are those which are most useful to other persons."
Aristotle
"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas.
I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage
"Is it not careless to become too local
when there are four hundred billion stars in our galaxy alone?"
A. R. Ammons
"Anyone can be an idealist.
Anyone can be a cynic.
The hard part lies somewhere in the middle
i.e. being human."
Hugh Macleod
We Scan the Skies for Killer Asteroids...
So you don't have to...
The first Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS) telescope began operating May 13 on Mount Haleakala on Maui.
Eventually, four of these telescopes will search the sky for killer asteroids that could be on a collision course with Earth.
The Pan-STARRS contains a 1,400-megapixel digital camera, the world’s largest, and will take more than 500 exposures each night, searching for objects that either move or change in brightness. Data from the telescopes will be sent to the Maui High Performance Computing Center for analysis.
Scientists say the system is expected to discover 100,000 asteroids over the next three years and determine if any of them are headed for Earth. It also is expected to catalog 5 billion stars and 500 million galaxies.
Originally published July 24, 2010 at 1 p.m., updated July 24, 2010 at 2:02 p.m.
HONOLULU (AP) - Amelia Earhart is returning to The Royal Hawaiian.
The historic Waikiki hotel is hosting an exhibition of rarely seen photographs taken of the pioneering aviator when she visited Hawaii and stayed at the "Pink Palace of the Pacific" during the 1930s.
The black-and-white images show a Earhart relaxing in a swimsuit and leaning against a palm tree while she gazes at the ocean. A few show her observing legendary surfer and Hawaii icon Duke Kahanamoku carve a pineapple for her.
The photos show a side of Earhart many people might not be familiar with, especially those who have only seen her wearing a bomber jacket and aviator pants.
"They bring her to life," said Lynn Krantz, the archivist at Matson Navigation Co. which found the images in their files last year.
"For instance, when you look at this one and you see her smile - it's like whoa, jua de vieve," Krantz said, using the French phrase for "joy of living."
Matson, which operated a luxury ocean liner between California and Hawaii in the early 20th century, built the Royal Hawaiian in the 1927 to give its well-heeled passengers a place to stay in the islands.
One of the photos shows Earhart listening to guitarists on a lanai that's next to the lounge where the exhibit is being held.
Several shots show Earhart during a two-week trip to Hawaii that began in December 1934. She had arrived in Honolulu on Matson's S.S. Lurline from Los Angeles, with her husband George Putnam, a publicist, and a Lockheed Vega airplane.
The couple initially explained they planned to use the plane to tour the islands. A few days later they surprised everyone with the announcement Earhart would pilot the plane back to California, a journey no one - man or woman - had ever attempted. She completed the flight in 18 hours on Jan. 12, 1935.
Other shots show her on her last trip to Hawaii in March 1937 - several months before she vanished over the South Pacific during an attempt to be the first woman to fly around the world.
Earhart, then 39, and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared on July 2 en route to Howland Island from New Guinea.
Kelly Hoen, general manager of The Royal Hawaiian, said she's heard from longtime returning guests who are enjoying getting a glimpse of what hotel looked like when their parents stayed there.
Younger guests, meanwhile, are learning more about the heritage of resort, she said.
Hoen stressed everyone - not just those staying at the five-star hotel - are welcome to enjoy the exhibit.
"We encourage everybody to come and take a look," Hoen said.
The exhibit of 65 photos, which opened Saturday - Earhart's 113th birthday - is scheduled through the end of the year.
Waikiki & Boat Harbor Beckon from Ala Moana's Lanai
"Memory is a crazy woman that hoards colored rags
and throws away food."
Austin O'Malley
"Most of the time, age feels like a mask - something I wear , not something I am- and when I gaze fondly at the faces of my old friends I can see them as they were when we were young."
Judith Thurman
"We do not remember days;
we remember moments."
Cesare Pavese
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These balmy Summer eves have uncorked a memory from the tree shaded streets of Philadelphia. . .
Even under Diamond Head, or on the Champs Elysee, our hearts remember moments long ago, in kingdoms far away... domains of salad days, of fairy tales.
Was that me?
Once I dated this older mafia guy.
After cleaning my apartments all day, I'd turn into a party girl and go pick him up at his apartment. (What energy, eh?)
He awoke early in the Summer's evening, and we always drove his neighbor, some sort of professional woman (always dressed to the nines) to I forget where.
Then our night consisted of micro visits to a dozen different night clubs, restaurants, Italian Ice stands. . .
Always everywhere he was greeted like a prince.
"Ah such a beautiful lady!"
I never had my hand kissed before, but I got used to it.
We never sat (or rarely) we never stayed. He never conducted business openly, if at all.
It was a whirlwind of social excitement and night life. And the city was his tamed domain.
As a girl I thought it was all pretty cool...
Eventually, I realized that my devastating beauty and charming persona were gonna eventually get me into a lot of trouble.
And, voila! Here I am years later wiser but extricated...
But the memory I kept... Yes,
We three, Mafia Joe, working lady, and I are in his convertible at a red light in South Philly.
A junk car pulls up along-side and the male driver looks over and says:
"No fair! You got two; give me one."
Immediately (Sitting in the middle) I put my arms around Joe and Lady and reply grandly to the guy:
Recent research shows that we soon grow accustomed to new pleasures: that new car, the beach house that was so hard to get.
Investigators advised leaving that beach house from time to time so one might have their pleasure freshened.
I know that all it takes is a ten day off-island trip for the romance to be re-ignited.
Scene: Airplane cabin, return trip, approaching Diamond Head. Characters: Me and a nice lady. Action: I am softly crying.
Nice Lady (sympathetically): "Returning home?"
Me. "Yes" (blubber)
N.Lady: "How long have you been away?"
Me: "tttTEN Days!"
and...scene.
*Applause*
It's official: I've lost it!
But, you know, walking outside on deck this morning the skies were eloquent, fish were swimming around, and we're still floating. "Gotta remember to really enjoy all this," I told myself sternly...except that I was standing in the bow at the time :)
Our friend Ted Trimmer has been too busy studying photography to share many new photos with us here.
The other day we were discussing English landscape painters and their genius with light. "Yes, they specialized in doing the most with their limited, northern English light," Says Ted.
Brilliant! Thanks, Ted for teaching me something new.
Yes, Hawaiian Skies are Gentle in Summer
Boys and Girls Play in the Lagoon
The Taro Plants, Brother Kalo, flourish in the Lo`i.
