Hawaii Travel

Archive for March, 2010

Quasars, those super-bright light sources in space, are much more common than anyone thought.

It’s just that we haven’t been able to see them.

(Image: Examples of strongly interacting/merging galaxies containing a heavily obscured growing supermassive black hole nearby (top panels) and in the early Universe (bottom panels), as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope. Source: University of Hawai’i Institute for Astronomy.)

Like the lights of a city obscured by fog, a new study by astronomers—including ones from the University of Hawai’i—shows that many of them are obscured by vast clouds of interstellar dust.

The study was led by Ezequiel Treister from the University of Hawaii, and published in journal Science March 25.

First, some overly simple definitions.

At the center of activity is a black hole, a super-compact, super-dense phenomenon that sucks in everything around it, including light.

But as matter is sucked in, before the black hole takes complete control, the matter speeds up, experiences friction, and releases large amounts of radiation. You can’t detect the black hole direction, but you can detect the radiation around it.

When a black hole collides with, and sucks up a big gas cloud, the energetic process releases lots of radiation, including light—creating a quasar.

Quasars used to be thought of as relatively rare. Not any more.

Now, it turns out that many of the youngest black hole-quasar combinations are difficult to see because they are obscured within immense clouds of dust. Over time, like a fog being cleared by the wind, the dust is blown away, revealing the quasar inside.

Said Treister: “We find that these growing black holes are originally hidden by large amounts of dust, but after 10-100 million years this dust is blown out by the strong radiation pressure, leaving a naked quasar, that is visible in optical wavelengths and keeps shining for another 100 million years.”

The project used combined data from the Hubble, Chandra and Speitzer space observatories to detect the signals of quasars inside dust clouds. One finding: obscured quasars were much more common in the early universe than they are now.

The paper’s authors are Treister, an Einstein postdoctoral fellow at the University of Hawaii, Priyamvada Natarajan of Yale, David Sanders of the University of Hawaii, Meg Urry and Kevin Schawinski of Yale and former University of Hawaii’s graduate student Jeyhan Kartaltepe, who is now with the National Optical Astronomy Observatory.

© Jan TenBruggencate 2010

Go to Source

WHAT is this you ask? oh i’ll tell you. it’s my new canon s90. a.k.a. my husband. no, i have absolutely no idea what i’m doing with it yet, all these manual settings for f-stop, aperture, flash density, p and s orbitals and such has got me quite smitten. i’ll figure it out soon. bear with [...]
Go to Source

In a wonderfully confusing tale, an island in the Bengal Sea has disappeared.

The world community doesn’t know what to make of it. Some are blaming its disappearance on climate change and rising sea levels.

There is no doubt that sea levels are rising, but the death of New Moore Island can’t reasonably be blamed directly on that. (The ephemeral isle is known in Bangladesh as South Talpatti, and to some Indians as Purbasha.)

The island reportedly was six feet above sea level a couple of decades ago, and even at the highest estimated rate of rise, it should only be down to 5-foot-10 or 11 today. But some scientists are happy to blame sea level changes, which reportedly have been troublesome in the Bay of Bengal.

The BBC quotes Professor Sugata Hazra of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavpur University in Calcutta, who said his own research indicates sea levels have been rising much faster since the turn of the century than in years earlier.

And it is reported elsewhere that New Moore only popped above the waves in the 1970s, and it was never much of a land mass, although India and Bangladesh have been fighting over title to it. But other sources suggest it may have existed for decades earlier.

Apparently its appearance followed a tropical rotating storm, Cyclone Bhola of 1970, suggesting it may be, at best, an emergent sand bar, like ones that occur in Kane’ohe Bay and elsewhere in Hawai’i. It lies roughly in the middle of a channel between India and Bangladesh.

Some references call New Moore a rock island, but that seems unlikely. And clarity isn’t helped by the fact that none of the photos that accompany the story is actually of the disputed island.

Clearly there’s something strange going on in the Bay of Bengal, where another island, Lohachara, sank in 1996, and the island of Ghoramara is half under. Our guess: that sea level changes are indirectly to blame, by changing erosion patterns that can cause delta islands like these to quickly disappear.

© Jan TenBruggencate 2010

Go to Source

There’s not much evidence of significant impacts on beaked whales from Navy sonar activity in Hawaii, but does that mean there aren’t such impacts?

Not necessarily, according to a new paper.

The beaked whales most commonly implicated are Cuvier’s (Ziphius cavirostris) and Blainville’s (Mesoplodon densirostris) beaked whales. For more information see here. And here.

(Image: A juvenile Blainville’s beaked whale off Hawai’i in 2008 with suction-cup attached time-depth recorder. The suction device stayed attached about two hours, providing information about dive depth and other behavior. Credit: Robin Baird .)

Meghan Faerber, of the University of Wales in Great Britain, and Robin Baird, of Cascadia Research Collective in Olympia, Washington, asked the question:

“Does a lack of observed beaked whale strandings in military exercise areas mean no impacts have occurred? A comparison of stranding and detection probabilities in the Canary and main Hawaiian Islands.”

