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NASA Releases Webb Telescope’s First Images

14 Wednesday Sep 2022

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By Carlos Gamino

In mid-July 2022, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released the first images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, a high-powered, space-based telescope that’s about a million miles from Earth right now. The agency launched the telescope in December 2021 from French Guiana, and it’ll hang out in its current position (give or take a few miles) for at least five years. It could – like the Opportunity Mars Rover – outlive expectations, lasting ten years or more, but only if it has enough fuel to maintain its orbit and it’s able to dodge the effects of space’s harsh environment.

How is the Webb Telescope Different From the Hubble Telescope?

The Webb Telescope (just Webb for short) is different from the Hubble. In addition to being technologically superior, it’s a lot farther out in space. The Hubble is in low-Earth orbit, just 375 miles from Earth (that’s about the distance from Milwaukee to Detroit if you drive around Lake Michigan). Because of Webb’s distance from Earth, it’s not serviceable; NASA doesn’t have any plans to send manned missions out there during its planned lifespan.

Webb can see a lot farther than the Hubble Telescope can, too. Right now, it’s looking at what happened in the universe shortly after the Big Bang – and that’s when the first stars and galaxies began to form. That’s why scientists have found the images so riveting; it can take them back to “explore every phase of cosmic history.”

The other – and most significant – difference between Webb and the Hubble is that the Webb Telescope can pick up infrared light. The Hubble Telescope can do that, too, but only to a small extent. That means scientists can observe extremely faint objects that they just couldn’t pick up with the Hubble.

What About Webb’s First Images?

The first images NASA released depict thousands of galaxies across the universe. Some of these galaxies formed around 13.2 billion years ago.

But perhaps what’s most fascinating about the images is that they’re incredibly tiny. The telescope uses gravitational lensing, which occurs when a massive object magnifies or distorts the light of objects behind it. According to NASA, the gravitational field of a huge galaxy cluster can bend light rays from more distant galaxies (just like a camera lens bends light to create a picture). As a result, the Webb images you see come from a picture that’s about as small as a grain of sand held at arm’s length – and they only depict a miniscule fraction of the vastness of space.

What Do You Think About the Webb Telescope’s Images?

Have you checked out the images from the James Webb Space Telescope? What did you think of them – were you impressed, or are you waiting for NASA to do another photo dump? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this – so please feel free to share them on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed.

Carlos Gamino

Are We in for Another Pandemic With Monkeypox?

16 Tuesday Aug 2022

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By Carlos Gamino

As the U.S. and much of the world is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, news outlets all over the country are reporting on monkeypox – but is it really a big deal? Who needs to be worried, and should you rush to get a vaccine?

Most experts agree that handling the recent monkeypox outbreaks in major cities is the key to preventing it from becoming a big deal. The virus, which is from the same family as smallpox is, is treatable, but there are currently nearly 2,000 cases across the U.S. with some possibly going undiagnosed. At this point, it’s officially an “outbreak,” not a pandemic. Though there have been a few cases diagnosed in Wisconsin, most physicians here feel that it’s manageable (though physicians in larger cities with larger numbers of cases disagree).

According to news outlet WEAU, monkeypox isn’t typically spread during short periods of close contact. That means the risk to the public is still pretty low in Wisconsin. The virus typically spreads through:

  • Direct skin contact with someone who has a rash
  • Contact with surfaces or objects used by someone with monkeypox (like clothing, bedding or toothbrushes)
  • Respiratory droplets

And because most people recover in a few weeks without treatment, it’s not particularly life-threatening to the general population.

There are tests for monkeypox, and there are also vaccines available. But the vaccines aren’t widely available to most people, and because it’s not typically considered a serious illness (except in immunocompromised people), many people may not jump on board – just as many haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19.

What Do You Think?

Are you concerned about monkeypox in Wisconsin? Would you get a vaccine if it were widely available? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this – so please feel free to share them on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed.

Carlos Gamino

The Two-Night Curfew in Milwaukee as a Response to Mass Shootings in the City

15 Friday Jul 2022

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By Carlos Gamino

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson imposed a two-night curfew after three deadly shootings in the city that took place in mid-May. The curfew was from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and it was the first time since 1967 that a curfew had been imposed in Milwaukee. The mayor said the curfew was necessary to quell the violence and restore order in the city.

