Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 16, 2010

12

THE WORLD AROUND YOU

 MountainViews-News Saturday, October 16, 2010 


Ghosts of the Future: First Giant Structures of the Universe

 Astronomers using the South Pole Telescope report that they 
have discovered the most massive galaxy cluster yet seen, at a 
distance of 7 billion light-years. The cluster (designated SPT-
CL J0546-5345) weighs in at around 800 trillion Suns, and holds 
hundreds of galaxies.

 “This galaxy cluster wins the heavyweight title. It’s among 
the most massive clusters ever found at this distance,” said Mark 
Brodwin, a Smithsonian astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian 
Center for Astrophysics. Brodwin is first author on the paper 
announcing the discovery, which appeared in the Astrophysical 
Journal.

 Located in the southern constellation Pictor (the Painter), the 
cluster has a redshift of z=1.07. (Redshift measures how light from 
a distant object has been stretched by the universe’s expansion.) 
This puts it at a distance of about 7 billion light-years—meaning 
that we see it as it appeared 7 billion years ago, when the universe 
was half as old as now and our solar system didn’t exist yet. 

 Even at that young age, the cluster was almost as massive as the 
nearby Coma cluster. Since then, it should have grown about four 
times larger. If we could see it as it appears today, it would be one 
of the most massive galaxy clusters in the universe.

 “This cluster is full of ‘old’ galaxies, meaning that it had to come 
together very early in the universe’s history—within the first two 
billion years,” stated Brodwin.

 Galaxy clusters like this can be used to study how dark matter 
and dark energy influenced the growth of cosmic structures. Long 
ago, the universe was smaller and more compact, so gravity had 
a greater influence. As the universe expanded at an accelerating 
rate due to dark energy, it grew more diffuse. Dark energy now 
dominates over the pull of gravity and chokes off the formation of 
new galaxy clusters.

 Brodwin and his colleagues spotted their quarry in the first 200 
square degrees of data collected from the new South Pole Telescope. 
The SPT is currently completing its pioneering millimeter-wave 
survey of a huge swath of sky covering 2,500 square degrees.

 In their search for giant galaxy clusters, the team uses the 
Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect—a small distortion of the cosmic 
microwave background (a pervasive all-sky glow left over from the 
Big Bang). Such distortions are created as background radiation 
passes through a large galaxy cluster.

 Surveying for this effect has significant advantages over other 
search techniques. It works just as well for very distant clusters as for 
nearby clusters, which allows astronomers to find very rare, distant, 
massive clusters. Further, it provides accurate measurements of the 
masses of these clusters, which are crucial to unraveling the nature 
of dark energy.

 Once this distant cluster was found, the team studied it with the 
Infrared Array Camera on the Spitzer Space Telescope to pinpoint 
galaxies within the cluster. Detailed observations of the galaxies’ 
speeds with the Magellan telescopes in Chile proved that the galaxy 
cluster was a heavyweight.

 The South Pole Telescope is an NSF funded project, run by an 
international collaboration involving scientists at over a dozen 
institutions. See http://pole.uchicago.edu for more information.

 You can contact Bob Eklund at: b.eklund@MtnViewsNews.
com.


There’s yet another breaking 
news story about the state of 
Net Neutrality. And, some 
of the big players are yet 
again angling for advantage 
in what looks to be a deal of 
blockbuster proportions for 
all parties involved. 

 The details of the completed 
or un-completed deal will be 
available for public display 
soon enough and this matter 
bears significance in that it 
shows in no uncertain terms exactly how the 
ever-murkier issue of Net Neutrality will be 
decided once and for all. 

 The issue of Net Neutrality suffers from no 
shortage of available information, both public 
and private, attempting to educate consumers 
on the pros and cons of either position. If one 
reads either position long and deep enough one 
would be hard-pressed to decide against the 
arguments being 
made in favor of 
one side over the 
other. 

 What’s also 
becoming clearer 
is that with the 
FCC deciding 
to opt out of 
the process 
of forging a 
sensible plan. 
A plan whereby telecoms, content providers 
and consumers would all benefit from clear 
delineation as to what each was required to 
contribute and what each could expect from 
a Net Neutrality plan. You, We and Us as 
consumers look to be the only parties involved 
that will actually be neutral, as in having no 
effect or input on any decision reached. The 
FCC was the only entity involved that had any 
real obligation at all to look out for the interests 
of the consumers in these transactions. 