They point out that strandings of beaked whales during naval activity are more common in the Canaries than in Hawai’i. But they caution that it doesn’t mean there aren’t impacts in the Hawaiian Islands. They cite an old dictum: “The absence of evidence (of an impact) is not evidence of absence.”

There have been 11 documented mass strandings in the Canaries, six of which are associated with Naval exercises.

Meanwhile, “The Hawaiian Islands experience regular naval exercises and contain resident beaked whale populations. Only nine beaked whale strandings have been documented in the Hawaiian Islands through 2007 , and no mass strandings have been reported.”

Since there does seem to be a link between naval sonar and whale strandings elsewhere, the authors are unwilling to assume that there would be no link in the islands. Rather, it’s possible, they say, that the impacts are being missed due to unique factors in Hawai’i.

They argue that beaked whale habitat may be farther from shore in the Hawaiian Islands, that reefs and scavenging sharks, as well as current patterns, may prevent injured whales from appearing on the shore in Hawai’i,

Their point: “It cannot be concluded that the lack of mass strandings in Hawai‘i is evidence of no impact.”

Which of course puts the Navy in a difficult position of attempting to address an assertion for which there is little evidence.

© Jan TenBruggencate 2010

Go to Source

Portuguese sweet bread is a staple of Hawaii supermarkets, a remnant of the ethnicity of settlers, workers and paniolos who still today comprise a key demographic in paradise. Making bread the Portagee way involves heat, a stone oven, and lots of hard work. Which is why it tastes so damn

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Go to Source

First Fridays are officially too nutty and too drunk. Art lovers and shopaholics who could give a rip about the booze and the booty, rejoice. Slow Art is now the third Friday of the month, destination Chinatown. Auntie Roberta leads the way with a new jewelry collection, 20% off

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Go to Source

hello, honolulu. man, i missed you. you would think i was gone for a month. don’t think i was kidding when i was already homesick after like 40 minutes of being in hong kong. i mean, sure i loved the place (nothing beats that crew that i was rolling with out there. SUPREME status.) just… [...]
Go to Source

New research is suggesting you can get much more health benefit in much less time by using bursts of increased intensity.

This flies in the face of lots we’ve learned in the past generation about exercise and health.

The author says more research is needed. But for those of us who exercise regularly and are also challenged for time, this is exciting stuff.

Our own credentials include track running, marathons and triathlons, some bike racing and both long and short-distance canoe paddling, and a little time coaching at various sports.

The amazing benefits of burst of intensity, whether through the various forms of interval or fartlek training, are certainly clear. They can turn a middle-of-the-pack athlete into a contender within weeks, presuming a good base of aerobic training.

The suggestion of the new research seems to be that the base of long distance is not needed.

Martin Gibala, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada, led a team that did this research. Gibala’s team had earlier shown that extreme-intensity bursts were beneficial. The newest work indicates important health benefits even from high-intensity intervals that are well short of extreme.

Here is one release on the report, written by the publisher’s Mary Arbuthnot. She says that a new study “adds to the growing evidence for the benefits of short term high-intensity interval training (HIT) as a time-efficient but safe alternative to traditional types of moderate long term exercise.”

Another release by Jane Christmas of McMaster University, is here.

Gibala says that “Doing 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously.”

Not to be a naysayer, but that’s still 20 minutes of training, three times a week, which pretty much fits in with traditional recommendations for basic fitness.

The latest study used standard exercise bikes, and had subjects pedal at 95 percent of maximal heart rate during their bursts. (Maximal heart rate is determined during a supervised cardiac stress test, but for a general number, subtract your age from 220, to get your maximum heart rate.)

After six training days over a two-week period, the interval training subjects had comparable results to those doing longer-time, but lower-intensity workouts: “improved exercise performance and muscular adaptations that are linked to reduced risk of diseases such as Type 2 diabetes,” the McMaster release said.

The scientist argues that exercise of one type or the other allows individuals to function with less risk of heart attack, diabetes or stroke.

In his initial work, published in 2006, Gibala conducted research using young, active individuals, and used intervals in which they exercised as hard as they could. Here’s Gibala’s own report:

“Sixteen young men performed six training sessions over two weeks. Eight subjects performed between four and six 30-second bursts of ‘all out’ cycling separated by four minutes of recovery during each training session. The other eight subjects performed 90-120 minutes of continuous moderate-intensity cycling. Total training time commitment including recovery was 2.5 hours in the sprint group, whereas the endurance group performed 10.5 hours of total exercise over two weeks. Both groups showed similar improvements in exercise performance and the muscle’s ability to resist fatigue.

“Our study confirms that interval-based exercise is indeed a very time-efficient training strategy. It is a demanding type of training and requires a high level of motivation, however it might be the perfect option for those who say they have no time to exercise.”