The curfew was met with criticism from some residents, who said it would not solve the underlying problems that led to the violence. Others said it was an important step to take to keep people safe.

The curfew was lifted after two nights, and no major incidents were reported during that time.

A Look at Mass Shootings in the U.S. in 2022

The United States averages 1.5 mass shootings per day this year. In other words, there have been more mass shootings in the United States this year than there have been days in the year.

While this number is shocking and saddening, it’s not entirely surprising. Mass shootings have become more frequent in recent years, with the number of incidents increasing each year since 2013.

There are a number of factors that may have contributed to this increase, including the easy availability of firearms, copycat effects and mental illness.

Does the Milwaukee Mayor Have the Right to Impose a Curfew?

The Milwaukee mayor’s decision to impose a curfew was met with mixed reactions. Some people believe that the curfew was an important step to take in order to keep people safe. Others argue that the curfew is not an effective way to reduce violence and that it unfairly punishes innocent people.

What Do You Think?

Do you think that the mayor was right to impose a curfew? Did you support Mayor Johnson’s curfew, or do you think it was an abuse of mayoral powers? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to share them on my Twitter feed or my Facebook page.

Attorney Carlos Gamino

Wisconsin Experiences Unprecedented Baby Formula Shortage – Now What?

08 Wednesday Jun 2022

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By Carlos Gamino

As the baby formula crisis continues in Wisconsin, parents are finding it increasingly difficult to find formula for their children. Here’s what you need to know about the situation.

The shortage is affecting parents nationwide, and Wisconsin is no exception. Shelves are empty down baby formula aisles, leading some parents to join social media groups where they swap formulas, share recipes for homemade formulas, and even sell to each other.

The United States government has said that supply chain issues, labor shortages and even a recent formula recall have made the situation worse. Though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working with manufacturers to increase their output, there’s no definite answer on how long this shortage will last.

According to White House representative Christen Linke Young, the government has “been working around the clock to do everything in our power to put formula on shelves across the country and make sure that families can access it.”

Wisconsin officials are working to address the baby formula shortage, and if you’re a parent in Wisconsin who is struggling to find baby formula, there are resources available to help you. You can contact your local health department or the Wisconsin Department of Health Services for assistance, or visit https://www.hhs.gov/formula/index.html to learn more. You can also check with your child’s doctor or pediatrician to see if they have any recommendations.

Doctors say that you should not make homemade formula if you can avoid doing so, and that you should never add extra water to stretch out your formula supply because that can dilute the nutrition and lead to health problems for your baby. However, doctors say that if the formula you usually use isn’t available, it’s okay to switch brands (as long as you’re not using a specialty formula because of your baby’s allergies or sensitivities). you just need to know that a switch can take a baby a few days to get used to.

What Do You Think?

Who do you think is responsible for the baby formula crisis, and do you have any tips to share for families who are struggling to find food for their babies? Please share your thoughts and your suggestions on my Twitter feed or on my Facebook page, where you can join the conversation.

Attorney Carlos Gamino

2.75 Million Chickens Culled in Wisconsin to Prevent Bird Flu Pandemic

18 Wednesday May 2022

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By Carlos Gamino

Avian flu, ordinarily a virus that only affects birds, has jumped to humans in the past – and some officials are extremely concerned about one of the virus’s recent evolutions. Officials are so concerned, in fact, that they’ve ordered the culling of approximately 2.75 million chickens in Wisconsin alone in an effort to prevent the virus from entering the food supply. Though no human cases have been detected in the United States, this is the biggest U.S. outbreak of the disease since 2015.

Often called the bird flu, avian influenza virus occurs naturally among wild birds and domestic poultry all over the world. Birds from infected flocks won’t enter the food system. The Wisconsin cull will result in about 6.7 million commercially raised chickens and turkeys being killed nationwide since February. The countries of Mexico, China and Korea have state-specific import restrictions in place that prevent importation of chicken and turkey from areas with known issues.

Birds are culled after outbreaks are discovered, and even when the majority of the birds aren’t infected, the entire flock must be terminated. In addition to Wisconsin, bird flocks are being culled in Maryland, South Dakota, Missouri, Delaware, Indiana and Kentucky.

