Mountain Views News     Logo: MVNews     Saturday, June 11, 2011

MVNews this week:  Page 15

15

THE WORLD AROUND US

 Mountain Views News Saturday, June 11, 2011 


New Mars Rover to Have 3-D Color Vision; “Highway to the Stars” Opens to Mt. Wilson

Two digital color cameras riding high on the 
mast of NASA’s next Mars rover will complement 
each other in showing the surface of Mars in exquisite 
detail.

They are the left and right eyes of the Mast Camera, 
or Mastcam, instrument on the Curiosity rover 
of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission, to be 
launched in late 2011. Landing on Mars is scheduled 
for August 2012.

The right-eye Mastcam looks through a telephoto 
lens, revealing details near or far with about 
three-fold better resolution than any previous 
landscape-viewing camera on the surface of Mars. 
The left-eye Mastcam provides broader context 
through a medium-angle lens. Each can acquire 
thousands of full-color images and store them in 
an eight-gigabyte flash memory. Combining information 
from the two eyes can yield 3-D views of 
the telephoto part of the scene.

The telephoto Mastcam, called “Mastcam 100” 
for its 100-millimeter focal-length lens, provides 
enough resolution to distinguish a basketball from 
a football at a distance of seven football fields, or 
to read “ONE CENT” on a penny on the ground 
beside the rover. Its images cover an area about six 
degrees wide by five degrees tall.

Its left-eye partner, called “Mastcam 34” for its 
34-millimeter lens, catches a scene three times wider—
about 18 degrees wide and 15 degrees tall—
with each exposure.

Researchers will use the Mastcams and nine 
other science instruments on Curiosity to study 
past and present environments in a carefully chosen 
area of Mars. They will assess whether conditions 
have been favorable for life and favorable for 
preserving evidence about whether life has existed 
there. Images and videos of the sky will document 
contemporary processes, such as movement of 
clouds and dust.

YOU AND I MAY NOT BE HEADING OUT 
TO MARS ANYTIME SOON, but as an out-of-
this-world destination for a close-at-hand Saturday 
or Sunday outing, Mount Wilson Observatory can 
hardly be surpassed. And your trip has been made 
easy again, thanks to the reopening on June 3 of 
the Angeles Crest Highway from La Canada–Flintridge. 
A 7-mile stretch starting at the Angeles National 
Forest entrance above La Cañada–Flintridge 
had been closed following the devastating Station 
Fire of 2009. A plan to reopen it in January was reversed 
after 12 inches of December rainfall washed 
out several sections of the highway. A Caltrans 
army of engineers, geologists, maintenance crews, 
and environmental planners reconstructed entire 
hillsides, removed debris, repaved large portions of 
the roadway, and striped the lanes.

Although the Mount Wilson Observatory is 
open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every 
day of the week, if you come on a weekend you 
can enjoy food service and a guided walking tour of 
the Observatory area. The tour begins at 1:00 p.m. 
at the “Cosmic Café” (the building overlooking the 
parking lot) and takes about 1 to 2 hours. Your docent 
will tell you all about the Observatory’s rich 
history and ongoing science programs while you 
walk among the domes of this birthplace of modern 
astronomy.

And there’s no need to even pack a lunch for 
this trip—fine sandwiches are served at the Cosmic 
Café. You’ll also find Mt. Wilson souvenirs 
there, including T-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, 
and postcards.

You can reach the Observatory in less than an 
hour from Pasadena. From La Cañada–Flintridge, 
follow the Angeles Crest highway (State Highway 
2) to the Red Box–Mt. Wilson Road; turn right, go 
5 miles to the Observatory gate marked “Skyline 
Park,” and park in the large parking lot inside the 
gate. The U.S. Forest Service requires those parking 
within the Angeles National Forest to display a 
Forest Adventure Pass. It can be purchased for $5 
(one day) or $30 (season) at the Cosmic Café.

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

By Virginia Hoge


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.

UNPLUGGED

When you apply for jobs on line should you always attach a cover letter? Where can I go 
to find a sample of what I should write? Camile

 Yes, you should always attach a cover. Cover letters should be short, concise, and straight to the point. Employers 
do not have a lot time to read a long drawn out cover letter. It should include: (a) Position you are interest in or 
applying.; (b) here you heard about the position or who referred you; (c) hat skills and experience you have that will 
help make their company successful; (d) tate you will follow-up with them within the week. (e) Include all your contact 
information. (f) End the letter restating again your interest in their company, and a request for an interview. Most job 
search websites and portals have examples of cover letters. 

