Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 21, 2011

13

THE WORLD AROUND US

 Mountain Views News Saturday, May 21, 2011 


Herschel Space Observatory Lives Up to the Family Name

ASTRONOMY is about scientific discoveries, 
and every week our scientists bring us new and 
richer views of the Universe around us. But 
astronomy is also about history, and about people. 
The name “Herschel” provides a good example.

The Herschel Space Observatory has been 
observing the sky at infra-red wavelengths since 
shortly after its launch two years ago, on May 14, 
2009. But its name has a much longer legacy. 

The orbiting observatory is named after Sir 
William Herschel, a self-taught astronomer who 
discovered the planet Uranus as well as infra-
red light, around two hundred years ago. The 
Herschel family was an incredibly astronomical 
one, with William, his sister, Caroline, and his son, 
John, all playing important roles in the history of 
astronomy.

Born “Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel” in Germany 
in 1738, William moved to England at the age 
of 19, and - after many years spent earning a 
scanty living as a music teacher and learning 
astronomy and telescope-making in his spare 
time - became one of the leading astronomers of 
his time. He is best known for his discovery of the 
planet Uranus. Working from his home in Bath, 
England, in 1781 (the same year that the British 
army surrendered to the Americans at Yorktown, 
ending the Revolutionary War), Herschel found 
the new planet using a telescope he made himself. 
He gained favor from King George III by trying to 
name the new planet “George’s Star,” though the 
name didn’t stick. The king evidently appreciated 
the flattery, though, because he appointed William 
“The King’s Astronomer” in 1782—a position that 
included a substantial annual income.

No longer needing to support himself with 
music lessons, Herschel was now able to devote 
full time to science, and in the year 1800 he also 
discovered infrared light, which has wavelengths 
longer than visible light that we can see. 

Today, the Herschel Space Observatory is 
making use of the planet Uranus and observing 
it in infra-red light. The extensive study of our 
Sun’s seventh planet means that it is very well 
understood. Using a combined imaging infra-red 
spectrometer and imaging photometer (camera), 
the spaccraft regularly observes Uranus so that 
astronomers can calibrate other measurements 
against this planet’s well-known brightness.

Professor Bruce Swinyard of University College 
London a member of the observing team, 
explains: “Uranus was one of the first objects 
we observed, being imaged shortly after the lid 
over the instruments was opened. One of the 
reasons Uranus is particularly useful is that its 
spectrum is very smooth and well understood at 
our wavelengths, making it an ideal standard to 
compare other measurements to.”

The story doesn’t end with William. His sister, 
Caroline Herschel, worked closely with him for 
many years, becoming one of the first female 
astronomers. She made many discoveries of her 
own - especially of a number of comets that bear 
her name. And comets, it turns out, are also a 
major target for the Herschel Space Observatory.

A case in point: In 2009, as NASA’s Deep Impact 
spacecraft was flying past Comet Hartley 2, the 
newly launched Herschel orbiter observed this 
comet in far-infra-red wavelengths. Measuring 
the chemical properties of the water ice which 
makes up much of the comet, the Herschel team 
found it to be very similar to that of Earth’s oceans. 
This supports the theory that much of the water in 
the Earth’s oceans was delivered by comet impacts 
billions of years ago in the violent, early stages of 
our Solar System’s history.

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


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 your 
questions, but I will be totally honest. My objective is to help you achieve your employment goal.

HIDING THE TRUTH 

What are the right steps to take when I see a position posted on the internet that I would really like to do but I do 
not meet all the requirements? I Want That Job

