The Inspiration Engine Book Review

-  By Douglas Clark

A Universe from Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss

Lawrence M. Krauss is a physicist and university professor with a long distinguished career. Holding a Ph.D. in physics from MIT he currently is the Director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University. He has authored multiple books and been recognized by his peers with awards such as the American association for the Advancement of Science, the Presidential Investigator Award, and the Gravity Research Foundation award, to name a few. http://krauss.faculty.asu.edu/biography/

Brief Description

Lawrence Krauss takes the reader through a detailed view of the universe as we understand it today. By providing concise explanations of how we came to this knowledge and what it means, Krauss beings to expose the nature of the universe to the layman. With a strong foundation and clearly reasoned belief in the Scientific Method, Krauss makes his case that the data we have explaining the universe provides a reasonable and factual model of how it began, evolved and ultimately will end.

 Memorable quotes

“Our universe is so vast that, as I have emphasized, something that is not impossible is virtual guaranteed to occur somewhere within it. Rare events happen all the time. “

"Empty space can have a non-zero energy associated with it, even in the absence of any matter or radiation.”

“At the heart of quantum mechanics is a rule that sometimes governs politicians, or CEOs­ -- as long as no one is watching, anything goes.”

What makes this book Unique or special…

Krauss employs an epigraph at the beginning of each chapter to help focus the reader and put them in a mindset that will frame the discussion.

The inclusion of graphics, charts, and photographs help when some of the data needs a visual representation to clear things up.

Krauss doesn’t dumb down the narrative. His explanations are straightforward and concise, but sometimes you’ll actually have to think to completely grasp his meaning.

As a bonus, Richard Dawkins provides an Afterwords. Admittedly, there’s just a bit of pandering to Krauss on Dawkins part, however, the point is made that Krauss provides his explanations and reasonings by way of scientific fact and empirical data, not faith or revealed knowledge from divinity. Combating theologian derision is something which Dawkins has a bit of experience combating.

Readability

Throughout most of the book, Krauss keeps the scientific jargon to a minimum and explains the analysis of data in a reasonably understandable fashion. There are, however, spots where the conceptual explanations become complicated and demands that the reader fully pay attention. This happens mostly in the latter chapters, such as when he explains how empty space actually contains energy and contributes to the expansion of the universe. Chapters 8 and 9 contain the densest of material so paying attention is critical.

Final Thoughts

Overall, A Universe from Nothing is a pretty good read. Krauss stays on topic and supplies just enough data and history to keep it interesting without bogging down the narrative. It’s very clear Krauss knows what he’s talking about and wants you to understand his meaning. He is earnest in his attempts to impart a bit of scientific knowledge to his readers. If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of how the universe works, read this book.

Thanks for reading.

Questions and comments are welcome. 

DouglasHClark.com

What a Disappointing Turn of Events

By Douglas Clark

About a year ago I applied for a job and had an interview that went great. I related very well to my potential new boss and his team, the work seemed interesting and the prospects of advancing appeared good. Everything looked like a good fit. After leaving the interview, I not only expected a job offer, I knew they would extend one. 

What I didn’t anticipate was the lackluster benefits package they would ultimately offer. Now don’t get me wrong, I didn’t expect a silver platter full of gold. What I got, however, amounted to only about one thousand dollars more than I made at the time, only at the new position I would be doing twice the work. Also, the healthcare and retirement package was almost nonexistent. 

Needless to say, I felt a bit perplexed. It’s a major thing to uproot yourself from a long standing position. One needs at least a bit of enticement to make such a switch. Obviously, I didn’t take the job. It led me to realize though, there’s nothing more deflating and de-motivational than getting socked with the knowledge that all your efforts resulted in something less than favorable or desired.

So how do you handle disappointment? It doesn’t have to be a job offer. It can be a sporting event, a diet goal, a physical challenge, pretty much anything. If you put effort, time, money, and devotion into something and the result falls woefully short of your expectations, what do you do? For me, I just kept trying to find a new position that fit my expectations, skill set, and professional needs. I just kept trying.

Now it’s kind of hard to just keep at something if you continually fail. So in that regard it’s necessary to reexamine your goals, your approach and your reasoning for pursuing that dream in the first place. This is where it gets unpleasant. You see, you might find that the dream and goal you work so hard for will never come to fruition. Certain obstacles might just be too big. That’s a hard pill to swallow. And believe me, I’ve given up on a few things in my life, like being six foot tall, running a mile in less than eight minutes, playing basketball, for example. Now everyone has limitation and difficulties, but the hard part is realizing they might be getting in the way of you achieving that goal you set out for yourself. That hurts.

However, we all have skills and abilities that set us apart from others. Many of these skills and abilities may lay dormant simply because you don’t explore them. Clearing away old and tired, unsuccessful habits can open up possibilities never imagined beforehand.  If you reexamine your goals and approach you might realize something else can take your old pursuit’s place and still provide a meaningful return. 

There will always be sorrow and lingering doubt when/if you stop pursuing a dream. Thoughts like, “If I just gave it a bit more time, I might have made it”, or some such. If you turn that around and say something more positive like, “I’m free to pursue something new and exciting with a real possibility of success now”, you might just find new motivation and energy that you thought you lost, or didn’t know you possessed in the first place.