If your resume is more than one page how long should the second page be? Janice

 My rule of thumb is at least one third of the second page should have pertinent job-related information. If you have 
less than one-third of a page, you probably need to start editing in order to have a one page resume. 

What is the best time of day to approach employers? Donald

 I would suggest morning hours between 9am and 10am or just before lunch between11:00am and Noon. Next 
good time is late after noon between 3:00pm and 4:30pm. However, I suggest you use any means necessary to get an 
employer’s attention. Send e-mail, call to speak with someone or leave a voice message, mail your resume and cover 
letter; this last suggestion is going to throw some people for a loop. But, start knocking on some small businesses 
doors. This is an old method … but small businesses do not advertise their job openings. So, this is a great way to meet 
employers and introduce yourself. Be ready for face-to-face rejection or acceptance. 

What exactly is an on-line job search site and could you recommend some? Nancy 

 There are numerous and various types of job websites. I will try to define and describe the different types. A Job 
Website displays only jobs that employers paid to have posted and can limit your job search. You can usually post your 
resume on these sites for employers to locate and contact you for a position. A Job Board is designed for niche industries 
and professional categories (i.e, entertainment, medical, marketing, lawyers, etc.). My favorite are the Job Search Portals 
which are search engines that pull job listings you? specifically or specify or ??? specific can request from all job search, 
job boards, newspaper links, employer links, national job sites, city and state jobsites, government sites and recruiter 
links. There is no charge for this service. However, be cautious about the information you give them. Be sure to only 
post your resume and contact information. My favorite sites are www.indeed.com, www.simplyhired.com . I still like 
and use www.careerbuilders.com.

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 at www.resumeandcareerservices.com 

Was it just me or did anybody else become simply fed up with all the online shenanigans 
that were put upon the public this week? OMG. One right after the other. Of 
course, the main one was the distinguished gentleman from New York and his one-
man online photo spread (and I do mean, spread).

Later in the week, another big bank revealed that hundreds of thousands of its customers 
financial data and bank accounts had been compromised in a security breach that it 
waited more than a month to inform the public about. Sony got hacked…again. Sarah 
Palin’s emails covering her brief time as Alaska’s governor were dumped onto a media 
frenzy that can’t seem to get enough of the political star. Anonymous…Pandora IPO…
blah, blah, blah. I think you get the picture. And I don’t think I’m the only person who 
feels this way. One feature that each of the above-listed fiascos seems to share is the 
deafening sound of silence - the seeming absence of the sound of public outrage. Given 
the wall-to-wall coverage that each of these events and entities received through various 
forms of media during the last week, in almost every case, after the initial public 
divulgence and commentary, there wasn’t much left to say, feel or do about any of these 
big news items. Welcome to the New Normal. In what is probably a direct effect of the 
modern information deluge we ride out every single day, I think many people are becoming 
numb to the sheer volume of information we are subjected to on a daily basis. 

Many, including myself, just aren’t sure of what, if anything, can be done about this current 
state of affairs. The important factor to keep in mind during all of this hand-wringing 
is the fact there is actually real news and items of interest in the midst of this data 
storm and that it often takes real effort not to miss out on what’s really important to us. 
I’m personally convinced that every time I see a story about the troubles of a certain 
celebrity, who’s entire career seems to be composed of being in trouble, that the space 
occupied by this non-news item is taking up the space that something of importance 
to a nation looking for answers should be. And that’s just the news. What about all the 
time we spend on Facebook and texting and gaming and watching online media? Staying 
informed and keeping one’s self entertained seem to be full-time avocation these 
days as we have plenty of menu items to choose from but what alternative do we have? 

Over the course of the last few years it almost seems as if our brains have been re-wired 
to look for constant stimulation and the great data machine known as new media fills 
this void quite nicely. A step further along this path could lead one to the inference that 
all of this new media is a self-sustaining, self-regenerating entity with a life and goals of 
its very own: it exists to further its own existence and it does so with our participation. 
So how can we possibly change this situation if we have come to the conclusion that this 
is not a healthy way for us to live? I came across a story the other day about a man who 
set out to unplug from the machine and it sounded like a noble mission to me. I don’t 
know if he was successful or not in this endeavor because since he deleted his Facebook 
account I don’t have any way of getting in contact with him.


