Book Reviewed: Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, by Carlo Rovelli

A simplified introduction to physics and reality for a non-cognoscente

Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has condensed physics ideas into this 78 pages book. This work is the result of a series of articles published in an Italian newspaper. Building basic concepts to comprehend the nature of reality has not been simple for theoretical physicists, but the author has spared the narratives for leaner and lucid descriptions in the hopes that these ideas stir up some interest among readers. There is no math and no heavy discussion of relativity or quantum physics. String physics is not included in this discussion. This is certainly a good way to bring modern physics for general readers. This reminds me of Nobel Laureate Richard Feynman’s “Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained.” This book has appeared in many versions and captured the minds of readers in theoretical physics. But Rovelli covers only seven topics that include relativity, quantum physics, particle physics and black holes.

The author is one of the inventors of loop quantum gravity which says that space is not continuous but it is made of grains, significantly smaller than an electron, and they are linked to each other forming a network. Quantum gravity essentially refers to quantum properties of space-time and not the quantum behavior of matter in spacetime. But the author has not discussed loop quantum gravity theory in any depth in this book.

A brief summary of the book is as follows: In quantum physics, you can be at two places at the same time but in relativity or Newtonian physics this is crazy. In quantum physics a conscious observes creates perceived reality, but it is impossible according our common sense. Physicists are also divided about the concept of space and time. Some believe that space is real, and time is an illusion; but others argue that time is real, and space is an illusion. The very fabric of spacetime has been investigated in string/brane physics and loop quantum gravity to determine if space is continuous or it exists in discrete quanta like matter at the quantum level. Rovelli suggests that time is not real and he says that it exists because of thermodynamics. In fact there is no such thing as past or future either in relativity or quantum physics. The physics formulas do not contain the time parameter. Rovelli says that flow of time is a matter of statistics.

One of Einstein’s predictions is that gravity slows down time; hence time dilation occurs for individuals at two different levels of gravity. In the film “Interstellar,” an hour on a planet orbiting a black hole is equivalent to seven years on Earth! Now some physicists argue that gravity produces the physical reality we observe in a quantum physics experiments. Through its effect on time dilation, which effectively produces decoherence of matter, a conscious observer is not needed to collapse a wave function such as in a Schrodinger’s Cat thought experiment. In essence gravitational decoherence is responsible for physical reality and not a conscious observer!

The author muses on human existence and our perception of physical reality. It is a song of god in which matter (energy) behave in spacetime guided by a set of physical laws. According to Isaac Newton, space was the “sensorium of God”, the organ through which He surveyed the creation; it is absolute, unchanging, and infinite. In our current understanding of things, somehow Newtonian physics, relativistic physics, quantum physics and thermodynamics connect with each other to create the nature of reality. But we are further away in comprehending it, and author Rovelli understands this better than many physicists.

Solve Your Virginia Traffic Case: Powerful Facts about DUI, Speeding and Reckless Driving in Virginia , Jonathan P. Fisher

Traffic ticket success: Could you beat a traffic ticket in VA using this book?

I am disappointed with this book. I thought this book will introduce you about Virginia traffic laws and explain the laws in layman terms and help readers to develop a strategy for beating a traffic ticket. But it is not about that, but this is a sales pitch to hire the services of the attorney who wrote this book. It is pretty short, about 42 pages and causes certain amount panic. It repeatedly reminds you that reckless driving or drunk driving is a Class I misdemeanor. Perhaps this could be serious for certain professions like an airline pilot or a physician. But this book does not address other minor traffic-related issues which involves only fines.

If you are faced with simple traffic ticket, do a Google search and you will come across plenty of websites and blogs that offer you assistance in developing a strategy for your defense. Follow the basic rules and use common sense approach. Take pictures where the traffic ticket was issued. Note the time, traffic situation, etc. If you had a passenger in the car, you could use that person as a witness. Go to your local traffic court one or two weeks earlier and sit down for few hours and observe the proceedings. You will learn how the traffic court operates. I have found traffic courts to be very friendly; judges are courteous and easy to communicate with. It is not a stressful experience. Do your homework and get all exhibits in order and present your facts. Be relaxed. That should do you plenty good. I have beaten every traffic ticket with common sense approach. Good luck!