Remember, every end can be a new beginning.

Thanks for reading.

Questions and comments are welcome.

DouglasHClark.com

Happy Birthday!!!

By Douglas Clark

It's my Birthday today! I hope you all have a great day!

Thanks for reading.

DouglasHClark.com 

Think Big

by Douglas Clark

Have you ever heard anyone say “I want to get second place”, “I’m working toward being mediocre”, or “My dream is to be average”? Probably not in a serious way you haven’t. It reminds me of a Monster.com commercial that’s pretty funny. Nobody consciously decides they want to be just another face in the crowd, not without giving up first. You see the thing is, most people try, experience difficulty, muddle through, and then find a certain amount of equilibrium with their environment, situation and circumstance, but then never really break through and excel beyond the status quo. This is where people become apathetic.

You can’t counteract apathy though. Think of this from a different perspective. I’m sure you’ve heard someone say “Aim High”, heck the Air Force used to use that as a tag line in their TV and radio commercials for years. Or maybe you’ve heard the saying ‘reach for the stars’, or ‘the sky’s the limit’. The common theme here is striving for something just out of reach, pushing yourself to achieve something slightly beyond your abilities or just to experience something new. What’s the point though?

The goal here is Success. Success does take an extraordinary amount of effort though, and it starts with something even more important. Thinking Big. That’s right. Putting your mind and thoughts on the right track, allowing yourself to believe what you dream is possible, and accepting the possibility that you might just be able to make all you want possible is the first step in achieving your dreams. It does not matter how you characterize or quantify success. Reaching your goals, and accomplishing your mission requires being positive. Sometimes I lean toward the negative, pessimistic side of things. When I feel that type of thing seeping into my thought process, I counter it with positive, sometimes grandiose daydreaming and proclamations. They’re designed to refocus my mindset, forcing me to accept the possibility that the great and wonderful things I want to achieve are at least thinkable, let alone possible. That’s why I still believe I’ll be a world famous writer one day.

You’ve got to want it. Thinking that you will be the best, achieve the highest goals, win the most prestigious awards, earn the most money, be the most famous; it all starts with you thinking big. Daring yourself to simply imagine the great possibilities of ‘what if’ is the first step on your journey to greatness. Take that step!

Thanks for reading

Questions and comments are welcome.

DouglasHClark.com

Just a Quick Thought...

SMILE!!!!

Things will be okay.

Thanks for reading.

Douglashclark.com

Be a Boat Rocker

Douglas Clark
-Head writer, The Inspiration Engine

Sometimes, rocking the boat is just the shake up you need to get your life on a different course. Making a transition can totally alter your perception of life. It's a curious thing to realize that after getting so used to something one way, we can become so rigid and unwilling to try any other way. Life in our modern age is built on routine. This routine provides structure and a foundation we can rely on and expand.

However, if we become too complacent or dependent on that routine, we can become my lethargic and apathetic. I've noticed that as much as I love routine and structure, if I don't break it up a bit and deliberately introduce new challenges, I get demotivated. I think the desire to remain surrounded by the known factors in life can be so strong, it overrides the need to explore new things, especially since deviating from the known can result in great failure, personal pain, or professional setbacks.

Sometimes, however, disturbing up the apple cart is exactly what you need. The last time I switched jobs I experienced a serious amount of change. My morning routine, my workouts, break times, commute, and of course my basic job all changed. It scared me. How could I maintain all that I achieved by screwing with the status quo? Well, the status quo what is the exact thing that needed to change.

Doing the same thing over and over can help you accomplish a great deal, but eventually there comes a need to shift gears and try something new. Otherwise you will only get so far and then stall out. Making that change forces you to try something new, but it also exposes you to alternatives that you might not have ever considered otherwise. Don't let complacency fool you into thinking you are being responsible. Challenging yourself to grow is a reasonable course of action. 

For me, my mind began playing with the idea of waking up much earlier, going to bed before 10 p.m. (shocking right?), I even began thinking about how my diet and exercise schedule would change and how it would benefit me. Now I know change is scary, intimidating and hard, but focusing on the improvements it brings is what provides the motivation and encouragement we need to keep growing and improving.

No one ever changed the world by maintaining the status quo, so how can life get any better with the same old same old? Make a change for the better. It will be worth it.

Thanks for reading.

Questions and comments are welcome. 

DouglasHClark.com

What If a Golden Opportunity Knocked?

By Douglas Clark

There is always a golden opportunity coming your way. Whether you recognize it or want to admit it, there can always be a better situation resulting from your actions. The flip side of course is disaster lurks behind every decision, ready to strike like a Viper.

Recognizing the opportunities in front of you is not always easy. Roadblocks like stress, pride, fear, despondency, fatigue, or arrogance get in the way. Truth is, most people probably miss golden opportunities because they feel overwhelmed by the change they would bring. Familiarity with your current situation is comforting. As the cliche says "the devil you know is better than the one you don't", but it is that very complacency that gets in the way of improvement and success. 

