March 2023 - Fasting, Artificial Intelligence, the right to Vote and All That Breathes
Welcome back to 'Monthly Musings: A Curated Reading List'
I'm thrilled to share my love of reading with you. As an avid reader, I save articles that I find interesting and share them with family and friends. I have been looking for a more concise way to share a summary of my most recent reads. Hence, this newsletter. This newsletter will give you curated content under different categories to check out monthly. I will publish this on the first of the month and it will have the links to my readings from the previous month. I will include a very short description, so you know what you are about to read (or not).
“Fasting blinds the body in order to open the eyes of your soul.” – Rumi
World / Humanity
I have been fasting during the month of Ramadan since I was twelve years old. I look forward to this month as it forces a change in my routine and my focus in life. Interestingly, day-to-day drudgery becomes more difficult as I fast but also less burdensome as I pay less attention to them. A while back, I had written a blog about Ramadan's details and its main purpose, and then recently about one of the side effects of fasting. I hope you get a chance to browse them.
Ramadan: A month of reflection
Fasting Leads to Empathy
The incredible story of a determined woman who has climbed Mount Everest ten times already, one would think that she would be famous and well off, but nope, unfortunately, this is not a rags-to-riches story. How can one not be in awe of “Lhakpa Sherpa”?
The Queen of Everest Trains While Working at Whole Foods (pdf version) - The New York Times
Technology
I was glad to read that more than 1,000 technology leaders and researchers, including Elon Musk, have urged artificial intelligence labs to pause the development of the most advanced systems, warning in an open letter that A.I. tools present “profound risks to society and humanity.”
When Noam Chomsky (One of the most cited scholars alive) talks, I pay attention. So, when he penned an essay on ChatGPT & AI in general, I read it twice. In summary, ChatGPT can create descriptions and predictions but only the human mind can create explanations (true intelligence).
Noam Chomsky: The False Promise of ChatGPT (pdf version) - The New York Times
Another big name, at least in tech is Bill Gates. His article below is worth a read to understand the broader implications and benefits to society from AI including fields like sales, health, education, etc. He gives a couple of very interesting examples like a personal agent/assistant, company agent, and health agent which can change our lives.
The Age of AI Has Begun - Gates Notes
Culture, History & Politics
My son Azeem went to Memphis during his Spring break for a service project related to medicine. But when we came back, he only wanted to talk about his visit to the National Civil Rights Museum there. I could tell he was deeply affected by the visit.
Azeem specifically mentioned the exhibit on Dr. King’s march from Selma to Montgomery ending in a speech on March 25th, 1965 in Montgomery where he beseeched the nation to pass a comprehensive Right to Vote law, which was eventually passed in May of 1965.
“The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy that recognizes the dignity and worth of all of God’s children. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy that allows judgment to run down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream. The only normalcy that we will settle for is the normalcy of brotherhood, the normalcy of true peace, the normalcy of justice.”
You can read Dr. King’s speech on March 25, 1965, here and listen to it here.
Health
I am not a crazy health nut by any measure, but I regularly work out, swim, and walk. Despite that, recently, I started having back pain so I am always on the lookout for what can help me get rid of this pain and remain healthy. I found this article to be very helpful in understanding what is called core muscles and how important they are to our well-being. Also, now I don’t have to worry about focusing and maintaining my six-pack:-)
For a Stable, Strong Core, Forget About Crunches (pdf version) - The New York Times
While we were all busy with the Covid pandemic there is another epidemic of obesity in the world, it is worth paying attention to whether you have a weight problem or not.
More than half of the world will be overweight or obese by 2035 - report - Reuters
Maybe, maybe, fasting can help…
8 Health Benefits of Fasting, Backed by Science - Healthline
Life
I had yet to hear of Partha Dasgupta, who has the Answer to Everything. Even if you ignore the hyperbole, this quick 5 min video is worth watching.
Alexander Skarsgard, Partha Dasgupta and the Answer to Everything - YouTube
As we are all photographers now, it is good to know a few very basic photography tricks which do not require any high-end cameras, just your phone. Check out this article and try it yourself.
A National Geographic photographer gave me 4 tips for taking better pictures with my phone. I tried them and the results blew me away. - Insider
Entertainment
All That Breathes is an Oscar-nominated documentary, directed by Shaunak Sen follows two brothers who run a bird hospital dedicated to rescuing injured black kites, a staple in the skies of New Delhi, India.
Unfortunately, you need an HBO Max subscription to watch it. If you don’t have one, you can at least watch the official trailer here.
All That Breathes | Official Trailer - YouTube
Please feel free to add your favorite readings of the month in the comments so others can benefit as well. Let me know your thoughts including what was interesting/useful for you.
Thank you. I enjoy reading your posts and always learn something mew, interesting and useful.
Always fun and enlightening info. I am by no means a reader, let alone an avid one. But, I like reading your articles. Thanks