Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, May 20, 2017

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 20, 2017 11THE WORLD AROUND US 
TAKING THE FIRST STEPS TO EXPLORE CLIMATE ON PROXIMA B 
Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 20, 2017 11THE WORLD AROUND US 
TAKING THE FIRST STEPS TO EXPLORE CLIMATE ON PROXIMA B 
The quest to discover whether a planet orbitingour closest neighboring star, Proxima Centauri

(4.2 light-years or 25 trillion miles from Earth),
could support life has taken a new, exhilaratingtwist. 
The planet was only discovered in August2016, and is thought to be of similar size toEarth, creating the possibility that it could havean Earth-like atmosphere. Scientists from theUniversity of Exeter have embarked on their first,
tentative steps to explore the potential climate ofthis exoplanet, known as Proxima B.

Early studies have suggested that the planetis in the habitable zone of its star Proxima 
Centauri—the region where, given an Earth-
like atmosphere and suitable structure, it wouldreceive the right amount of light to sustain liquidwater on its surface. Now, the team of astrophysicsand meteorology experts has undertaken newresearch to explore the potential climate of theplanet, towards the longer term goal of revealingwhether it has the potential to support life.

Dr. Ian Boutle, lead author of the paper,
explained: “Our research team looked at a numberof different scenarios for the planet’s likely orbitalconfiguration using a set of simulations. As wellas examining how the climate would behave if theplanet was ‘tidally-locked’ (where one day is thesame length as one year), we also looked at how anorbit similar to Mercury, which rotates three timeson its axis for every two orbits around the Sun (a

3:2 resonance), would affect the environment.”
Dr. James Manners, also an author on the 
paper added: “One of the main features thatdistinguishes this planet from Earth is that thelight from its star is mostly in the near-infrared.
These frequencies of light interact much morestrongly with water vapor and carbon dioxidein the atmosphere, which affects the climate thatemerges in our model.” 

The team found that both the tidally-lockedand 3:2 resonance configurations result in regionsworld. 
of the planet able to host liquid water. However,
the 3:2 resonance example resulted in moreTRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT, a radio 
substantial areas of the planet falling within thismessage from Earth could reach inhabitants oftemperature range. Additionally, they found thatProxima B in just 4.2 years. Whether it would bethe expectation of an eccentric orbit, could leadfeasible—or desirable—to send such a message isto a further increase in the “habitability” of this another matter, and how that message could be 


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

ON MULTI-TASKING 

[Nyerges is the author of She thought about it. “Not really,” she said. “As 
“Extreme Simplicity,” “Self-long as I do an adequate job, there’s no problem.” 
Sufficient Home,” “How “But what if you are talking face-to-face to 
to Survive Anywhere,” someone and you’re still typing or shuffling 
and other books. He papers. Don’t you feel that the person will feel 
can be reached at www. slighted?” I asked.

SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com or Box 41834, Eagle “Well, I suppose it depends on the person,” she 
Rock, CA 90041. responded.

My friend and I were checking out at a small I dropped the subject for fear that if I pushed 
grocery store. The clerk was on her cell phone, an my point further, a friend would soon be a former 
obviously personal call, and yet she managed to friend. 
check each item with mechanical efficiency. She I’m not a big fan of so-called “multi-tasking.” 
smiled towards us, without actually looking at u s. I think it’s a somewhat fraudulent, self-deceptive 
She spoke the price, I handed her some bills, and concept where you believe you’re doing more than 
she returned the correct change. The groceries you actually can do. It’s a belief that by moving 
were bagged and we walked away.a lot of stuff around, that your quantity is more 

I was a bit nonplussed, even though this scene important than quality. This is probably one of 
has become way too normal. To speak on a cell the reasons why the quality of goods and services 
phone to someone else while handling a paying has declined. 
customer is the antithesis of service. My friend In a similar vein, today there are many multi-
told me I was making a big deal out of nothing.purpose tools now on the market, such as a tool 
“Besides, I do that all the time at my office and which promises to be a hammer, a screwdriver, a 
home,” she smiled. “Multi-tasking.”saw, a shovel, a can opener and pliers. Such tools 

“Really?” I responded. “So that’s your fancy do about 40 tasks poorly and none well. 
word for doing two things at the same time and I do believe that Swiss Army knives pack a lot of 
doing them both poorly?”quality into a little package, though they cannot 

“But that clerk didn’t do her job poorly, “ my handle big jobs. The Leatherman tool is also 
friend protested. “You got the correct change, generally a good combination tool because it is 
right?”well made. 

“Yes, I got the correct change but that’s not the But as a rule of thumb, the more tasks a tool 
point. Let’s just say that if she were my employee, claims, the more poorly it performs. And, 
she’d get one warning and then I’d fire her.”generally, as the price lowers, so does the 

“But that was a small store,” my friend said. performance and longevity of the tool. 
“How do you know that she wasn’t the boss?” In my world view, it is better to have just a few 

“I don’t know that,” I said, trying to explainquality tools that a tool box full of cheap tools that 
why I felt that we’d just had less than an idealmostly result in frustration. 
interaction. Perhaps it was because the clerk’sMy friend reminded me that the benefit of her 
mind was elsewhere, and that I believe you really“multi-tasking” is that she gets more done at a 
cannot do two things simultaneously, and do themlower cost, more quickly. I had to think about 
each well, which is why it is illegal to talk on a cellwhat that means. 
phone and drive. I asked my friend to explain whatYes, true quality – in a service or in a product 
sort of “multi-tasking” she does at work.– takes more time and costs more. And because 

