What are you reading?

[INTJohn]

Been reading about maggot therapy for infections ; tissue & bone maggot debridement.

Prior to the discovery of penicillin in the 1930’s maggot therapy was quite common to fight serious infections. It was all but ignored with the advent in the last 90 years of numerous antibiotics.
Today Maggot therapy is beginning to make physicians take a more proactive treatment approach as infectious bacteria become more & more resistant to antibiotics.
Fascinating stuff…….
INTJohn

 

[abnorm]

Back in the 1980's my Quadriplegic BIL....a NASA engineer........Developed a resistant infection on his backside
He convinced his doctors to prescribe MAGGOTS.......Insurance wouldn't pay.....$$$.........Medical Maggots......They arrived at home refrigerated in a plastic tub.......the wound was filled and a strong dressing applied to seal the wound............Repeat again and again

They worked incredibly well.........They only ate damaged tissue leaving clean red healthy margins.........Now the FLIES were another matter.........there was NO containing the creepy maggots

 

[INTJohn]

Actually, the proper medical procedure is to kill the medical maggots after about 3-4 days and then apply a new “dose”. Obviously, Not leave them there till they become flies…….

Thats goin’ green and gettin “off grid”.
Sayin……..
INTJohn

 

[CosmickGold]

I see fifteen pages in this thread about the books members of this forum have read. Yet there is not even one mention of the non-fiction book I wrote about my experiences with the magic that exists all around us. I put my book online for free to help others realize magic is real and something they can meaningfully experience just as I have.

I've had a link to it in my signature below from almost the beginning, so I'm feeling both hurt and confused to be so universally ignored. What have I done wrong to cause even ardent book readers here to look the other way?

 

[Morgana]

What have I done wrong to cause even ardent book readers here to look the other way?

You haven't done anything wrong. Book marketing is notoriously difficult. People's choices on what to read are very personal and individual. The last time I let anyone tell me what to read or not read was approximately 1967. A person can be an ardent reader and just not want to read on your topic at this time. ... Once every few months I check on the stats for my book (I think I mentioned it once in the "free ebooks" thread) and get all excited if there's, like, 20 more downloads, and then I have a good laugh at myself. If for every 20 downloads one person actually reads it, I'd be thrilled. (And don't for a minute think that means I care less about it or am less committed to it. That book = 5+ years of my life. I'm still daydreaming about what role I want Forrest Whittaker to play in the movie once Spike Lee finally discovers it.)

Sometimes you just gotta put a thing out there and let it go do its thing.

 

[user 32232]

I like to stop in small towns, many of which have roadside 'lending libraries" where you can exchange your book for another.
I'm primarily a non-fiction reader. Rebecca Solnit's "A Field Guide to Getting Lost," "Wanderlust" and "The Faraway Nearby" are all REALLY enjoyable suggestions for us peripatetics.
Sometimes I have to 'force' myself to read fiction because, well, I enjoy it. Just finished "There, There", the debut novel by Cheyenne and Arapaho author Tommy Orange. Not for everybody, but I dug it.
Currently back to non-fiction with "Chaco Astronomy" by renegade archaeo-astronomer Anna Sofaer, whom I got interested in after last year's stay in Chaco Canyon.

 

[INTJohn]

On Reading............
Its something that everyone when young needs to embrace for the young lack Life's experience and any good book can become a source of both knowledge & inspiration tho to the young reader thereof they lack the experience and when all is said & done - and make no mistake, sooner or later we are all Done! - in Life, then, its the Experience.......... not "A Read".

Should 1 then become a porcupine, having quills with which to take some poison upon ones quills and stab it upon a page of paper - or well in this modern era I suppose it would be more incumbent to be called a "website" - perhaps becoming even the dining room of a spider? porcupines & spiders? Haha

As far as "my book" - haha- well let me refrain from any kind of political commentary- for my topic here in this post is simply on "Reading"...... I cannot honestly confess that any1 who has read any of my writings of substance has not been to some degree profoundly wounded and also many who grasp the meaning of the words have not been also profoundly delighted at least to some extent. In other cases, I'm sure that most persons have difficulty with the metaphorical and sometimes deeply aphoristic form of my writing. Today, in this modern era, people simply do not appreciate such a style and in fact it is certainly not taken seriously if it is generally even understood as a method by the Masses.........enough!

An aphorism, properly molded & sealed has on the surface not been "decoded" or understood as nourishment for the soul at all but rather one must become like a cow, I'm afraid to say, relaxing in a shady spot on a hill perhaps enjoying a pleasant breeze and "ruminate"............

But back to my "thought": Another area of prudence perhaps even of self defense when "reading" is to react to the author as little as possible. Of course I'm referring to the "Student" - For any pupil does a great disservice and pays no compliment at all to The Teacher should The Student forever remain a pupil......... but this is generally the desire for most authors regarding "their readers".