I felt stuck in a rut for a long time. I wanted to grow, take on a new career challenge, improve, but for years, (I'm sad to admit), I avoided it. Oh sure, I'd complain, but not really take action to force a change. One day I hit a tipping point and decided I must do something different or that creative, motivating drive inside of me would die. So I got a new job.

Granted, starting a new job is scary. It's also disruptive and uncomfortable. I noticed simple things like my gym and lunch routine were vastly different, but you know what? I needed that. 

I have watched people I know including myself, squander opportunities, repeatedly. It's frustrating because you know if they just seize that opportunity a lot of good things will come their way. And yet they flounder. Remember those roadblocks I mentioned? I think fear is the strongest one. Fear of failure, the unknown, making a mistake, and even fear of success all crowd out the basic truth that without a new course of action the same results or worse will occur.

Thanks Einstein. Don't let fear control you. "Fear is the mind killer". Don't be a slave to it. Use your fear as a catalyst, not an anchor. Let that fear drive you towards success, not cower under the covers. Your adventure and success in life come from slaying the monster that lurks under your bed. That's the story people want to hear and what you need to live. Get to being the hero of your life book. End the chapter of fear and start writing the Chapter of Success.

Yes it can be done. Just seize that golden opportunity!

Thanks for reading.

Questions and Comments are welcome.

DouglasHClark.com

Serenity

by Douglas Clark

Let's try something very simple. 

What do you feel when you see this picture?

To me, I feel warm, calming peace of mind. As I look at this picture, I can hear the subtle rippling of the water as a gentle breeze flows past my face. The soothing warmth of the sun's rays blanket me in a comforting hug as the soft grass tickles. 

I could sit near that pond for hours if I could. 
When you look at this picture, what do you feel?

The original picture was found here. Thank you Robert Finkelstein.

Thanks for reading. 
Questions and comments are welcome.

DouglasHClark.com 

Our Firsts For a Year: Day 32: Meditation Gardens in Encintas

Our Firsts For a Year: Day 32: Meditation Gardens in Encintas



Check out the Meditation Gardens in Encinitas.

Who Are You?

By Douglas Clark

Who are you? The character Kosh on the sci fi television series Babylon Five would ask that of a few of the main characters, especially during times of self-doubt or pending change. We could ask ourselves the same question. Who are we? As individuals, as a society, as a species, we are all in a constant state of flux.

Recently an article was published about the relationship of Neanderthal and Human DNA. A small yet distinctive amount of DNA from Neanderthals is present in many of the humans alive today, despite geographic, social, ethnic, or political ties. Neanderthals are a species of Homo Sapiens that is considered to be an cousin to modern day people. They had similar intelligence, physical make up, abilities and skills. Having died out, they exist now only in our genetic code. But what does that say about us? As a species that wars, fights and hates against itself, we are the sole remnant of a species now vanished from this world.  

My mind swirls with the idea that within us we hold the tiniest bit of an entire race. What were the Neanderthals dreams? What did they long for? What did they imagine when they looked up at the starry night sky? Who did they love and care for? What pains and agonies did they suffer when loved ones died?  It may seem ridiculous to contemplate such things. After all, they were just ‘cavemen’ right? Well, if you really look at it, the Neanderthals were very much like us in many ways. And no matter how you look at it, they were related to us, physically, genetically, and in my mind, intellectually as well. They weren’t exactly human, but so very close our ancestors mated with them and formed families.

So in that regard, they are our kin, on many levels. What would you do if you were the sole holder of a memory of a lost love, a child, family? Would you want to preserve that memory and cherish it? If we are the keepers of every dream, desire, aspiration, and struggle of a lost race, shouldn’t we try harder to celebrate our commonalities, rather than fight because of our differences? The legacy of two human races depends on it. Think about it…

Thanks for reading.

Questions and Comments are welcome. 

DouglasHClark.com

I'm So Thirsty!

by Douglas Clark

I was struck today by the terrible images of Drought that certain parts of the US and the world are suffering with. For some reason, I'm fascinated by dry lakes and desiccation. Strange perhaps, but fascinating all the same. Perhaps you may or may not be aware of the Aural Sea. Well, it's basically gone. It dried up because of human interference with its water supply. Hard to imagine draining an entire sea, but there you have it; man's capacity for destruction. 

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not all gloom and doom here. Human kind is capable of great things, but when I see pictures of docks and boats sitting on a dry and dusty plain, my imagination sparks with ideas. Perhaps it's the incongruent nature of ship and desert, or a dock leading to nothing. But my mind is transported to what it was like while the water was drying up. 

What did the people do who relied on that water? 

How did they cope and deal with the loss of the life they knew?

What caused this to happen? 

These are all thoughts that race through my head. 

See, I'll use those images and the thoughts they provoke to find a story. It may be tragic that the Aural Sea is gone, and drought is destroying countless habitats. But if it sparks your imagination to do something about it, that's at least something positive. There is usually a reason behind the catastrophes and disasters of this world. Sometimes they are caused by nature, sometimes caused by man. It's up to you to find the truth and bring some good to the world because of it. 

Thanks for reading.

Questions and comments are welcome.

DouglasHClark.com