Movie Reviewed: He Who Gets Slapped, starring Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer and John Gilbert

This is the first movie entirely prepared and produced by MGM Studios

This is the first movie entirely prepared and produced by MGM Studios. This is the story of scientist (Lon Chaney) who started a new life as a circus clown after his wife runs away with his patron-friend. Incidentally his friend also steals his discoveries and takes credit at the academic council. After Chaney joins the circus, he falls in love with a female performer (Norma Shearer). But the daredevil horseback rider of the circus, played by John Gilbert also falls in love with the same girl. Unfortunately, the father of Norma Shearer wants her to marry a wealthy baron, but she rejects the baron and declares love for Gilbert. Strange circumstances make the baron and the father of Norma Shearer killed by a lion.

The story is based on a Russian play staged on Broadway few years earlier by the Theater Guild. It was a risky choice for the studio’s debut since the story shows the killing of two human beings by a lion. However the film was highly profitable for MGM Studios in the freshman year, and it was critically hailed upon release. It was also the first film to feature Leo the Lion as the mascot MGM.

The studio boss Louis Mayer and Irving Thalberg, after careful consideration, assigned three major actors for this project; John Gilbert, Norma Shearer and Lon Chaney and assigned Swedish director Victor Seastrom to direct this film. Their strategy paid off and MGM went on to become one of the greatest studios in Hollywood.

Movie Reviewed: Sweet Adeline, starring Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne takes a crack at Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein songs

I am a big fan of Irene Dunne, but this is a lack luster movie. The highlight of the story is that Irene Dunne takes a crack at some glorious Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II songs. The movie is set in the gay 1890s in Hoboken, N.J. Dunne plays the daughter of a tavern owner, and Donald Woods plays a song writer with whom Irene Dunne gets romantically involved. In supporting role are Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks and Louis Calhern. Bobby Connolly wrote the dance numbers and Melvyn LeRoy directed this movie. The songs of this film are; Here am I, Why I was born, Don’t ever leave me, ‘Twas not so long ago, We were so very young, and Out of the blue. This movie a very thin vehicle for highly talented actress like Irene Dunne, but the songs of Kern-Hammerstein keep the movie rolling.

Movie Reviewed: Sweet Adeline, starring Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne takes a crack at Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein songs

I am a big fan of Irene Dunne, but this is a lack luster movie. The highlight of the story is that Irene Dunne takes a crack at some glorious Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II songs. The movie is set in the gay 1890s in Hoboken, N.J. Dunne plays the daughter of a tavern owner, and Donald Woods plays a song writer with whom Irene Dunne gets romantically involved. In supporting role are Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks and Louis Calhern. Bobby Connolly wrote the dance numbers and Melvyn LeRoy directed this movie. The songs of this film are; Here am I, Why I was born, Don’t ever leave me, ‘Twas not so long ago, We were so very young, and Out of the blue. This movie a very thin vehicle for highly talented actress like Irene Dunne, but the songs of Kern-Hammerstein keep the movie rolling.

Book Reviewed: Celebrities in the 1930 Census: Household Data of 2,265 U.S. Actors, Musicians, Scientists, Athletes, Writers, Politicians and Other Public Figures, by Allan R. Ellenberger

Interesting features of the 1930 Census

This book documents the census data of about 2,200 celebrities as of April 1930. The data pertains to home address, the list of family members, age, rent or amount of purchase and if they owned a radio. The book also has information about the servants in the family. The author focusses on the personalities of entertainment industry. Others included are; sports personalities, politicians, religious leaders and other major figures during the depression era. Some individuals could not be found in census, they were gangsters, mobsters, vaudevillians, and some politicians.