I can only think of sooo many promising young intelligent students who completely lose their ability to Think for themselves- if they don't "read" they don't think! They respond only to the words of some author or speaker - it's simply a reaction. Scholars who simply agree or disagree with some written stimulus of some one else's thoughts - they themselves have completely lost their own ability to think for themselves - if they ever had the ability to begin with!

Their "thoughts" are simply "sparks" like a match struck on a brick wall and many have simply become "read to death" by the time they are 30 or before - and they don't even know they are dead having never even lived! Never discovered their OWN! Thoughts and become themselves; living their own lives - no they are only followers.

Early in the morning, then, I think; when the dawn greets one and all is fresh, strong and embracing a new day, hmmm - to read a book at such a time is simply depraved!

INTJohn

 

[[email protected]]

Nietszche

Thus spoke Zarhustra

 

[barefootrebel]

Getting several days of rain from Ian's passing, so I picked up a handful of books from the Goodwill.
Cruella was a fun, light read. Started A Game of Thrones since I haven't watched the series (don't do TV). And just because the title intrigued me- Bad Girls of the Bible!

 

[D'L]

Very interesting and well written book I am currently reading. A Paradise Built In Hell by Rebecca Solnit. Fascinating, actually. she has extensively researched major disasters throughout history and the response that people have had to them. It is shown in her research that over history that goes back hundreds of years, the vast majority of people have responded to large scale disasters by coming together to help each other in all ways. The percentage of people who have done the opposite and caused problems or stolen from others is extremely small. But people helping each other doesn't make for a big headline so the media (whether word of mouth in the past or newspapers or, these days, TV and the internet) has always focused on stories of people behaving badly. As a result more and more people are afraid that this will be the majority response, but history doesn't show that this is at all true. I have found it an excellent wakeup call to yet another way in which the media (and those who want us to be afraid) have manipulated our thinking on this.

The many different ingenious ways that people have helped each other and gotten through the aftermath of tragedy and disaster are interesting and uplifting to read.

 

[GotSmart]

How about a Steampunk Zombie Western set in the 1870’s California?

Jonathan Fesmire is working on a series. Bodacious Creed.

I might be a little biased because of the connection with the author, and my status as a Beta reader. The third book will be released in December. By searching out the authors page, you can find other short stories both about this steampunk world and other genera stories he has published.

Having just finished reading the 3rd book that goes on sale next month, and getting insider details about the next trilogy I am getting excited

Jonathan Fesmire, Bodacious Creed. Look on Amazon.

 

[GotSmart]

About maggots.

My mother told me a story about when she was young. She sliced her leg open with a rusty ax as a child. This would have been more than 100 years ago. Her mother, fresh from Sicily, had another child bring her some old molding bread. She killed a chicken and sliced it in half. She rinsed the cut and folded the flap of skin back over the knee and leg bones. Packed the bread on it and placed the chicken, guts and all, on top. It was then wrapped tightly and she had to not move for a week. The smell was horrible by the end of the time when it was unwrapped. Not even a scar was visible a month later.

Penicillin and MDT at the same time.

 

[eDJ_]

Without even speaking about politics, for a number of years I've wondered why/how we've wound up in the shape we are in today which has lead so many to become Van Nomads. Was it leadership or something else ? Or perhaps a little of both. But it's influenced the lives of the other 95% of us. .....you know......"Greed is Good".

Well, I found a book that chronicles so much of what's happened since the mid 60's in the USA and the author is more than qualified to have written this book. He walks you thru the past 60+ years and puts the puzzle together to form a more clear picture in this book,

The Man Who Broke Capitalism: How Jack Welch Gutted the Heartland and Crushed the Soul of Corporate America―and How to Undo His Legacy​

By David Gelles

If you've been trying, as I have, for so long to figure how everything has gotten so "F'ed" up and how 1% of the people own 90% of the money while so many others are trying to scrape by on less than $1000 a month while bosses relish the opportunity to say "You're Fired !" and laugh in in your face as if they have given you a gift......read this book which can be sickening at times.

But at least, and at last someone has explained what has happened to us/America in easy to understand language. Anyone living the minimalist lifestyle not so much by their choice should understand what "SIX SIGMA" means to them.

https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Brok...cphy=9015895&hvtargid=pla-1463736366862&psc=1

 

[user 22017]

But at least, and at last someone has explained what has happened to us/America in easy to understand language. Anyone living the minimalist lifestyle not so much by their choice should understand what "SIX SIGMA" means to them.

Had to Google Six Sigma and found it interesting, because that approach to corporate leadership goes back to the early-mid '80's and was hugely popular. I don't recall if it had a name, but it came from a book about how companies in Japan address quality control at the beginning of manufacturing. Whereas in the U.S. companies checked QC at the end of the process. Guessing Welch was influenced by that book, since most in business were aware of it.

Looks like after that book came out, people started making money off Six Sigma training sessions for corporations.