 But, as it stands now, Big Business will 
once again be crafting and enforcing the 
policies that will affect access to, and content 
delivered, on what is arguably the most 
important technological innovation in the last 
generation. They will most likely be writing the 
legislation that will pass into law concerning 
this issue and we as taxpayers will eventually 
be subsidizing this private enterprise even 
though it has now pretty much evolved into a 
must-have public utility as more and more of 
our telecommunications are swallowed by (and 
interestingly enough, sprang from) our telecom 
infrastructure in the first place. 

 The reason why this issue matters at all is 
that the freedom of innovation, access and 
content that grew the Internet 
in the first place is now in 
danger of being usurped by 
the biggest players in the 
marketplace. Their reasons 
for their insistence on a new 
state of affairs will probably 
sway an already-compliant 
marketplace into acquiesing 
even further with their new 
demands. We will end up 
paying for and subsidizing an 
Internet that costs more and delivers less.

 Now that the FCC appears to be opting out 
of the game the consumer will have even less 
input into how things eventually turn out. But 
don’t worry. Consumers have long become 
accustomed to accepting less and paying more 
and will make the necessary adjustments yet 
one more time without too much fuss. The real 
shame in the matter is that in this case those 
who do care are too small to do anything about 
it and those who don’t care are too big to have 
to care. George Carlin had a rant about the 
real owners of this country and went on and 
on about how they always end up getting what 
they want. Unfortunately for us, this appears to 
be yet another case of just that.


Ask jai……


Ask jai is a weekly column that will strive to honestly answer your job search 
questions relating to job searching techniques, networking skills, resume 
writing and interviewing. The employment situation is getting better, however, 
it is still a challenge finding were the jobs are located and how to get pass the 
“gate-keepers”. As an Executive Recruiter I was privy to working directly 
with Corporate Recruiters and understanding their process in selecting which 
candidates to interview and hire. I will candidly answer your questions, possibly 
bluntly answering you questions, but I will be totally honest. My objective is to 
help you achieve your employment goal. 

Too BIG to Care

Functional vs Chronological Resume

Q: A friend said that I should write a functional resume instead of a chronological resume because 
I have over 15 year’s professional accounting experience. I am currently seeking a Senior Accountant 
position with an accounting firm. Which style of resume should I use? Malik

Dear Malik:

 If you have extensive years of experience with one company and in the same professional field 
then the functional resume is most likely the right format for you to use. A functional resume is an 
acceptable format to use if you have: gaps in your work history, over 10 years experience with one 
company or are changing careers or industry. A functional resume is not easy to write and I have seen 
numerous versions. This type of resume could also throw up a “red flag” for some employers who 
feel that functional resumes are written to hide job seekers inadequacies. A well-written functional 
resume should highlight only those transferable skills and accomplishments that relate to the new 
position that you are currently seeking. This is an excellent resume format to highlight your areas of 
specialization in accounting. The resume layout should include the following: A dynamic summary 
statement at the top of your resume that will capture the employer’s attention. Next, headings for 
each area of specialization (i.e. finance, auditing, customer service). Each heading should highlight 
your quantitative and qualitative accomplishments. Then chronologically list your work history. 
Only list the company name, location and dates of employment. Include a heading for skills that 
relate to your area of specialty. Add your educational history and other related headings.

 Recruiters and hiring managers receive thousands of resumes daily and take approximately 10 
seconds to review each resume. The functional resume usually requires an employer to spend more 
than 10 seconds to review. Most employers will not take that time. You as a job seeker want to 
ensure that your resume is always reviewed for consideration. Therefore, I strongly suggest that 
you consider writing a chronological formatted resume. This type of resume is currently preferred 
by employers and recruiters and can easily be reviewed by them within 10 seconds. This format is 
great if: you are looking for employment in the same field, you have professionally advanced, your 
skills and work experiences are consistent. The chronological resume can easily be converted by you 
to an electronic resume and uploaded into employer databases. Finally, only you can decide which 
resume format best represents you, your accomplishments and skills. 