I was mainly interested in the address and family information of well-known Hollywood and stage actors of 1920s, but it turns out that many of them were young and lived with their parents; hence their names appear with the census information of their parents. Some actors avoided being in the census perhaps because they did not want their age listed. Examples include, Lillian and Dorothy Gish, Billie Burke, Greta Garbo and a few others. There are some interesting information; Director Frank Capra, an Italian citizen lived at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in California; actor John Gilbert lived in Beverly Hills with his actress wife Ina Claire; Actress Doris Day’s info resides with her parents’ home in Cincinnati, OH; actress Colleen Moore’s house on St Pierre Road in Bel Air was owned at $340,000, a staggering amount for 1930; and actress Alla Nazimova lived at Hotel Buckingham on 57 Street in Manhattan.

The U.S. Congress violated the constitution under Section 3 and Article 1 in 1920s. They were supposed to use 1920 census data to distribute the congressional seats for each state but they had used the 1850 census data. With significant increase in population, the new apportionment to congress was conducted on 1930 data and it yielded interesting results. The house delegation of 11 states increased by 27; and 21 states lost about 21 representatives. CA and MI were the big winners, but MO lost three seats.

This book is of no value to a modern day enthusiast of celebrities, but useful for someone interested in history and the beginnings of Hollywood.

Book Reviewed, India: The ancient past - A history of the Indian sub-continent from c. 7000 B.C. to 1200 A.D., by Burjor Avari

The history of ancient India

Ancient India evolved in many stages, and in this book the author discusses the very early stages from 7000 B.C. to 1200 A.D that includes the earliest known human settlements in the Northwest frontier. An examination of their society, the development of early Indo-European language and a proto-Vedic culture that grew into modern Hinduism is a fascinating story of human evolution. The book discusses social, political, and religious activities during various periods in India in separate chapters for a more focused discussion. This book also documents very recent discoveries about the origin of ancient Sanskrit, the Vedic Aryans and the beginnings of the earliest writings of the sacred scriptures of Rigveda in the cradles of Indus Valley Civilization. It is fascinating to read some of the proudest moments in the history due to its success in the development of religious, spiritual and metaphysical ideas. There was also a tremendous contribution in the area of business and economics, international trade, arts, sciences, mathematics, astronomy, and literature. In ancient world, most religions, like Vedic Brahmanism were polytheistic with the exception of Buddhism and Jainism.

A brief summary of this book is as follows: The first section is devoted to the discussion of the history of Vedic Aryans and evolution of ancient Sanskrit and revelation of Rigveda to sages and rishis. In recent years, multidisciplinary studies in archeology, anthropology, genetics, classical philology and linguistics have shed much light into the origins of Indo-Europeans and the parent Indo-European language from two distinct groups of people; the hunter-gatherers, and the farmers/pastoralists. In the beginning, the ancient populations in Europe and Asia were divided into individual archaeological cultures with distinctive types of pottery and cultural practices associated with burials and settlements. With the advent of genetics and genome sequencing, the different groups could be reconciled with genome data that explains the origin and migrations of ancient people in Eurasia. This in turn also explain the source of the parent Indo-European language that resulted in diverse languages in Europe and Asia that includes English, Spanish, Italian, French, Greek, Russian, Hindi, Persian, etc. The similarities among these languages are based on shared features of vocabulary and grammar. Genome sequencing of ancient human skeletons from Europe and Asia have revealed population genealogy of original hunter-gatherers, and the first farmers who appeared around 8,000 years ago. The farmers increased their dominance over hunter-gatherers until the early Bronze Age at about 3,500 B.C. Farmers throughout much of Europe had more hunter-gatherer ancestry than their predecessors. But the Russian/Ukrainian grasslands north of the Black Sea, the Yamnaya steppe herders, descended not only from the preceding eastern European hunter-gatherers, but also from a population of Near Eastern ancestry. Western and Eastern Europe came into contact at about 4,500 B.C. The first Indo-European languages started to spread around this time. Yamnaya were the first to introduce Indo-European language to Europe and Asia, the size of the genetic input suggests that it brought at least major parts. This is called “Steppe hypothesis", which proposes that early Indo-European speakers were farmers on the grasslands north of the Black and Caspian Seas. The Indo-European languages spoken in Iran and India had probably already diverged from the Yamnaya herder society, perhaps few centuries earlier, before they blazed a trail into Europe from the north of Black and Caspian Seas.

