Music and the Brain by Aniruddh Patel and the Great Courses

I just finished Music and the Brain a Great Courses series of lectures by Aniruddh Patel. He discusses current research on how music affects the brain. He focuses the effects of music on humans and on  interspecies difference in ability to respond and create music.

A significant portion of the lectures covers how music can be used as therapy to help people who are recovering from a stroke improve the quality of their speech. The rhythms of music can also be used to help Parkinson's patients improve their ability to move. He sites controlled studies used to demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques.

No musical knowledge is required to understand the course. After taking the course, I want to spend more time learning to play the piano and dance to music as both of these activities have demonstrated positive benefits.

 

Rhythm and the Brain -18 minutes

Music and the Mind - 52 minutes

Music and Creative Aging - 82 minutes

Neither Here Nor There - Travels in Europe - Bill Bryson

In Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe, Bill Bryson retraces part of his trip to Europe that he took at a young man in the 1970's. He notes changes and things that remained the same. His digressions are both informative and humorous. He describes being stuck in eternal darkness in Northern Scandinavia waiting for the northern lights. He arrives just after a spectacular display and wills himself to stay until he completes his mission to see the lights.

It is interesting that each city has its own character, some were beautiful others run down and depressing. He marvels at the facility of a youthful girl pick pocket but can't find words in an Italian phrase book to describe his predicament. He is told at the police station in perfect English that there was not an English translator available and he would have to come back the next day.

The book reminds me of Mark Twain's book A Tramp Abroad. Bryson doesn't shy away from offering strong critiques about the problems with various European cities. He also celebrates when cities get it right. For those planning a trip to Europe this book would be a useful guide to help develop an itinerary.

Lichtenstein - Bill Bryson gives it the full treatment in one minute

A Renegade History of the United States by Thaddeus Russell

In A Renegade History of the United States, Thaddeus Russel looks at US history by examining the impact of the people at the bottom of society.  It's a gritty history, filled with criminals, prostitutes and people who refuse to buy into the American work ethic of sacrificing freedom to earn money. They desire the freedom to choose live for today and work only when they want.

When the US government interviewed African American slaves many years after the civil war, the interviewers were surprised that a significant number of former slaves looked back fondly on the plantation as their physical needs were taken care of and they did not have to work as hard. Another group of former slaves bought into the American dream of hard work and education learning the benefits of delayed gratification. Many leaders in the community worked hard to convert the former slaves to this mindset with mixed results. This occurred again as Martin Luther King Junior admonished he flock to give up idleness and be productive during time leading up to the Civil Rights Movement.

The author examines three ethnic groups who graduated from the out group to the in group. Irish, Jewish and Italian immigrants arrived in the U. S. later than other Europeans. In the northern cities, each of these ethnic groups ended up in the same housing areas as the African Americans. This proximity facilitated cultural exchanges between these groups. This also explains why many of the black-faced minstrel shows were comprised of members from these three ethnic groups. They observed and borrowed dances and singing from the African American Culture.

Jewish composers Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein composed lyrics and songs such as "Old Man River" that captured the African American experience. They were able to do this because they grew up living in the same neighborhoods and absorbing that culture.

During World War II the military units were segregated and the military had to make a decision about which ethnic group fell into the "white group". The Jewish, Irish and Italians were folded into the white group with some distinction being made between the northern and southern Italians. The darker skinned southern Italians were initially discriminated against and compared unfavorably to African Americans. The same thing occurred when the both the Irish and Jewish immigrants arrived. I was surprised to find out that the people who made these distinctions worked at places like Harvard or Stanford.

The roll of Jazz and Rock-n-Roll in the downfall of East Germany was also explained in detail. The government suppression to these forms of music created more demand for freedom.

This is a disturbing work that reveals the unconventional truth behind history including an extended exploration of the similar policies of government control of society supported by FDR, Mussolini, and Hitler.

