Why is Picasa for OSX using using so many CPU cycles?

I am unable to answer part 1 of your question, but I will take a stab at part 2. The maximum recommended operating temperature for the CPU in the MacBook Pro unibody is 105°C. Most users report temperatures between 70 and 85°C under heavy load (such as gaming, rendering, or graphics work), which is still quite hot.

The hardware is set to shut down when it reaches a certain threshold, so you are unlikely to experience a catastrophic meltdown if your machine runs too hot. The main danger to your computer is gradual performance loss over time if the machine is constantly struggling to keep cool. Over time, your computer's internals will suffer wear and tear, much the same way a car's performance will suffer from tough driving conditions, such as daily stop-and-go traffic.In short: the more you can reduce your machine's exposure to extreme heat, the better.

The MacBook Pro packs a lot of power into a very small form factor, so it can particularly challenging to keep cool. A solution that many users find helpful is SMCfanControl, which is an excellent utility that lets you manually adjust the speed of the computer's fan(s). By setting the fan to run faster and/or earlier than normal, you can often keep the internal temperature down during intensive tasks.

Going lo-fi is another excellent solution: better ventilation. If you often work at a desk, you can purchase a laptop stand with integrated fans (there are several companies that make them). My desk is near a window, so I keep it cracked open on cool days to get a little breeze flowing over my computers.

In the winter, I also make sure there are no air ducts blowing directly at my machines. Little things like this DO make a difference. Even a few degrees' difference can have a noticeable impact on your machine's performance and life.

It's Face Detection. Just tested this on my own machine. Picasa running?

Near 100% CPU usage. Turned on Activity Monitor, placed the two windows side-by-side so I could see if turning off Face Detection had any effect.In Picasa Settings > Name Tags and uncheched "Enable Face Detection" and then "OK". My CPU dropped from 100% to a steady 1.7%, and stayed there with Picasa still running.

After a minute or two, my fan had cooled down the machine enough to slow itself down, and the machine is back to purring nearly silently, with Picasa still running. I took some screenshots for proof, see below. Part 2: I think @travhimself answered this perfectly =).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.