Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 30, 2010

11

THE WORLD AROUND YOU

 MountainViews-News Saturday, October 30, 2010 


Spacecraft To Make Close Flyby On November 4th

“We expect more of the 
unexpected…”

 NASA’s EPOXI mission continues to close 
in on its target, comet Hartley 2, at a rate of 
12.5 kilometers (7.8 miles) per second. On 
Thursday, Nov. 4 at about 7:01 a.m. PDT, the 
spacecraft will make its closest approach to 
the comet at a distance of approximately 434 
miles.

 “Hartley 2 has already put on a great 
show with more than a few surprises for the 
mission’s science team,” said EPOXI principal 
investigator Mike A’Hearn from the University 
of Maryland, College Park. “We expect more 
of the unexpected during encounter.”

 Comet Hartley 2 has been an object 
of considerable interest for backyard 
astronomers in recent weeks. It is currently 
about 11 million miles from Earth, and it 
shows up as a vivid green smudge in a small 
telescope.

 Science observations of comet Hartley 
2 began on Sept. 5. The imaging campaign 
is more than a tantalizing tease of things to 
come. It is providing EPOXI’s science team 
the best extended view of a comet in history 
during its pass through the inner solar system. 
The observations will continue through the 
encounter phase of the mission.

 The hours surrounding comet encounter 
will be especially challenging for the mission 
team as they are commanding a recycled 
spacecraft that was not designed for this 
comet flyby. The spacecraft was designed 
and employed successfully for NASA’s Deep 
Impact encounter of comet Tempel 1 back 
on July 4, 2005. By recycling Deep Impact’s 
already built, tested and in-flight spacecraft, 
the EPOXI mission provided savings on the 
order of 90% that of a hypothetical mission 
with similar goals, starting from the ground 
up.

 “If we were starting from scratch we’d 
probably move some of the spacecraft’s 
components to different locations,” said 
Tim Larson of JPL, project manager for the 
EPOXI mission. “But we’ve developed a 
creative way to work with what we have. This 
spacecraft, and mission team, have logged 3.2 
billion miles over the past five years, and we 
are confident that we have a successful plan in 
place to give Hartley 2 a thorough look-see.”

 The mission’s encounter phase begins 
the evening of Nov. 3, when the spacecraft 
is about 18 hours from the time of 
closest approach to the comet’s nucleus. 
At that time the spacecraft will stop 
transmitting through its large high-gain 
antenna and reorient itself so its two 
visible-light and one infrared imager 
maintain lock on the comet for the next 
24 hours-plus.

 “When the encounter phase begins, 
all images the spacecraft takes will be 
stored aboard its two computers,” said 
Larson. “Soon after we fly past the comet 
at about 7 a.m. local [Pacific] time, we 
will be able to re-orient the spacecraft 
so that we maintain imaging lock on the 
comet nucleus while pointing our big 
high-gain antenna at Earth.”

 At that point, the spacecraft will begin 
beaming down its cache of cometary 
close-ups while continuing to take new 
images. It is expected to take several 
hours for all the images held aboard 
spacecraft memory to be downloaded.

 “We will be waiting,” said A’Hearn. 
“The images at closest approach won’t 
get to Earth until many hours after the actual 
encounter, due to the way we use memory on 
the spacecraft. We will get some early hints 
at how this nucleus differs from that of comet 
Tempel 1 based on five images that will get 
to Earth only about one hour after closest 
approach.”

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


NASA’s EPOXI mission will fly by comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 4, 2010. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

 It is official. The LimeWire 
file-sharing service is dead. 
Visitors to the LimeWire 
website are now being 
greeted with this very 
official-looking opening 
page:

 “This Is An Official Notice That LimeWire Is Under Court-Ordered Injunction To Stop 
Distributing And Supporting Its File-Sharing Software. Downloading Or Sharing Copyrighted 
Content Without Authorization Is Illegal.”

 It’s been ten years since LimeWire was originally released and it looks like all that 
unauthorized file sharing has finally caught up to it. A U.S. District Court Judge ruled 
that LimeWire “intentionally encouraged direct infringement” of copyright and “marketed 
itself to known copyright infringers.” As a result, the judge ordered LimeWire to disable “the 
searching, downloading, uploading, file trading...and/or all functionality” of its venerable 
P2P software. LimeWire has been mired in a four-year legal struggle with the music industry 
and the case has already resulted in the company and its founder being found liable for 
potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Although LimeWire is on the verge 
of vanishing in its current form, the company will continue negotiations with the major 
music companies about a licensing deal to offer music legally for sale with a subscription 
service. With this latest development in the fight against online piracy, LimeWire finds 
itself going the way of Grokster and Napster. Napster did eventually manage to successfully 
navigate the path to becoming a legitimate online music distributor after overcoming its 
legal woes, but the situation facing LimeWire could not have come at a worse time for the 
company. 