Summary of Renegade History - 36 minutes

Extended Documentary on a Renegade History - 101 minutes

Lecture on the Renegade History - 126 minutes

Five Levels of Leadership by John C Maxwell

John C. Maxwell's The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential describes the different leadership traits at each level of leadership. He lists the benefits and the drawbacks of each level of leadership. He also includes a quiz to assess which level of leadership you are currently at. At level 5 leaders are working to develop level four leaders to eventually replace them. At level one a worker has been assigned a leadership role largely based on potential. The person who stays in this person is concerned about personal status and the perks of the position.

I've encountered leaders who were more interested in the perks of the office rather than developing people and listening to their employees. I've had others who were great mentors and helped develop the people under them to become leaders and high performing staff. Leader in this sense does not have to me in a supervisor role but in a role where they impart knowledge and skill to others to improve their value and allow those people to become leaders.

It is important to analyze during a job interview or when assessing a person running for office what level they may be at. One of the management books I read pointed out that when the companies annual report had a large photo of their CEO on the cover that was usually a bad sign. The leader was likely more focused on themselves than on helping other people to become leaders.

5 Levels of Leadership - Toolshero

5 Levels of Leadership animated summary - 5 min.

5 Levels of Leadership - summary 13 min. 

5 Levels of Leadership full video - 53 minutes

Just Listen by Mark Goulston

Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone by Mark Goulston provides information on methods to work through difficult conversational land mines. A failure to adequately mirror a person creates a mirror neuron deficit. As an example: A person works very hard on a project and the person receiving the results says, "Thanks."  A more appropriate specific note of appreciation will recognize the specific work the person has done.

Dealing with a difficult situation steps (paraphrasing):  By naming the emotional state the pre-frontal cortex is engaged and can help the brain work through the problem and extract the problem out of the reptilian brain. The key is pausing to analyze before reacting. This reduces regret caused by unthoughtful responses.  I've been using this on a couple of really difficult situations lately and it has helped me come up with a better solution.

1. Oh Crap!
2. Oh Gosh
3. Oh Geez!
4. Okay.

Mark Goulston talks about Just Listen - 62 min. 

The Science of Natural Healing by Mimi Guarneri MD

Professor Mimi Guarneri M.D., FACC gives a series of 24 lectures on evidenced base changes people can make to improve their health. The first twelve lectures focus on nutrition, food, herbs, and supplements. She provides evidence for her statement that food is information that initiates changes in the body. Eliminating foods that initiate inflammation such as simple sugars reduce problems with many systems in the body, arthritis, gum disease, heart function. Eating high fat foods causes the arteries to be less flexible and explains why people do not feel good after a heavy meal.

She refers to the dirty dozen fruits that have higher levels of pesticide from the Environmental Working Group. She recommends purchasing these organically grown if possible.

Her later lectures cover topics such as turning stress into strength, the power of love, and you are your own best medicine. Under you are you own best medicine: self-healing requires and emotional charged situation, ritual, and hope. The caring relationship between the health care provider and the patient is a powerful factor in the patients prognosis. The administration of a placebo can be an effective treatment in the absence of effective medication. 

You can view her first lecture of the course Shifting the Health Care Paradigm at the Great Courses Plus site.

Natural Approaches to Health and Healing - 88 minutes

The Science of Natural Healing - 2 min.

Learning How to Learn by Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski

Learning How to Learn: How to Succeed in School Without Spending All Your Time Studying; A Guide for Kids and Teens by Barbara Oakley and Terrence Sejnowski builds on the Coursera class Learning How to Learn. This highly accessible book is geared for middle schoolers and teenagers. 

The book design facilitates easy comprehension of the specific recommendations on efficient use of study time. This information would also be readily used by college students, adult learners, teachers, and trainers at all levels of education. The recommendation to exercise and take a break after studying for a maximum of 1.5 hours works well for information retention. I liked the photos of the dendrites and neurons making connections while people sleep. 

Turning information into intelligence - 8 min. 