Dear, I Want That Job

Ask yourself if this a great position that I would like to do or is this a great position that I really can do. “Can do” 
are the operative words. Many job seekers make emotional decisions when seeking employment rather than logical 
decisions as to which positions they really do have the skill sets, education or experience when submitting their resume 
or application. Employers base their candidate selections on logic. Their logic is to find and hire a person who 
meets all of their requirements and qualifications. I advise you to review the job description line by line and check off 
every line that you actually have the experience, skills and education that match the job description. If you check off 
over 80% of the line items then I would say that you might have a good chance of being contacted by the employer for 
an interview. But keep in mind the employer is really looking for a 100% match. However, nothing is impossible or 
set in concrete. Let’s say you only checked off 50% or less of the job description line items and you still want to apply 
for the position, then go for it! These are some steps that you could take if you really feel passionate about pursuing a 
position that you do not meet the employers’ entire requirements. (1) Write a dynamite cover letter that will highlight 
your skills and experience that you feel will add value to their organization. (2) Telephone the organization and ask to 
speak to the hiring manger for that position or the Human Resource Department. Be prepared to be really aggressive 
in telling them why you feel that you are the right fit for the position. (3) Expand your network of contacts and find 
someone who works for the organization and ask them for a referral. It takes a considerable amount of time to find 
employment that will match with your interest, experience, skills and education. I highly recommend that you spend 
your job searching time effectively seeking and applying for positions that you meet all of the employer’s requirements 
and qualifications. 

What are the best ways to prepare for an interview? Marsha

Dear, Marsha

Employers only contact people who they feel are they right match for their position. Anyone who gets scheduled 
for interview is already approximately 50% in the door. However, this is where a lot of job seekers blow it. Prepare 
for an interview by getting to “know thy self”. Review your resume and develop talking points that relate to your accomplishments 
and work experience. Work on your listening skills so that you answer only the questions that the 
interviewer is asking. Research, research, research. Find out all about the company, the product or services they 
provide. Relax, focus and be very positive. 

It’s long been a rule of sorts in public relations that it is not the crime that gets you 
so much as it is the cover-up and no matter how many times we see this particular 
dynamic played out in politics and pop culture, the one thing we can be sure of is 
that we will continue to see it happen again and again. Without getting into too 
much detail about certain events surrounding a certain public personality, when 
the cover-ups are finally made public, and they really do have an annoying way of 
becoming public knowledge, although there may be plenty of surprise at the first 
revelations but further study over time often reveals very little that can truly be 
called surprising. The thing that most often turns out to be surprising is the almost 
irrational insistence on the part of human actors that somehow they will escape the 
consequences that typically happen to others in similar situations. When we shift 
our focus from the worlds of pop culture and politics and into the technical sphere 
we find the exact same dynamic of goof-up and cover-up as we do elsewhere in 
public life. 

Hardly a few months go by in the tech world before we find out the details of 
the latest breakdown that someone decided to try and sweep under the rug before 
it emerged for the entire world to see. Most recently the Sony Corporation had its 
PlayStation network hacked and the financial information of millions of customers 
was stolen. The breach caused the network to be offline for nearly a month and the 
PSN has yet to fully recover as of this writing. It remains to be seen if Sony could’ve 
done anything to prevent the initial intrusion as sometimes even the best defense is 
practically none at all against an attack of sufficient sophistication. At this point Sony 
appears to be an innocent victim of a malicious, unprovoked attack. The trouble 
came when Sony tried to keep the extent of the breach from their customers while 
they worked to repair the damage. Their efforts to keep the very worst details of the 
breach from getting out almost seemed to work against them as their worst fears 
were eventually realized; this was turning out to be a public relations nightmare of 
the worst kind. 

The only thing that might keep the company’s online division from complete ruin 
is the sheer size and reputation of the company name. It may be precisely the size 
and reputation of Sony that led its executives to believe that could keep things under 
wraps in the first place. Sometimes individuals or companies believe that the can 
control events surrounding them in ways that “mere mortals” simply can’t and this 
often puts them in a position of having to cover up things in the first place. Once 
again it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Everything you ever wanted to know about how to get a job ….but did not know who to ask. ASK jai. Send your 
questions to: jai@resumeandcareerservices.com or visit website www.resumeandcareerservicesc.