“You know, the usual,” she responded. She most of us want it now and want it cheap, we’ve 
described a variety of tasks such as paperwork, created a frustrating world of low quality service 
letters, taking phone calls, reading e-mails. “If and goods. Change will only come slowly, when 
you don’t give a task your full attention, do you enough of us realize that fast and cheap is just a 
think the task suffers?” I asked. quick thrill with no lasting satisfaction 


designed to be understood by extraterrestrials isfor Extraterrestrial Intelligence) program—
yet another.resulting in this program being removed from

But the fact that we can even ask such questionsthe NASA budget. Today, nearly every majorshows how far we have come in the 39 years sinceobservatory on Earth is conducting searches1978, when Wisconsin Senator William Proxmire aimed at detecting habitable distant worlds.
awarded his annual “Golden Fleece Award” for You can contact Bob Eklund at: b.eklund@ 
“fleecing” the public to the fledgling SETI (Search MtnViewsNews.com. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

MY ADVICE: TWICE IS JUST AS NICE 

Nothing is more importantthe Good Book, all warrants multiple readings in

to a blissful marriage thanmy opinion. I must confess that some things I

finding a point of agreement.enjoy more the second time around.

Every veteran husband knows if he wants toAround Thanksgiving time, everyone seems to

change his wife’s mind about anything, justenjoy the turkey the second and third day just as

agree with her. It is amazing how this works. Thewell, if not more than the first day. In fact, you can

technical name for this is “re-wife psychology.”tell a really good meal by how many times you can

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and Ireheat it and enjoy it.

have been married since 1971 and have not had a Thank God for microwave ovens. What did 

serious argument or disagreement. (She does notthose Pilgrim mothers do without them?

allow me to talk back.) We have had rough times,My favorite movie of all times is “Old Yeller.”

but not with each other. Thanks to the invention of video, I own my own

We have survived nine congregations, 19copy of this classic and never tire of watching it.

homes, three children with nine grandchildrenMy wife, on the other hand, tires of me

and all without compromising our relationship.watching it. There is nothing quite like curling up

My sanity is another issue.in my favorite chair with a soda and a mountain of

Throughout our marriage, we have always heldpopcorn watching “Old Yeller” on a winter’s eve.

to the advice not to go to bed angry. Of course,If you have seen the movie, you know the closing

there have been a few sleepless nights. I have ascene is the real tearjerker. I do not want Old Yeller

simple rule: do not close your eyes if there is anto die. Every time I watch, I cross my fingers and

angry woman in the vicinity.hope this might be the time Old Yeller makes it.

I honestly can say our marital relationshipI do not like to be negative. I want to be

through the years has been most amicable. Sinceoptimistic about things and put a positive spin on

our marriage, my wife and I spend a lot of timeeverything. One day, I am sure, I will watch it and

working together and we never seem to get boredto my happy surprise, Old Yeller will make it.

with one another. I have seen it 973 times so far and it has not 

We are a great team. She puts up with me and Ichanged. Nevertheless, you never know. Stranger

let her. It works wonderfully and we have been ablethings have happened.

to accomplish a good deal together.My experience has taught me that the really

Only one area where we disagree and there maygood things in life, only improve the more they

not be much of a remedy for this departure in are repeated. The quality of some things increases

company.with age.

Never fear. Our marital dissolution is not near. I know the older I get, the better I become. (I

We have just learned to live with this dissent and, Iabsolutely refuse to qualify that statement.)

might add, have survived quite happily.Although the Bible is more than a classic, it does

I suppose no relationship is absolutely perfectbear much repeating. I have found that the more

this side of the Pearly Gates. Not to boast, but I haveI read the Bible the more I get out of it. A passage

my wife beat in this one area. I do not often get thethat I have read 20 times before becomes new and 

upper hand with her; in fact, I cannot rememberfresh the next time I read it. 

any other occasion where this has occurred.I cannot explain this wonderful phenomena,

Nevertheless, we have come to a meeting of thebut it has happened to me many times.

minds on this subject. Really, if you don’t mind,King David understood this as no other person

the meeting doesn’t matter.in the Bible. In one passage, he testifies to the

Where my wife and I disagree concerns reruns.importance of God’s Word in his own life. “Thy

She hates reruns and I love them. If I enjoy a bookword have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin

or a movie or a television program, I like seeingagainst thee” (Psalms 119:11).

it again and again. Not my wife. “There are tooThe Apostle Paul said this about the Bible, “All

many things I haven’t seen yet,” she argues, “toscripture is given by inspiration of God, and is

watch something the second time.”profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,

Of course, there is something to what shefor instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16).

says. Nevertheless, I still enjoy seeing or readingThe Bible is a marvelous book that bears repeating.

something I like the second time or more.The more I read it, the more I enjoy it.

Like a classic, something you can enjoy over andDr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family ofover and it never loses its fascination or charm. In God Fellowship, 1471 Pine Road, Ocala, FL 34472.
fact, each new exposure reveals some level you didHe lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonagenot notice before. in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 352-687-4240

The reason they are classics is the quality aboutor e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. The church webthem that bears repeating. A good book, especially site is www.whatafellowship.com. 


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