CNN's take on Six Sigma: https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2001/01/22/295545/index.htm

Also, a reviewer pointed out (in the Amazon comments) that the author ignores that our elected officials (from both parties) created the outsourcing.

Did the book mention the effect of the air traffic controllers getting fired?

 

[eDJ_]

Yes that was mentioned too. (but not at great length) The sad state of Boeing's affairs were discussed at length...Aviation wise.....almost as sad as what happened to GM at the hands on "Neutron Jack". But the CEO at Boeing was one of Welch's many protege's. GE became more or less an incubator for a lot of these Ivory Tower ******* under Welch. Before, GE was a place high level high quality exec's were recruited from. The story of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and what happened to the company showcases what this book is about. Many other examples are mentioned too.

The headwaters of this trend seemed to start with Barry Goldwater in 1964.

At one time GM was an incubator for the best of the best CEO candidates. It produced outstanding products with a more engineering oriented attitude. But once Welch got his hands on the lotus of power and became a financial raider without any strategy other than to churn money, buy other good companies and bleed them away from their assets in order to pay high percentage & predictable stock dividends to share holders.....it was game on. In the long run, it became more of a multi million dollar bonus grab for Welch proteges turned CEO at other unfortunate Corporations. (Corporations which had become flagship examples of American Corporate business done right). Then for their abysmal failures at those companies they were rewarded with multi million dollar exit bonuses. This was repeated with alarming frequency.

Welch viewed little people/employees as a "cost" that had to be continuously monitored and cut when & where ever possible and he did it with glee. (his Six Sigma) This trend is happening still today at Amazon and beyond where employees are treated only as production numbers and rated by efficiency, loyalty, and their aggressive orientation toward their work.

Another interesting term that was introduced was "negative externalities". So much of what we have today in the work place is negative externalities. It will probably take decades to recover from this (sweat shop nation) but a population/culture of downtroden people would be a Dictator's dream. The last chapter of the book addresses restoring things to what it was before.

What I'm reviewing is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Morgana]

Read this awhile back but just came across it while packing, remembered how good it was, and thought some people here might enjoy it.
The Republic of Pirates, by Colin Woodard, about the golden age of Caribbean piracy.
There was a lot more to those guys than I realized before I read this book!
And there were some pretty cool girl pirates too.

 

[doublegregg]

Solitary by Albert WoodFox. Over forty years in solitary confinement.

 

[Thomas]

I'm re-reading the KJV Bible. It was translated into English in 1611 so it's written in Shakespearian English (similar to my second favorite book Don Quixote). I finished my first read of it a month ago, cover-to-cover just to acclimate to the dialect. I'm finding my second reading much more enjoyable and insightful. It's life's operating manual. Scary to think that I've lived 60 years without reading the instructions. Life should come with a warning label: Carefully read and follow these instructions. Failure to do so will result in a less fulfilling life, and eternal damnation.

 

[user 22017]

Without even speaking about politics, for a number of years I've wondered why/how we've wound up in the shape we are in today which has lead so many to become Van Nomads. Was it leadership or something else ? Or perhaps a little of both. But it's influenced the lives of the other 95% of us. .....you know......"Greed is Good".

Thought you might like this when I saw the book in my Twitter feed this morning:

https://jacobin.com/2022/10/barry-hines-the-gamekeeper-john-berger-capitalism-nature/

 

[eDJ_]

Interesting that alright

Given it comes from a land that has given us:

Robin Hood, (I think we all know the story here)

The lords protesting against the power of King John in force signing of the Magna Carta

Charles Cunningham Boycott.......(The term "Boycott" was coined after Irish tenants followed Charles Stewart Parnell's suggested code, in the Irish land agitation of 1880 to protest high rents and land evictions against C. C. Boycott. Parnell's injunction of conduct effectively served to ostracize the ruthless British estate manager Charles Cunningham Boycott. The boycott is used most frequently by labor organizations as a tactic to win improved wages and working conditions from management. It can still be effective in conducting adverse climates against ruthless employers and businesses)

How true the following bit of humor.

The old Duke was out walking on one of his moors, when he came on this miner with a gun under his arm. Anyroad, they had a right argy-bargy about private property and trespassing and such like, and in the end the Duke finished up saying, “Do you know my ancestors had to fight for this land, my man?” And the miner said, “Right then, get your coat off and I’ll fight you for it now.”

The Actor, Michal Caine, hosted a movie titled "My Generation" (1950's Britain which was an earlier version of what happened in the USA in the 1960's. It explains much of what has happened in the post WW2 UK and following in the USA since.) The hour & twenty minute long film is quite interesting and covers many of the things that happened in modern music, film, advertising, fashion, cultural revolution, pirate radio ships, actors, designers, artist, writers, and the push back from the "old guard" establishment, Many of the "Posh" (wealthy establishment types) believed as the Duke of the moors, that after WW2 things were going to settle back into the cozy life of earlier times for them. But as Michael Caine explains.....it would be a time for new beginnings......for new people.

"My Generation" full length