In his own press release at that time, Gibala said, “”The most striking finding from our study was the remarkable remarkably similar adaptations induced by two such diverse training strategies.” http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-09/mu-tt091906.php

Here is a 2007 paper in which Gibala describes his results and comments on their health impacts. http://www.fastexercise.com/pdf/Gibala_CurrSportsMedRep-6_2007.pdf

It is not clear from this research whether Gibala’s techniques also provide a short-time way to train for endurance events like long canoe races, long bike races or marathons and triathlons.

Some companies use Gibala’s work to promote exceedingly short workouts of four to six minutes. But it is clear that his workouts are running 20 minutes or longer, whether they’re 4 to 6 extremely intensive half-minute bursts with four-minute breaks or 10 less intensive one-minute bursts with one-minute breaks.

© Jan TenBruggencate 2010

Go to Source

so anyway. back to china. it’s the second day of the two-day art event POW WOW and the second part of WOW at garageworks just down the road from above-second. they already have the blank canvas up in the window for the live art part. i’m pretty excited at this point….

ps: this is will. the [...]
Go to Source

You won’t find many candidly political positions on this site, but here’s one:

For those readers on Kauai, I’m running for the board of our island’s electric utility, the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, KIUC. And I’d appreciate your vote.

I’m Jan TenBruggencate, the guy pictured here. If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m interested in energy efficiency, alternative energy, the impacts of using oil almost exclusively for power, as well as social justice.

If you get an electric bill on Kauai, this week you’ll receive a ballot. Your choice can be made by mail, by phone or by email. There are five of us running for three board seats. It’s a three year term. See more information here. http://www.kiuc.coop/

One of the first questions people ask is, “Are you nuts?” Besides the fact that several people in the utility and in the energy community urged me to run, I had my own impetus. After a career as a newspaper writer prohibited by ethical concerns from participating actively in the community, I feel the need—even the requirement—to “pay back.” So I’m serving on a community board and a county commission, and now the KIUC bid.

“Gosh, you’ve turned into a citizen,” said a friend and former co-worker.

Another common question, “Are you committed.”

That normally means, “What are you doing personally?” Well, I ride a bike. We have a photovoltaic system. I’ve got energy efficient lights and appliances at home. I recycle like crazy.

But sometimes “Are you committed,” means committed to community, which is code for, “Just how local are you?” I’ve lived on Kauai for nearly 40 years, and was raised on a Molokai pineapple plantation, but not born here. My degree is from UH. I have worked from every one of the main Hawaiian Islands, and also some smaller ones, including Niihau, Kahoolawe, Nihoa, Laysan, Midway and Kure. I not only paddle but build outrigger canoes.

I have been fortunate enough to be one of three candidates nominated by the citizen panel that votes as the KIUC Nominating Committee. I’ve also been endorsed by the energy efficiency and conservation group, Apollo Kauai.

I can’t promise much beyond careful attention, hard work and an open mind. I like to think that years as a reporter, much of it covering science, have given me a capability to conduct research, to assess opportunities and challenges, and to judge alternatives.

My goals if elected, are:
–work to ensure reasonable rates and reliable service
–to promote efficiency and renewable energy, while reducing oil dependence
–to do it as cost-effectively as possible, using the best technology available, while protecting the environment
–to ensure that rates and policies are fair to all segments of the population

Kauai’s energy future faces big challenges. Just a generation ago, half our power was produced from local renewable resources—bagasse and hydroelectric power. Today we are roughly 90 percent dependent on imported oil for our power. This gives us little control over supply and electricity costs, and makes our energy future vulnerable.

A significant portion Kauai’s electricity costs is tied to the global oil prices. We were paying 35 cents a kilowatt a few years ago. We paid nearly 50 cents at one point in 2008 when oil nearly reached $150 a barrel. It dropped into the 25 cent range last year, and recently it was more than 35 cents again.

A 2008 KIUC membership survey said residents want reasonable rates and good value. Our citizens can’t budget for energy prices that swing so widely. In order to gain control of our rates we need to shed our vulnerability to oil.

Although these are challenging times it is also a time of new opportunities for KIUC. There’s lots going on. We have federal financial help to upgrade our metering infrastructure. Conservation and efficiency technologies are maturing, and we need to do more in this area. New building standards will moderate the increase in energy demand. And in both the short term and the long, there are several renewable energy production technologies in active discussion or development.

The issues we face are difficult ones, but our community has the benefit of the cooperative form of utility ownership. We are all in this together. We all own this electric utility, and we all must take a part. We are stronger because of the breadth of ideas in our extensive community, and I can assure you that I’ll be listening.

I will be happy to respond to any questions. You can reach me at hawaiiwriter@gmail.com. This campaign depends on your spreading the word—if you believe I can do a good job, please talk to your friends and neighbors, ask them to vote when the ballot arrives.

Thanks very much.

–Jan TenBruggencate

Go to Source