Network Neutrality is a principle proposed 
for user access networks participating in the 
Internet that advocates no restrictions by 
Internet Service Providers and governments 
on content, sites, platforms, on the kinds of 
equipment that may be attached, and no 
restrictions on the modes of communication 
allowed.

KATIE Tse ..........This and That

The Eye Of The Beholder

 
I’m so blessed to have such a considerate husband! I’m not 
being sarcastic! In addition to the many ways he daily shows his 
devotion, for our anniversary my hubby bought us memberships 
to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Although 
visiting this venue is an activity we do together, we both know it’s 
more for me than for him.

 On a recent trip we toured the ancient Oceanic artifacts, and 
then made our way over to the modern art section. We found 
ourselves staring at squares of solid colors with titles like “Envy” 
and “Anticipation.” My husband patiently stopped to view piece 
after piece but finally exclaimed (mutedly), “This isn’t art! I could 
do this. Maybe I should buy some paint and canvases. I could 
really do this!” 

 My natural inclination is to try to coax some meaning out of the arrangement. “Look, 
Babe,” I said, pointing 
to a solid green square, 
“This one’s called ‘Hesitant 
Release.’ So, all the other 
squares only have one word 
in their title, but this one 
has two. So you wonder… 
why did he call this release 
hesitant?” “I don’t give 
a %#*! why he called it 
hesitant,” he answered. “It’s 
a green square! What’s 
hesitant about it?”

 Again, I tried to draw 
blood from the radish and 
suggested, “Maybe since 
green means ‘go,’ he’s saying 
that people can’t be hesitant if they want to go somewhere in life?” My husband looked at 
me wearily. “No, Honey, I think it means nothing. That’s the whole point –there is no 
point!”

 Hmph. I declined to retort and silently moved on to the next few items. There was a 
collage of pastel geometric shapes titled “Number 172.” A few paces down we came across 
what appeared to be a blood spatter analysis done in orange and blue. It was deceptively 
titled “Youth seated by orchids.”

 My husband and I continued on in respectful silence, ever cognizant of the fashionable, 
artsy patrons who looked as if they could have been part of the exhibit itself. Finally we 
stopped at three consecutive large panels, blank save for several crude streaks of blue and 
yellow paint. It could have reasonably been named “Practice in Vertical Brush Strokes,” 
but was instead titled, “Croatian Revolutionary Uprising.” My husband and I both stared 
straight ahead for a moment, and then busted out laughing.

 “Yes, Babe,” I said, laughter tearing my eyes, “I’m 100% behind your decision to become 
an artist!”

Taraneh Salke To Speak on Womens’ Health 
Issues in Afghanistan

Recently returned from her 17th trip to Afghanistan, working under the radar of the 
Taliban, International Women’s Health Care advocate Taraneh Salke will bring shocking and 
enlightening true life 
stories and pictures of 
her life in the villages of 
Afghanistan, Iran and 
Sierra Leon (Africa).

Salke is the founder and 
executive director of 
Family Health Alliance 
(FHA), a female-led 
nonprofit, nonpolitical 
organization focused on 
the reproductive health 
and rights of women 
in countries with few, 
if any, resources. Salke 
is a frequent lecturer at 
UCLA and California 
State University at 
Northridge.

Space is limited. A 
Thanksgiving lunch 
will be served – cost 
$20 members, $25 nonmembers. $10 and $15 is tax deductible and will be donated to the 
health organization for medical supplies.

The event is hosted by Arcadia Woman’s Club at 324 S. First Ave. on November 3, 2010 at 
11:00 A.M. For reservations, send Checks to P.O. Box 661675, Arcadia, CA 91066. For more 
information, call Floretta Lauber, (626) 355-6945.


WRITING SERVICES 

 Could you use help in preparing written communications for your business? I have extensive 
experience in writing and editing business documents including brochures, proposals, 
newsletters, resumes, customer success stories, press releases, and articles for newspapers and 
magazines. 

 Current work includes writing the column, “Looking Up with Bob Eklund,” in Mountain Views 
News, and writing newsletters for the Mount Wilson Observatory. I recently published a book, 
First Star I See Tonight: an Exploration of Wonder, and am finishing a second book, Winds 
Aloft. For writing samples and resume, see my web site: www.bobeklund.com. OR beklund@
sprynet.com (310) 216-5947