The newest strain poses a low risk to the public due to the culling. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, “Right now, the H5N1 bird flu situation is primarily an animal health issue.” However, the agency also says, “Given past human infections with bird flu viruses resulting from close contact with infected birds/poultry, sporadic human infections with current H5N1 bird flu viruses would not be surprising, especially among people with exposures who may not be taking recommended precautions.”

Culling is nothing new in the poultry industry; for every egg-laying hen born into the system, a male chick is culled. Experts estimate that around 300 million male chicks are culled each year so breeders don’t incur losses.

What Do You Think?

Are you concerned about the new strain of avian flu, or is it low on your list of things to worry about? Have you had experience with bird flu in the past? I’d love to hear your take on it, so feel free to leave me a note on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Attorney Carlos Gamino

Should Parents Be Held Accountable When Kids Get Guns?

26 Tuesday Apr 2022

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By Carlos Gamino

A Chicago-area shooting in March 2022 may put a man behind bars, but not the person who pulled the trigger. The father of a 3-year-old boy who accidentally shot his mother is now facing a misdemeanor gun charge, according to Dolton Police Chief Robert Collins, Jr.

The boy allegedly picked up his father’s legally owned weapon while riding in the car with his parents. His father was driving and his mother was sitting in the passenger seat; the toddler was in his car seat in the back and found the gun. The toddler began to play with the firearm, which resulted in an accidental – and fatal – gunshot to his mother’s neck.

A detective who specializes in interviewing children said that the boy was the one who fired the gun. Police do not suspect any foul play on the father’s part. The state is charging the father with illegally transporting a firearm; in Illinois, you must have a concealed carry permit to transport a firearm unlocked in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

But should parents face other types of charges when their children get their hands on guns? Some experts think so – and it’s happening in other states. For example, James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of alleged school shooter Ethan Crumbley, were charged with involuntary manslaughter after a mass murder in an Oxford, Michigan high school.

According to a gun control advocacy group, Everytown for Gun Safety, unintentional shootings by children under the age of 18 killed 154 people and left 244 people wounded in 2021.

What Do You Think?

Do you think parents should be charged with crimes when their children get ahold of weapons? Do you feel differently if it’s an accident or negligence? I’d love to hear your thoughts on parental responsibility for kids being able to access guns at home, so please feel free to share them on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed.

Attorney Carlos Gamino

FDA Authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID Vaccine for Kids 5 to 11

04 Saturday Dec 2021

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By Carlos Gamino

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as five in mid-November, prompting the company to issue a statement saying that it won’t be able to produce the vaccines until sometime during the first half of 2022.

The vaccine, widely available to teens and adults, has been under rigorous safety testing to ensure that “it doesn’t interfere with immunity generated by routine childhood vaccinations – and that standard vaccination protocols are not interfering with the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Moshe Arditi, Academic Director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.

Though children are less likely to contract serious cases of the coronavirus, Pfizer’s Chief Executive Officer, Albert Bourla – along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA – believe that protecting them is the next step in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

“We are working with the U.S. government to help ensure communities across the country have access to pediatric doses as soon as possible. The introduction of doses for young children will be another critical milestone in addressing this public health crisis,” Bourla said.

The kids’ COVID-19 shot contains the same ingredients as the adult version, but it’s given as a smaller dose. In fact, children in the 5 to 11 age group receive about a third of the adult-sized dose.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky issued a statement saying, “There are children in the second grade who have never experienced a normal school year. Pediatric vaccination has the power to help us change all of that.”

What Do You Think?

Will your children be getting the vaccine when it becomes available? Why or why not? Have your children experienced a normal school year, or is COVID all they know? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the vaccine and whether your family will be getting it, so please share them on my Facebook page or on my Twitter feed!

Attorney Carlos Gamino



01 Monday Nov 2021

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Child’s State Fair Display Triggers Federal Investigation

By Carlos Gamino

A child in Kansas tipped off federal authorities about a dangerous invader – but it’s not what you think. The boy, who found a spotted lanternfly at his home in Thomas County, Kansas, added it to his bug collection – and then entered the collection in the 4H competition of the Kansas State Fair.

One of the fair’s entomology judges recognized the lanternfly as an invasive species and reported it to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The boy told authorities that he found it on his patio in May, and experts believe it may have died sometime last year after hitching a ride on an agricultural shipment.