Ancient people were ritualistic and performed animal sacrifices to ward off evil and to please various gods. Pre Jewish Canaanite religion was very much connected to Vedic traditions. They were polytheistic, and most of them were nature gods with cyclical view of time. Similar beliefs also existed in the Egyptian religion, the Roman religion, Greek and Babylonian religions. Many of these gods had very similar names and their functions were similar to those of Rig Vedic gods. Zoroastrianism born in Persia had many cultural practices that were in common with Vedic traditions. Strong linguistic and cultural similarities between the Zoroastrianism texts of the Avesta and f the Vedas reflect the common beliefs of Proto-Indo-Iranian cultures before they were separated and Vedic Aryans moved east to India where Rig-Veda was known to have been revealed to sages and rishis by gods. Common religious practices among ancient religions are supported by archeological digs. A 6,000-year-old temple with sacrificial altars and humanlike figurines were discovered in a prehistoric settlement in Ukraine near modern-day Nebelivka. This settlement is almost twice the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. with more than 1,200 buildings and 50 streets. The migration of the pastoralists from these lands spread the proto-Indo European language. They also carried skills of farming and herding and the cultural practices such as fire rituals to connect with nature gods to distant lands.

There is a general consensus among archeologists that the mature Harappan period (known as Indus Valley Civilization) lasted from about 2600 B.C. to 1900 B.C. The period 4500 to 3500 B.C is an age of transition; and 3500 to 2600 B.C is regarded as early Harappan period. The Vedic – Hindu culture began around 2000 B.C and spanned for about 1500 years unhindered, but then Buddhist and Jain teachings came to dominate the Indian society. Buddhism offered a serious challenge to the Vedic-Brahmanic culture until Adi Shankara appeared (788 - 820 A.D.) to reform and revive Hinduism from possible extinction. In spite of religious and cultural tensions between various indigenous belief systems that sprang on Indian soil, the classical civilization grew unimpeded. Much of this was as a result of the partnership of Vedic-Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, the dissenters and atheists. In fact there were plenty of atheists in Vedic India. Dissent and atheism helped intellectual progress in a purely academic fashion that helped to strengthen various schools of Indian philosophy.

A decline around 1900 B.C. in the dynamics of Harappan economic system ended the civilization, and after 1700 B.C little remained of this culture. Until recently it was believed that invading Aryans destroyed the Indus culture but scholars now consider a combination of natural and socioeconomic factors led to the decline of Indus cities. This conclusion is based on geological and archeological studies. Rivers shifting the course and severe draught may have resulted in total collapse of the agriculture and affected the livelihood that depended on it.

The earliest hymns of Rig-Veda were written in 1700 B.C and it was orally transmitted with extreme fidelity. The caste system helped in this practice since the upper caste Brahmins passed on it on to their children. It was written down after 500 B.C. The sixth century B.C was a period that was watershed in the history of speculative ideas. By then the Vedic society had become highly stratified and gross inequality pervading its structure. There was a sense of injustice and dissent among ordinary populace. The emergence of Buddhism and Jainism is what was necessary to combat the growing power and authority of the priestly population. Both these religions rooted in renunciation of the worldly pleasures and wealth, was trying to bring justice and social equality among sudras and vaisya population of Vedic caste hierarchy.

Three major dynasties guided the capital city of Magadha between the middle of the sixth century B.C when the empire of Mauryas was proclaimed from Pataliputra. Bimbisara and Ajatasatru were the first two kings. The most notable Maurya was Emperor Asoka who reigned from Afghanistan to parts of South India and sent ambassadors and Buddhist missionaries to China, Japan and the Middle East. This is one of the proudest moments in the history of ancient India.