 The Music and Movie industries have renewed their efforts at fighting online piracy 
with a zeal that shows that they really mean business. Their latest target appears to be 
the BitTorrent protocol that allows users to download and upload large data files to 
decentralized servers for file-sharing purposes. This model of file-sharing often frustrates 
attempts at defining where the offending content has originated from and is being delivered 
to, thereby keeping attempts at shutting down a central site from ever reaching a successful 
conclusion. When the Movie and Recording industry targeted individual file-shares at 
the individual end-users years back, the strategy turned out to be a PR disaster for the 
companies involved with not much to show for its efforts. In the latest incarnation of their 
anti-piracy efforts, recording companies have enlisted the help of ISP’s in order to identify, 
track and eventually stop the unauthorized sharing of copyrighted content. While they 
haven’t yet gotten to the point where they have the power to accomplish this, if their string 
of victories in the fight against piracy has done anything for them it has shown them that 
the end just may be in sight.

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. 

The End of LimeWire

Q: I am a sales and marketing associate with a high tech firm. I have been with the company for 3 
years and like my job. However, I feel that I am not growing and I do not see any place to advance up 
the ladder or to increase my salary. Do I tell my manager that I am looking for employment outside the 
company and why? How do I look for a job while currently employed and not jeopardize my current 
situation? Puzzled.

Dear Puzzled:

 It’s a balancing act. It can and, of course, has been done. You will have to keep your current work 
situation and job seeking process separate. I would suggest that you discuss your job performance 
and career aspirations with your current Supervisor and try to glean any future positions that would 
meet your needs. I would be hesitant about letting your supervisor and company know that you were 
seeking employment. There are two schools of thought about this. One is that you could be coming 
from a position of strength and that the company might do whatever it takes not to lose you. Another 
is that you could be putting the company on alert that you are ready to leave and they might be looking 
forward to letting you go sooner than you think. 

 I personally would keep the fact that you are looking for employment to yourself. I would suggest you 
do not let anyone at the company know, including your co-workers, possibly even those you consider 
your friends. It is somewhat difficult seeking employment while employed. You will have to be very 
organized and be able to create a scheduling system. When you have made that decision to start seeking 
a new job, go for it with full force and commitment! Because, as soon as you start posting your resume 
on-line, networking, and applying for positions, you are making a statement to the universe that you 
are looking for employment. The inevitable is that your supervisor and company will find out. So, 
be prepared with a great response if they should ask you why you are no longer happy with them and 
seeking new employment. 

 These are the paramount rules for looking for employment while employed: Do not use your 
employer’s computer or telephone system. Do not use your company e-mail address. Maximize your 
break and lunch times to make and return telephone calls or use your personal lap-top computer 
to communicate. Scheduling interview time can be a little tricky. Lunch time is good and you can 
sometimes request a little extra time there. This would be a good time to use your personal, vacation 
and sick time. Frequent time-off activity could become red flags to your current employer. This is 
the right time for you to stay committed to your goal and not to your current employer. Lucky for 
you some employers love to hire people who are currently employed and will totally understand your 
situation and will do whatever it takes to accommodate you in arranging time to meet and interview 
with them. Be prepared to discuss with the employer why you want to leave your current position. 
Keep your energy high, be very positive and let them know the added value you will bring to the table 
to help make them successful. Be very clear about your career and salary aspirations. Remember you 
have a job so you really have nothing lose. This is the appropriate time and situation to praise your 
skills, experience and education. Keep your job search confidential until you have a firm offer letter 
from another employer. 

RICH Johnson

Vote, Vote, Vote!

Rejected Treats

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

 It used to be recommended 
on election day in Chicago 
that you vote early … and 
vote often. It may or may 
not have been a joke because 
Chicago election corruption 
was legendary. My only 
recommendation is that you 
vote. 

 

 Interestingly, voting in 
Australia (and around 30 other countries) is 
compulsory. That simply means you are breaking 
the law if you don’t vote. The fine is $20. However, 
if you don’t respond to government’s request for 
a doctor’s note or other legitimate excuse, (no, 
a note from your mom won’t cut it), the fine 
jumps to $50 plus the cost of tracking you down. 
Sounds like a good idea to me. 

 

 But enough of the stern business at hand. 
Let’s take another lighter side look at the world 
of politicians. I’ll start with a dramatic hard line 
stand taken by the first President Bush:

 

 “I do not like broccoli…I’m President of the 
United States and I’m not going to eat any more 
broccoli.” George H. W. Bush

 

 How about a few campaign slogans and 
bumper stickers from comedian Pat Paulsen:

 

 “If elected, I will win.” 

 “I can’t stand Pat. Paulsen for President.”