The lanternfly is an invasive species that poses a threat to several crops, including apples, grapes, hops and walnuts. It’s also dangerous to hardwood trees, because the waste it excretes encourages sooty mold – a fungal growth that kills plants. If spotted lanternflies continue to spread, they may severely harm the grape, orchard and logging industries all over the country. So far, the invasive pest has spread throughout eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Virginia.

USDA officials don’t currently believe that there’s an infestation in Kansas, but they are on the lookout for more of the pests. Working with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, the USDA says it will work quickly to contain and destroy any spotted lanternflies that may be in the area to threaten crops and trees.

What Do You Think?

Would you recognize a dangerous pest if you found one – or have you ever before? My team and I would love to hear your story, so share them on my Facebook page or my Twitter feed.

By Attorney Carlos Gamino

Massachusetts Asks National Guard to Drive School Buses

05 Tuesday Oct 2021

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By Carlos Gamino

The state of Massachusetts has activated its National Guard to… drive school buses. The state has made as many as 250 Guard members available to address staffing shortages in some school districts, according to the office of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. In fact, 90 Guard members are already training for service across four cities.

So why is this happening? Like much else this year, we can chalk it up to the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s a national shortage of bus drivers due to battles over masks and vaccines.

In a recent national survey, as many as half of student-transportation coordinators described their area’s bus driver shortages as “severe” or “desperate.” Those shortages are occurring everywhere from New York to Oregon – and one district in Montana is offering hefty bonuses for new bus drivers.

Could this happen in Wisconsin? Absolutely. Though our state hasn’t yet activated its National Guard troops to drive kids to school, the shortages are here. Many drivers were furloughed during the beginning of the pandemic, when schools shut down; some took the opportunity to retire, and others chose not to come back to work in a public setting. Still others are willing to quit if vaccine mandates are put in place.

Hiring new bus drivers isn’t easy, either. A person must have a commercial driver’s license, or CDL, in order to drive a school bus. To make matters more complicated, many motor vehicle departments have been closed or operating under limited hours for the past year-and-a-half; that means people who wanted new CDLs or to renew existing CDLs had a hard time doing so. Road tests and updated qualifications have been tough to come by over the past 18 months.

Some cities, such as Chicago, are talking about using ride-share companies to fill the gaps; others are talking about offering parents financial incentives to drive their kids to school. Private bus contractors and school districts are trying to recruit as much as they can, but there’s reason to believe that Wisconsin will have to take drastic measures to get kids to school in the near future.

What Do You Think?

Would you become a bus driver for a Wisconsin school district as the pandemic rages on, or do you know bus drivers who don’t want to work during this time? Share your story on my Facebook page or Twitter feed!

By Attorney Carlos Gamino

The Billionaire Space Race

13 Monday Sep 2021

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By Attorney Carlos Gamino

Billionaire Richard Branson – the first of a group of mega-rich adventurers who made it to… well, almost-space in a privately owned craft – said on his trip, “If we can do this, imagine what else we can do.” And it’s not just Branson, though he led the charge out of Earth’s atmosphere. Two other billionaires, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, are also planning their own journeys into the great beyond.

But is this more than just billionaires doing billionaire things that most of us can only dream about, or is it something more?

Some experts believe that civilians forging their way into space will have incredible benefits for the rest of us (though there are plenty of naysayers who want to point out the things these guys aren’t doing with their massive stacks of cash). Sure, space flight may not appear very useful – particularly when we’re in the throes of a fresh round of coronavirus infections thanks to the delta variant, huge parts of the American West are on fire and QAnon members are running for school boards and local offices to spread conspiracy theories – but that’s only looking at the short-term.

If you look at the big picture, where would we be if our ancestors never built huge ships to explore beyond their own shores? Where would we be if Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, Andre Citroen and Henry Ford never dove feet-first into the automobile business? Though Branson, Bezos and Musk have smaller ambitions than NASA does, their space flights could have the same results as the Wright Brothers’ earliest box kite flights did: to further public interest and maintain government funding for space travel, which our descendants may actually need to escape if Earth becomes much more inhospitable.

What Do You Think?

Do you think that Branson, Bezos and Musk are doing the right thing by pouring their near-infinite resources into space travel, or do you think they’re wasting time and money? Perhaps more importantly, would you jump at the chance to hitch a ride into space if you could? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so share them on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Attorney Carlos Gamino