With the fall of Mauryan Empire was accompanied by the loss of pan-Indian authority exercised from Pataliputra to Magadha. A number of competing power centers in different regions of India came into existence. The political diffusion in the post Mauryan period and the emergence of monarchies with foreign roots is interesting since historians have a huge scale of available evidence. From Royal inscriptions, the shastras, the secular literature, Buddhist religious and secular texts and the Tamil anthologies, foreign literary sources from China, Syria, Greece, Persia and Egypt gives credence to the political and commercial setting of this period. From about 200 B.C. the transition from proto-historical to historical period is clearly evident. Kushans maintained a powerful dominion over North India until at least up to 250 A.D. and their trans-Asian empire, from Aral Sea to Kashi, Eastern Iran, Afghanistan and North Western part of India, was great expanse of land and the great conduits for India’s international trade.

The beginnings of India’s international trade began as early as 2500 B.C when Harappan civilization traded with Romans, Greece, Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf. This trade relationship continued through the Mauryan period and grew rapidly in its sophistication with sound commercial infrastructure. The book shows diagrammatic sketches of the international trade that went as far as Rome to the West and as far as Indonesia to the East, and China to the north. These are some of the proudest moments in Indian business and economics. Indian merchants and Buddhist missionaries also forged a powerful alliance of interests. Buddhism became a strong influence in China and Japan. The Silk Road traded silk between China and Rome though India.

During the post-Mauryan period, in several kingdoms, Vedic Brahmanism was brought back but with some reforms in its teachings. This led to the beginning of two forms of modern Hinduism in the form of Vaishnavism and Saivism. They centered around three concepts; the supreme deity is either Vishnu or Siva and the salvation is through Lord Vishnu and Siva respectively. This is said to be achieved by the intense devotion (bhakti) of the godhead. The two traditions did not break away from Vedic Brahmanism but rejected some practices such as animal sacrifices and expressed more tolerance to lower castes.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient history, Indus Valley Civilization, the beginnings of Indo-European language and evolution of modern Hinduism. It is fascinating to read about the vast period the author focuses in his discussion with significant details. You will come across some of the proudest moments in the history of India.

Book Reviewed: The Worst of Times: How Life on Earth Survived Eighty Million Years of Extinctions, by Paul B. Wignall

Life on collision course with forces of nature

About 251 million years ago, life on planet earth was almost extinct. Most species were lost in a catastrophic event along with the loss of habitats for of most land and marine creatures. It took almost 100 million years for life to return to pre-existing level, and the biodiversity returned in the form of diverse marine creatures, insects, dinosaurs, mammals and plants. In this process, animals and plants took various shapes, sizes and habitats. In this book, University of Leeds professor, Paul Wignall examines the environment of Pangea when the planet was fused into one single super continent. Atmospheric and geological conditions were vastly different with few coastline habitats, limited rainfall, and the deeper part of the land uninhabitable. Huge volcanic eruptions resulted in catastrophic events that filled the atmosphere with carbon dioxide and covered the land with lava. Changes in atmospheric temperatures, acidification of the ocean and depletion of life-supporting oxygen made the planet very hostile for life. Eventually a slow and steady separation of the single land mass into five continents changed the planet’s atmosphere and created diverse environment. Species evolved in the reformed planet with a tremendous increase in diversity.

Recent studies have suggested that the asteroid that hit Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago also intensified volcanic eruptions in the Deccan Plateau of India. Volcanic eruptions became twice as intense, throwing out a deadly cocktail of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. The shockwaves produced at this time shook up earth and its volcanic “plumbing systems” around the world, creating larger magma chambers that spewed out more material. This “combined effect” is now believed to be responsible for wiping out dinosaurs.

Sir Charles Lyell was the first geologist to propose, in the first half of the nineteenth century, that earth was formed after cataclysmic events on giant scale in the distant past. He observed that the earth was shaped by slow-moving forces still in operation today, but acting over for a very long period of time. This idea still holds good and it was quite bold for his time when it was believed in the idea of abrupt planetary changes that conforms to beliefs of the Book of Genesis.

While geological and paleontological studies have been helpful to understand the formation of a habitable planet such as earth, we are still a long way to account for all factors that shaped our world. This is especially critical when NASA is investigating life on exoplanets with vigor and enthusiasm. Professor Wignall’s seminal work in this area is fascinating and should encourage readers to get interested in this field and learn more about the ancient history of our planet.