 “We’ve upped our standards. Up yours.”

 

 “Politicians are the same all over. They promise 
to build a bridge where there is no river.” 

Nikita Khrushchev

 

 “It’s our fault. We should have given him 
(Ronald Reagan) better parts.” Jack Warner

 

 “Recession is when your neighbor loses his 

job. Depression is when you lose yours. And 
recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.” 

Ronald Reagan (in 1980)

 

 “Folks who don’t know why America is the 
Land of Promise should be here during an 
election campaign.” Milton Berle

 

 “You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t 
make him think.” Milton Berle

 

 “We would all like to vote for the best man but 
he is never a candidate.” Kin Hubbard

 

 “If Governor Fields is right, I am going to stand 
by him because he is right. If he is wrong, I am 
going to stand by him because he is a Democrat.” 
Augustus O. Stanley

 

 “He is going around the country stirring up 
apathy.” William Whitelaw

 

 “I do have certain feelings. My feeling is that 
whoever is in charge, I want him out.” Lewis 
Black

 

 A cornucopia of campaign slogans are regularly 
being generated during high school campaigns. 
Here are a few:

 

 “He’s Not Popular and He’s Not Handsome. 
So He Has Time for Student Government. Vote 
for Rich.”

 “Just Do It. Vote for Rich.”

 “Pardon Me. Can You Spare a Vote? Rich.”

 “Thank Rich It’s Friday.”

 “Victoria’s Real Secret. She Votes for Rich.”

 “Vote for Rich. We’ve All Done Something 
Stupid.”

 “Rich! Like Darth Vader, Only Prettier.”

 Finally, I’ll end with a compelling, deep, 
insightful, probing question. How come, in our 
society, we generally have to choose from just 
2 people in most elections, and yet, we choose 
from 50 for Miss America?

 
With children 
across the country 
sorting through their 
Halloween booty, 
I thought it fitting 
to present you with 
a little candy quiz. 
One of these things is 
not like the other… 
One of these things 
just doesn’t belong. 
Snickers --M&Ms –
Twix --Candy Corn. 
If you guessed the last 
entry, you deserve a 
Snickers! Yes, the first 
three 
are beloved (and abused) by the 
majority of people, while Candy 
Corn, enjoyed by approximately 1% 
of the population according to my 
estimate, falls into to the category 
of Candy Rejects. I, for one, 
belong to this divergent group, and 
partake of other unpopular treats 
such as Tootsie Rolls, licorice, and 
gumdrops.

 Just what determines whether a 
candy is widely loved or not? There 
are some general rules (chocolate 
and nuts are good, coconut not so much). This 
explains why the addictive quality of Reese’s 
Peanut Butter Cups doesn’t necessarily transfer 
over to Reese’s Pieces. It is also the reason folks 
will choose Baby Ruths over Almond Joy, and 
might only settle for Mounds if the only other 
options are Smarties and Lemon Heads. However, 
the public doesn’t always conform to a predictable 
formula. Granted, no empirical research was done 
to support claims, just my casual observation.

 Let’s look at Tootsie Rolls. They try to be 
chocolately (and technically have cocoa), but 
somehow miss the mark. Of course I like them, 
even the weird ones like vanilla and lemon. Three 
Musketeers are also usually picked last. Again, 
there’s the chocolate, but I think the ambiguous 
foam filling turns people off.

 Consider Red Vines. While advertized as 
licorice (part of the rejected group) everyone 
seems to love them! I can’t tell you how many 
meetings I’ve been in where someone has brought 
in a big plastic container of those ropes, passing 
them around as if it were the ultimate sign of unity 
and esprit de corps. Even the folks who forgo 
doughnuts in the break room grab a vine and rip 
off a chunk with the characteristic head yank.

 Speaking of irresistible candies, which are the 
most universally appealing? The first two that come 
to mind are Reese’s Peanut Butter 
Cups and M&M’s. My mom, 
an occasional Weight Watcher, 
often tells of how everyone 
in the room will lustily groan 
whenever anyone mentions those 
pleasurable patties. Confessional 
stories usually ensue. 

 “My daughter needed to bring 
something for her class Halloween 
party, so I bought her some of 
those pumpkin-shaped peanut 
butter cups. Well… I ate the 
whole box… in the parking lot.” 

 M&M’s seem to lend themselves to 
overconsumption purely because of the ease of 
shoveling them by the handful into your mouth. 
The absolute worst temptation is a large open 
container of loose M&M’s, as one of my coworkers 
brought for our staff Halloween party. There was a 
constant stream of people leaving and returning to 
the beckoning bowl like blood circulating through 
an artery. Meanwhile the little ceramic cauldron 
of Candy Corn sat all alone, nearly untouched 
--except by myself.