I used to love traveling. Venturing into new areas 
unknown to me and lesser traveled by other humans, 
renews the spirit and clears the mind. Back in the day, 
a leisurely day outing to an off-the-beaten-trail location 
was a given for how I would spend my weekends. In more 
recent years, I find myself less apt to venture, not due to a 
lack of wander lust, but because I don’t relish the thought 
of leaving my beloved bloodhound behind for any period 
of time while I am away. Until recently, I have always 
assumed that Tatertotts would not be allowed at most of 
the places where I wished to go. 

The fact is, the historically typical “no-dogs allowed” 
mentality is changing for many tourist spots in Southern 
California, including main-stream hotels, RV parks, 
restaurants and campgrounds. Many getaways even 
advertise their pet-tolerant policies, making it easy to 
find places where we humans can relax and enjoy a day 
away, without the stress of leaving our pets alone. 

It may seem like a conflict of interest for me to write 
about dog-friendly vacation destinations, considering 
the fact that my business, “Canyon Canine” prides 
itself in providing excellent dog walking and pet sitting 
services. However, to me the most important thing is 
for my clients to have healthy, happy pets and spending 
quality time in a relaxing environment plays a major part 
in a well-rounded pet-parenting process. 

I admit my dog clients seem very happy with my 
company & care while their owners are away, but there 
is a time and place for everything, and sometimes I 
think it is best to let “Toto” tag along, particularly when 
traveling to a dog-friendly destination. In a book by 
Maria Goodavage, entitled “The Dog Lover’s Companion 
to California - The inside Scoop on Where to Take 
Your Dog”, the author shares a wealth of knowledge on 
where to go where the family pet is welcome. You would 
be surprised how many merchants, camp hosts, hotel 
owners and restaurateurs also happen to be avid dog 
lovers! In her book, Goodavage includes lots of doggie 
hot spots throughout California, but my list is focused 
on a few quick getaways for weekend fun in Southern 
California, where you and your dog are equally welcome. 
If you happen to visit any of these places, do write in tell 
us about it! A word-of-mouth review from someone who 
has actually been there, comes as more valuable to me 
than just reading about it in a book.

Agoura Hills - Paramount Ranch, 2903 Cornell Road 
(818-597-9192) is where the Renaissance Faire was held 
for many years, back in the day! Other events hosted here 
include The Annual Topanga Banjo & Fiddle contest held 
in May of each year, but it also happens to be a great place 
in the country, for you and your dog to escape the fast-
pace activities in the city for the day. Historic western 
movie sets provide a primitive back-drop for hiking with 
your dog under huge oak canopies that shade the trails 
surrounding the 436-acre ranch.

Claremont - With 2 dog parks and a huge wilderness 
park where leashed dogs can roam, this community 
is a dog-lover‘s paradise. Walter’s Restaurant, 308 Yale 
Ave. (909-624-4914) is a Claremont landmark, serving 
luscious lip-licking French fusion cuisine since1957. 
Porch seating provides intimate dining and a comfortable 
setting for both you & your four-legged friends. The 
Danson-Espiau’s, 109 Yale Ave. (909-621-1818) is a 
sidewalk café that offers delicious American-Mexican 
selections with lots of outdoor tables where both you & 
your canine companion can relax and enjoy. Ramada Inn 
& Tennis Club, 840 So. Indian Hill Blvd. (909-621-4831) 
is so dog-friendly they even host dog shows! The 31,000 
s.f. grassy courtyard is ideal for leashed-dog roaming, 
and your fluffy 4-legged friends can sleep next to you in 
a luxuriously lavished room. No back door sneaking-in 
required!

Long Beach - Dog Zone at the Beach located along 
Ocean Blvd., between Roycroft and Argonne, was 
established in 2003 to allow dog owners and their pets 
to run on the beach and dive in the surf, side by side. 
Dogs are allowed to roam freely, off-leash on the beach, 
which is what makes this day-trip destination unique 
and inviting! Poop scoops and some bags are provided in 
dispensers, but owners are encouraged to bring their own 
bags. Metered parking available.