Book Reviewed: Butterflies by Ron Ornstein

The illustrated world encyclopedia of Butterflies

This book is full of magnificent images of butterflies and caterpillars in color, and the text is scholarly and very educational for both school children and also adults. The photographs offer a close-up view of these remarkable creatures adored for their beauty and variety. The authors explain the latest scientific discoveries on a variety of topics that include the impact of the global warming on their population; widespread use of insecticides and pesticides on butterfly and caterpillar habitat; annual migration; the evolution of beautiful patterns of butterfly wings; why male and not female suck mineral from the soil; biological features that help them navigate across continents; and how to care for the butterfly population around the globe. While stressing the biological importance, we also learn some fascinating features about them; they have eyes that can look in all directions; taste with their feet, and can migrate as much as 3,000 miles every year.

This book is discussed in several chapters and one chapter is devoted each of the six families of butterflies; the swallowtails, skippers, whites and yellows, metal-marks, brush-footed butterflies, and gossamer-winged butterflies. Other chapters deal with anatomy and biology of butterfly wings, their life history, their food, the habitats of butterflies, and the ecology of moths. The book is not technical but is written for all readers interested in the biology and ecology of butterflies.

Book Reviewed: A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties, by Ben Carson and Candy Carson

The Republican Presidential Candidate Ben Carson expounds on the US Constitution

In this book entitled, "A More Perfect Union" The Republican Presidential Candidate Ben Carson expounds on the US Constitution. This is an inspiring book to understand and defend our Constitution. Written in plain and easy to understand English, the presidential candidate explains the basic teachings of the American Constitution and what it stands for, and how they inspired the founding fathers. He elaborates on the freedom guaranteed to us, and how we can protect and defend our rights, and the American way of living. He explains the current events and controversial issues facing the nation. He stresses that it is important for Americans to defend the Bill of Rights, which guarantees our freedom to speech, right to bear arms, practice our religion, and much more.

Carson is one of the few candidates who understands the dangers of Islam and explains how it is incompatible with the Constitution that upholds a democratic society. The teachings of Islam contrasts the very principles that upholds the Western civilization.

Ben Carson is a 2016 Republican Party candidate for President of the United States and a retired Johns Hopkins Medical School Neurosurgeon. After delivering a widely publicized speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast meeting, he became a popular conservative figure in political media for his views on social and political issues. A More Perfect Union" is one of at least seven books from Ben Carson that have become bestsellers. Strongly recommended to all conservative readers who like to uphold the constitution and the supporters of Ben Carson

Movie Reviewed: No time for comedy (1940), starring Jimmy Stewart and Rosalind Russell

Jimmy Stewart and Rosalind Russell play as married couple in this delightful comedy

Jimmy Stewart plays a sort of Neil Simon type playwright with Rosalind Russell as his wife, comes to a conclusion that his comedies are too lightweight. He changes his direction and starts writing serious plays which also turns out to be boring. The film was directed by William Keighley and good performances of Jimmy Stewart, Rosalind Russell, Genevieve Tobin and Charles Ruggles turned this into a delightful film to watch.

Movie Reviewed: Finishing School (1934), starring Frances Dee and Ginger Rogers

Life at the Crockett Hall

In this film, Frances Dee and Ginger Rogers play two roommates at the Crockett Hall, an institution for the daughters of social elite. Frances Dee, playing the leading role, learns that the life at the college is not as fun as she thought it would be. After being frustrated she contemplates suicide when a poor boy, Bruce Cabot rattles up in his shabby Ford and takes her away from all the phonies.

Except for the fine performance of Ginger Rogers as Dee’s roommate and perhaps Billie Burke as the selfish mother of Frances Dee, the movie has many rough spots. Wanda Tuchok, a writer, and George Nicholls, a film editor, collaborated on directing this project and their inexperience showed throughout the film.

RKO Studios borrowed Billie Burke from MGM for this 1934 film. The film also casted 16 year old Dawn O’Day, soon to be named as Anne Shirley, had the supporting role in Anne of Green Gables, also released in 1934, which received rave reviews from movie critics.