Learning How to Learn - TED talk - 18 minutes

Learning How to Learn - Talks at Google - 68 minutes

Lighten Up - Survival Skills for People Under Pressure C.W. Metcalf and Roma Felible

C.W. Metcalf attempts to do good by taking care of hospice patients but the patients tell Mr. Metcalf that he needs to fix his own life. In Lighten Up: Survival Skills for People Under Pressure by C. W. Metcalf we are given an opportunity to get to know people in difficult situations often near the end of their life and observe how they develop a disciplined sense of joy in life.

Book chapter title by C.W. Metcalf - photo - N. Carlson

He recommends taking care of yourself with tackling our addictions, good nutrition, exercise, constant learning, and a healthy serving of child-like playfulness. Focus on "curiosity, openness, spontaneity, flexibility, creativity ... and joyfulness."

He lists several techniques to pull yourself out of the blues (not clinical depression where you need professional help). Finding number of small activities that bring you joy. Writing joy list with all of the things that bring you joy. It can be referred to when the blues show up uninvited. He doesn't recommend chasing happiness but putting the effort in to activities that stretch and bring joy. You do not have to win but you do have to play.

Many of his recommendations fall into similar ones made in the book Play by Stuart Brown, MD. The goal is not to win but to keep the game going.  When I play with my dog Yukon, he keeps bringing me objects to toss or to play tug of war. He wants to extend play as long as possible.

Mr. Metcalf recommends doing the facial exercises below designed to induce laughter.

C.W. Metcalf - smile muscles - 2 min. 

C.W. Metcalf - Humor, Altruism and Community - 1 min. 

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson describes the conditions that set in motion the migration of African Americans from the deep south to other parts of the country. Three individuals were followed from their birth to the end of their life. Each one struggled to make it to the north or to the west. In some cases, they attained a measure of success, in others they ended up in dystopian urban landscapes (south side of Chicago) with children that engaged in self destructive behaviors.

The Jim Crow south is described in specific detail. It is amazing, in retrospect, the amount of effort that was put into maintaining second class citizenship for African Americans. Trains heading south had to shift African American passengers to specific cars when entering southern towns from the north. The share cropping culture that replaced slavery also left many people trapped in a spiral of debt with no hope of any future. Law enforcement were often allowed to carry out vigilante justice without fear of prosecution.

Finding lodging for African Americans during road trips was very difficult with hotel owners not daring to rent to non-whites for fear of retribution. This less overt but equally problematic discrimination extended outside of the south. The entrance of a black family into a predominantly white neighborhood often resulted in white flight, harassment, or the destruction of the property. The newly arrived southern migrants were often seen as less culturally sophisticated by earlier arriving established northerners.

I read this book as part of a book club. It helped me get better prospective on the history of this migration and how these experiences may affect those that took part in it. The author provides a very granular view of these people's lives as she even drove one of them to their doctors appointments and attended their funerals. 

The Warmth of Other Suns - 4 min. 

Connecting to Her past Isabella Wilkerson - 3 min. 

Talk on the Warmth of Other Suns - 55 min.

Fireworks, Flowers, Forests, and the Minnesota State Fair by N. G. Carlson

The fourth in a series of mirror image photography books is now complete with shots taken from Minnesota during 2018. The book departs slightly from the format of earlier books with the inclusion of wildflower photos with no mirror imaging. Many of these photos reveal the intimate relationship between flowers and their insect pollinators.

The paperback version of Fireworks, Flowers, Forests, and the Minnesota State Fair: Image Reflections from Minnesota is available from Amazon.  There is also a kindle version of Fireworks, Flowers, Forests, and the Minnesota State Fair: Image Reflections from Minnesota that is best viewed from a portrait orientation.

The early section of the book shows the interiors of the Mall of America and Target Center. Photos from the University of Minnesota and Silverwood Park cover early spring through the fall.

Grumpy tree creature - N. Carlson

Fireworks from both St. Anthony Villagefest and the Minnesota State Fair provide interesting photos of alien creatures, animals, and other images that will spark the imagination.

The video below uses some of the wildflower images from this the book.

Tom Petty - Wildflowers  3 minutes and 13 seconds