While exploring downtown L.A.’s Little Tokyo at night, I needed a fravor.
"Fravors". Photo: Reinhard Kargl, 2010. Click to enlarge.
Veni, Vidi: Fravors
R.I.P. Mrs. Death
I must confess that I like old cemeteries. I don’t perceive them as eerie, but as peaceful and tranquil. To those with open minds and eyes, cemeteries offer a glimpse into the lives of people who have long gone.
Here is a picture I took in a Southern California graveyard. Mrs. Death passed away 98 years ago, at the age of 81. Who was she? And how did she get that name? Surely, introductions at social gatherings would have resulted in some comical consternation.
I assume that Mrs. Death must have possessed a sense of humor — otherwise she would have changed her name at some point. (Quite easily accomplished in America, name changes are a time honored tradition among immigrants).
Peace be upon her.
R.I.P., Mrs. Death. Photo: Reinhard Kargl, 2010. Click to enlarge.
A Video Tour Through the International Space Station
It looks even more messy than my place!
Big Buddha Is Watching You
A post office I know in West Los Angeles has more security cameras than postal workers. (The cameras are monitoring the long line of waiting customers, but not the postal workers who usually move slower than sloths. Then again, since the price of postage keeps rising by the month, they must guard against the distinct possibility of armed stamp robberies).
These days, surveillance cameras are watching us in the most bizarre of places. Here is a picture I took at the entrance to a Buddhist temple.
- Cameras are monitoring the entrance to a Buddhist temple.
Photo: Reinhard Kargl, 2010. Click to enlarge.
U.S. Politicians Serving Life Terms
Last June, when Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia passed away at the age of 92, after 6 years in Congress and 58 (!) years in the U.S. Senate, he was laid to rest with all honors — and nobody seemed to blink an eye.
It is safe to say that Americans generally seem rather angry and frustrated with their elected officials these days. On the other hand, I am always perplexed at the high rate at which incumbents keep getting reelected over and over again.
Since 1964, the average rate of re-election has been 93.3 percent for members of the House, and 81.6 percent for members of the Senate. In the last decade, the rate of re-election has even been rather high for Congressmen: 96%!
The American Founding Fathers surely did not anticipate today’s situation. They never intended to set up permanent houses of parliamentary government in Washington D.C., nor did it occur to them that someone would be able to make a career out of running for public office for most of his life. Most of the Founders were deeply suspicious of representatives staying in their positions for decade after decade. Rather, the Founders objected to the idea of a ruling class, which they knew would eventually maneuver itself into positions where they would be exempt from laws and programs imposed on others, where they would be shielded from the effects of their policies, and where they would be receiving perks and a better life simply because they were in government.
And yet, I find it vexing that the Founders failed to establish term limits or some other mechanism to encourage rotation.
So today, there are no term limits for federal U.S. representatives. Not few of them remain in their positions until death, or until senility or physical ailments prevent basic bodily functions.
Despite all the much discussed public anger showing up in polls, this year does not appear unusual at all. So far, 282 federal incumbents have been up for reelection. Only six of them have lost their seats (two senators and four congressmen). That’s a dismissal rate of only 2% over the 6-year terms of office for senators and the 2-year terms for congressmen.
Most of us can only dream of this kind of job security (which also happens to come with full pension, health care and other benefits).
Late Night Lemon Drop
So far, this year’s summer has been rather chilly and cloudy in Southern California. I can only dream of cold cocktails on hot summer nights.
Lacking Vaccines, 78 Humans And 800,000 Dogs Killed in Bali
Here’s a wake-up call to members of the anti-science, flat-earth society who believe that vaccines are more harmful than infectious diseases: due to a shortage of vaccines, rabies is now out of control in Bali.
The toll of infection so far: 600,000 dogs and at least 78 humans — most of whom were children. Many deaths have gone unreported. In desperation, the government has ordered the killing of an additional 200,000 dogs. And this in a nation known for revering dogs!
Around the world, rabies kills some 55,000 people annually, according to the WHO. Most deaths happen after bites from unvaccinated dogs. Most human fatalities occur when the human vaccine is not given immediately after a dog bite.
In Bali, about 30,000 dog bites have been reported in the last half year. And in most cases, a lack of vaccine means that doctors can do little but dress up the wound and send the patient home while hoping for the best.
Rabies is a serious, very infectious virus, but we have countermeasures, and nobody should have to die from it.
The Associated Press has more on this story.
From the Centers for Disease Control, more on rabies.
Just Published: Getting an Earful
Some schools are now using voice amplification systems in their classrooms, and I have been working on an article about their experiences. Here is the (just published) online version:
http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/08/01/giving-them-an-earful.asp
(THE Journal is a specialty publication covering technology in education).
Night Hike
Something I love about the Los Angeles area is that despite all its insane sprawl, it still offers the possibility of escape from the urban mess; to seek moments of refuge and relative solitude in the wilderness of the mountain chains surrounding the basin.
These pictures were taken on a night hike last weekend. (Click to enlarge).
Venus is hanging low in the east as the Sun is setting over the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Photo: Reinhard Kargl
Seen from Parker Mesa Overlook in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Moon has risen over West Los Angeles and the Santa Monica Bay. Photo: Reinhard Kargl
A Historical Instrument
Last night, a small group from our local astronomy organization attended a lecture at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
In this picture, we are posing in front of the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, which will soon be residing at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
A little bit of history: Soon after its launch in 1990, the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope‘s internal optics proved to be flawed, and the HST seemed doomed. But in 1993, NASA astronauts saved the day by installing the instrument behind us during Space Shuttle mission STS-61. With the addition of this camera, the HST was fully operational. It went on to become one of the most important telescopes in history.
Among the countless, breathtaking images returned by the WFPC2 were the Hubble Deep Field in 1995, the Hourglass Nebula and Egg Nebula in 1996, and the Hubble Deep Field South in 1998.
During Shuttle Mission STS-125, WFPC2 was removed and replaced with the Wide Field Camera 3 as part of the mission’s first spacewalk on May 14, 2009. It was returned to Earth aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis, which landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on May 24, 2009.
Here are some famous images NASA and ESA made with this camera.
6,500 light years from Earth are the "The "Pillars of Creation" within Eagle Nebula. Columns of gas and dust extend 57 trillion miles (97 trillion km) into space. New stars are forming here! In fact, our own Sun may have come from a structure similar to this. (Click to enlarge).
NGC 604, an area in the Triangulum Galaxy about 3 million light years away. In its center are massive stars, which illuminate and ionize gases in this region. New stars appear to be forming here. (Click to enlarge).