A RATTLING TALE 

FROM A LOCAL TRAIL

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc.

Canyon Canine Dog 

Walking & Pet Sitting Services

During 
a hike in 
Monrovia 
last week 
with my 
four-legged 
friend, a golden retriever named “Gus”, we were both enjoying 
the cool breeze and warm sunshine as we ascended 
up the steep hill, when we had a rather rattling encounter 
with a low-lying creature lurking in the grass. Like most 
dogs, Gus is a very curious canine. He notices everything 
that moves around him, whether it be a leaf falling from a 
tree, a bird flitting about in a bush, or a squirrel scampering 
overhead across a power line. When wind-blown objects or 
whimsical wildlife draw Gus’s attention, it is easy for him 
to forget his typically excellent “leash-side” manner, and 
bolt toward the object in motion. I believe his random responses 
are most likely related to his desire to catch and 
retrieve whatever he can, in return for a moment of loving 
praise from his human friend. When he gets distracted 
by sudden peripheral movements, I give Gus a slight tug 
on his leash, tell him “no” in a strong voice, then reward 
him for responding to my command with a pat on the head 
and calmly spoken “good boy” in order to get him back on 
track with me on the trail. Although birds, bugs and lizards 
are most often what we might encounter during our walks 
together, deer & coyote also appear quite regularly in the 
brush-covered hillsides surrounding the areas where we 
walk. 

On this particular evening, we came across a creature that 
took us very much by surprise! I am not sure if it was Gus’s 
nose, ears or eyes that first drew his attention to the would-
be elusive crawling creature. Perhaps it was a combination 
of all three. What I do know is that whichever of his keen 
senses kicked in at the time, immediately snapped him to 
attention and within a split second he changed his direction 
toward the object of interest. Naturally, I looked over to see 
what it was that had captivated his undivided attention, and 
when I did, I saw what I assumed was a sagebrush lizard, 
which is a harmless reptilian we often see slithering over 
the rocks and through the dirt along the trail. Some sagebrush 
lizards get quite large, and as adults they can develop 
a heavy coat of colorful scales, and a broad head with shiny 
round piercing eyes. Lizards are quite agile and they move 
very fast, which is why dogs and cats love to go after them. 
It’s all about the challenge of the chase! When Gus got close 
enough to the reptile to scare it away, I was surprised to see 
that it did not move, rather it remained still and held it‘s 
ground. It was then that I realized our new-found friend 
was not a lizard at all. 

My canine companion had just come face-to-face with 
a snake lying low and lurking in the grass! Fortunately I 
managed to pull Gus away before the snake made any 
swift movements, or had the opportunity to strike. When 
we were far enough away for my comfort level, we stood 
and observed it for a few moments. I wanted to get a good 
look at it’s color and shape, and try to figure out what kind 
of snake it was. Per my estimate, the serpent was about 25 
inches long and at least an inch and a half wide at the center 
of it’s belly. All I could think at that point was that Gus 
could so easily have been bitten, if I had not been paying attention 
and pulled him away promptly. Feeling quite lucky 
that we had escaped what might have been a revolting development, 
we continued on our way and completed our 
hike. When I got home that evening, I “googled” snakes in 
the San Gabriel Mountains, and based on my memory of 
what it looked like, I determined that the snake we saw was 
most likely a Southern Pacific Rattler, which is one of the 
most common rattle snakes in our local foothills. Although 
it’s venomous bite can be lethal, this snake is not known to 
be aggressive. Basically it just wants to be left alone to continue 
it‘s quest for survival, which explains why it refrained 
from striking, and simply laid still in the grass. While I was 
on-line I also did a little research to refresh my memory on 
emergency procedures to follow, for rattle snake bites in the 
wilderness. 