Pomona - Sheraton Suites Fairplex, 600 W. McKinley 
Ave. (909-622-2220). “The bigger the dog, the better” is 
the attitude you will be met with at this fine, feline and 
canine friendly establishment! Does it get any better than 
that? Not to mention it is the perfect resting spot for 
you and “Fido” if you plan to spend time at the adjacent 
Fairplex Exhibition Center.

Thousand Oaks - Santa Monica Mountains Recreational 
Area, 401 W. Hillcrest Dr. (805-370-2301). Nature is 
only a stick’s-throw away from the crowded freeways and 
urban sprawl, if this is your dog-day-out destination! The 
National Park regions of this gorgeous, mountain forest 
recreational area cordially invites leashed dogs for miles 
of nature trail hiking. Just be sure to watch for signs at 
State Park boundaries where four-legged friends are not 
allowed to trek.

All the best to you and your beloved canine 
companions, as you plan your summer vacation weekend 
getaways…Bon Voyage! Let the good times roll, and keep 
kibble-to-go in the bowl! 


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc.

Canyon Canine Dog 

Walking & Pet Sitting Services


BY ANY OTHER NAME

As you might’ve guessed from the weekly photo of my grinning 
white face, I was not born a Tse. Maybe I’m old-fashioned 
for not keeping my Welsh maiden name or combining it with 
my new Chinese name by hyphenation. A recent Yahoo article 
stated that some women keep their maiden name for professional 
reasons. Since I don’t have a “following,” that never applied. 
The article also reported that women who take their husband’s 
name are perceived as being more caring and emotional 
(Aww!), while women who keep their maiden appear smarter and more ambitious. 
I figure keeping my maiden name wouldn’t have helped me fool people 
into thinking that very long anyway. Taking my husband’s name doesn’t make 
me any less proud of my maiden name, 
but there are a couple small downfalls to 
being a Tse – the endless mispronunciations 
and puns.

I really can’t blame anyone for coming 
up with creative pronunciations of Tse; I 
did the same thing. “So, you’re last name 
is ‘Ts-zay’?” I recall asking my then-date 
now-husband. He laughed, “You just 
butchered my name!” I’m nice, though, 
and don’t use that same criticism for the 
frequent name-icides I encounter. Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up with it, but 
I completely sympathize when others hesitantly venture their best guess at this 
unfamiliar grouping of letters.

A couple coworkers asked me how to say my married name following my wedding. 
“C.” “Si?” “Si, ‘Sea.’” “Oh, I See.” Like most workplaces, we usually stick 
to first names, and more than one of them have forgotten it and called me Mrs. 
Say or Shay. Then there’s always an occasional client who’ll ask what ‘C’ stand for, 
possibly assuming I married a guy with a name like Charalambou.

As I said, the mispronunciations are not as bad as the puns. I now understand 
how my mom’s friend felt when marrying “the Wright man,” Chuck Wright. Preparing 
to walk me down the aisle, my dad got a lot of mileage out of being “The 
Old Man and the Sea.” When the guests were seated, there was the Hopkins side 
and the Seaside. My parents also suggested I open a candy shop selling chocolates. 
They pointed out that if we had a daughter we could name her Cecilia, and 
then she could be Cici Tse. If we had five kids our family could be the Seven Seas. 
Yes, many names become something unintended when hitched to Tse. I always 
liked the name Grace, but then thought of the confusion it could create at school. 
“Please tell me you name.” “Grace Tse.” “Okay, what’s your last name, Gracie?” 
Esther was a favorite, too, until, following oral surgery; my dentist recommended 
that I take the vitamin supplement, Ester-C. It seems nothing is safe.

Despite the butchering and puns, I like my new last name. Answering the 
phone as Katie Tse and scrawling my new signature took some getting used to. 
But now I appreciate the fewer letters and syllables. Just think of all the breath 
and ink I’m saving! I might be behind the times, but I like the idea of married 
people sharing the same last name. Now if my husband was a Lipschitz or Butkis, 
it might be a different story. (My sincerest apologies to any Lipschitzs or 
Butkises!)

Dog’s Day Get-Away