the medical staff, the administrative staff, and the doctor are very caring, supporting, professional, knowledgeable, and really willing to answer question and provide professional insight and advise. Their operational systems in the office seems to be efficient and well tuned to the needs of patients. 

My left-eye vision improved within less than 24 hours by seven lines.  I now could really see distance, colors are much sharper, and for the first time for over a year and half I could see the incredible difference between the retina display of iPad 3 compared to the normal display of the iPad 1.  What a revelation? Beautiful.

Not to be misleading, recovery requires changing many deep entrenched habits. For example:

1. Because the left eye was operated on, I have sleep on right side and back but not on my left side. Also, I need to put a shield on my eye every night to protect it.
2. I need to keep my fore head above the heart line to blood pressure variations
3. I cannot use my hand or water on the surgical eye...only use medication. Try this one for discipline. Showers became a challenge until my physicist son, Badr,  suggested why not use a divers goggles. A brilliant suggestion which worked very well.  
4. Cannot bend or do anything that can drop my head or stress by abdomen. 

I am enthusiastically waiting for March 26 to complete the correction of the right eye.