One of the many important things I learned is that dogs 
who spend any time on the trails or back roads of our local 
canyons should receive a snake bite vaccine called Crotalus 
Atrox Toxoid. The comparative results of vaccinated dogs 
versus non-vaccinated dogs bitten, clearly speaks for itself. 
In my opinion, it is definitely worth it to have your dog vaccinated. 
Other precautions that will help to avoid the risks 
and detrimental results of a canine snake bite include being 
alert and paying close attention to what the dog shows sudden 
interest in, during your hike. Basic canine training and 
maintaining control are very important as well, as exemplified 
by my reaction when Gus first saw the snake. If I had 
hesitated to call him back, he would probably have been 
inquisitive enough to aggravate the snake, in which case he 
would most likely have been bitten. If a dog (vaccinated or 
not) is bitten by a poisonous snake, immediate veterinary 
attention is imperative. In the case of a time-lapse between 
the biting incident and veterinary care, be sure to keep the 
dog well-hydrated in the meantime. If the dog is not willing 
to drink on his own, use a syringe to force fluids down 
his throat, and keep the dog as calm and relaxed as possible. 
Finally and perhaps most obviously - do not panic! 
Stay focused and use your energy so you can handle the 
situation efficiently. The happy side of this otherwise seemingly 
“not-so-happy” tale, is the fact that the rattle snake is 
known to be way more passive than aggressive. I often like 
to say “Love and let live”, but in this case, I will say “Love, let 
live and leave it alone”. A snake will typically hide in lieu of 
striking if left alone, so give it space, go on your way and the 
snake will reciprocate in the same respectful manner! Good 
advice for a safe, happy and healthy hike!


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

MINI MORTARBOARDS

I went to my niece’s graduation last week. It had all the typical 
graduation elements, “Pomp and Circumstance,” robes, mortarboards, 
diplomas, and sappy speeches. However, missing from the saccharine 
speeches was the valedictorian speech, a staple at any graduation. 
But of course this graduation was different, because these graduates 
ranged from five to six years of age.

 That’s right, my niece is an official member of the 2011 graduating 
kindergarten class at her elementary school. Although none of the 
students waxed eloquent about how they were “closing a chapter in their lives and 
embarking into a brave, new future,” the teachers and administrators did. When you 
only have five years of life experience and one year of academic exposure under your 
belt, any chapters you’re closing are pretty short. And when you’re five, nearly every day 
seems like a brave, new step in development.

 Other highlights of my niece’s commencement ceremony included a very, VERY sappy 
slideshow/movie of the students and teachers, set to Celine Dion’s “Wind Beneath My 
Wings.” I know someone put a lot of work into it, but for me that stuff always triggers an 
involuntary gag reflex. 

 To distract myself from retching, I considered the many 
“graduations” kids go through these days. It pretty much 
depends on the number of grades a school has. Some 
schools only go up to sixth grade, and therefore have a 
sixth grade graduation. If you’re a sixth grader at a K-8 
school, you’re not special yet. It’ll be another two years 
until you graduate from middle school. The frequency 
of these events seems to cheapen the whole concept of 
graduation. 

 Graduation, in my biased opinion, should be reserved 
for completion of mandatory requirements of secondary 
and higher education. Everyone must finish high school 
(or some equivalent thereof). While students may take 
six or seven years to complete their Bachelor’s degree, 
you usually can’t make it out in less than four. And if it’s 
taken you seven years to go through college, you certainly 
deserve a proper shindig!

 High school graduation is a big thing, especially for 
families who’ve never had a high school graduate before. It’s the culmination of twelve 
or more years of schooling, a test of survival and endurance. Finishing college is also a 
milestone, in that you are (hopefully) entering the work force in your field of study.

 So perhaps you’ll agree that completing one year of letter recognition and other pre-
academics just doesn’t compare. But it’s nice for the parents and maybe the kids get a 
kick out of posing in funny hats, holding a roll of paper. Of course some of my nieces 
classmates will get to experience the grandeur of kindergarten graduation again next 
year, since they will be repeating kindergarten. You have to wonder if they’ll despair 
when they return in the fall and their classmates from last year are now a grade higher. 
Even if they get a new kindergarten teacher, I think they might recognize the songs and 
reading series from last year. Or maybe it will all seem new to them. They’ll get to double 
their pleasure and double their fun. Either way, their parents will get a nice extra set of 
portraits.

 So in closing, I congratulate all the graduates out there, and encourage those still in 
school. Don’t worry; there is a light at the end of the tunnel –and it is called retirement. 
But that’s a whole other article!