Venus Transit!

Did you know that June 5-6 is our last chance to see a Venus transit? Unless there be a scientific breakthrough that allows us to leave 105 more years!  So, do not miss it!  Learn about it and how you can observe it.



References: 
[1] http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/2012-venus-transit.html
[2] http://www.transitofvenus.org/
[3] http://open.nasa.gov/blog/2012/05/17/venus-transit/
[4] http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/transit/venus0412.html

Switzerland?

Did you know that Switzerland requires that all able-bodied male citizens keep fully automatic firearms at home in case of an invasion? And that until 2007 their government was providing ammunition to such adults for storage at their homes?

References:

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics#Switzerland
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_politics_in_Switzerland

Airport Codes

Did you know that initially, a lot of U.S. airports had a two letter code, representing their city or state, and only after the number of world's airports increased and they had to move to a 3-letter code to support them all, they added letter X to so many previously existing airport codes?  And that letter X in their names is meaningless? Like LAX. In a way, maybe the X identifies older airports?

SpaceX Dragon Captured!

Today is a historic day! SpaceX Dragon, a commercial unmanned spacecraft, was captured by the International Space Station (ISS). It is a year after NASA retired the 30-year-old shuttle program and turned to industry to pick up on the job. I would say plans worked perfectly. Just as we saw the boom of technology and computer industry in the early 2000 after internet was no longer something government was using internally, expect a boom of space industry, exploration, and new discoveries! Government took risks, made the large investments, matured the technology, and now started the commercialization process.  This is done so nicely since NASA is handling the ISS section's mission control and SpaceX the SpaceX Dragon.  They are working together and NASA is transitioning a lot of knowledge and skill set.  A new exciting era has begun!

References:

[1]  http://www.spacex.com/updates.php
[2] http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
[3] http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57441570-76/success-space-station-snags-spacex-dragon-capsule/

How do you feel?

Have you ever fell down hard when running fast, biking, or playing basketball?  Have you ever had a broken leg, or arm?  A painful tooth? A tumor that had to be taken out?  Did you ever think you just wait these out and your body will take care of them?  Does the tooth get any better without you either taking care of it or pulling it out?  Do you expect your friends, your family, or neighbors with no medical training help you fix it? 

What makes you think when a physical wound, or a toothache won't heal by itself, you can recover fast from emotional wounds and bruises, from difficult tragedies and hardships in your life, or simply hormone and chemical imbalances in your body?  If you are so down and depressed for so many months or even years everyday that you do not look forward to doing anything, or if you are always angry at everyone and everything and constantly stress out and alienate the people in your life and isolate yourself, if you do not remember the last time you had a good time, a good laugh, a good memory, it is time you take care of your mental health; for your own health, for saving your life; for your children who need you to be happy, healthy, strong, and have a good parent and role model in you; It is important to get help from experts and professionals.

Here are some resources about mental health, mind/body health, and family well-being:

www.apa.org/helpcenter
www.youtube.com/apahelpcenter
http://www.ymca.net/healthy-family-home/
http://www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov/index.html
http://www.realwarriors.net/
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may

May is Mental Health Month, and I am blogging for Mental Health today, because it matters! 


Reference:
http://www.yourmindyourbody.org/mental-health-month-blog-day/

Tesla

Apparently Nikola Tesla did the ground work for the electricity we use everyday (Alternative Current or AC), wireless communication and radio, radar, x rays and more.  Then, how is it that others are credited for each of these inventions?  Was he a smart scientist and engineer with great vision and initiative but just could not finish, package, and sell his ideas?  Or was the author of this site just a big fan of him and not so much of Thomas Edison?

References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla
2. http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla

Manto y saya

I went to a Peruvian restaurant with some friends on Saturday.  Among us was a lady from Peru who was helping us with the dishes.  I enjoyed a sweet juice of red corn, and saw how Peruvian corns are bigger than those in the U.S. and taste like lima beans.  But more importantly I learned about part of the history of Peruvian women, that I had no idea about; that was surprising; and I did not expect it there from all places in the world.

I learned that Peruvian women used to cover themselves, from head to toe, with something called "manto y saya".  It was black, and they would hold it with their hands and only reveal one of their eyes!  Sound familiar? Is that where/how Iranians got the idea for black chadors/veils?  Is there any relationship between the name of their attire and what Iranians refer to as Manto (long over coats women wear)?

For more information read the views of Flora, Tristan, in Lima, Peru in 1838:

http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/lesson19.html

More here (apparently my guess about the origins of chador is valid):

 http://inmemoryoflatapada.blogspot.com/2010/08/theories-of-origin-of-la-saya-y-el.html