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It's no secret that children like sweet things.
If I give my daughters a cookie, or an ice cream, it's like Christmas come early. They get excited. They scarf it down. And sooner or later they demand more.
Now that reaction is partially because we don't eat all that much processed foods or high-sugar sweets in our house. And partially, it's because children are quite simply hardwired to prefer more intense, sweet flavors than older teens and adults are.
I wrote about this topic a while back on Parentables, discussing the science behind children's biological cravings for sweet treats.
Because growing children have considerably higher calorific needs relative to body weight, and because calories may have been hard to come by during long periods of our evolutionary history, researchers have suggested children with a taste for sweet foods would have had an advantage over those that preferred blander fair. And that advantage, over time, resulted in a natural selection for a sweet tooth in kids.
But knowing why our children have a sweet tooth is one thing. Knowing what to do about it is quite another. In a world where calorific, sugary foods with little other nutritional value are now easy and cheap to come by, and where fresh fruits and vegetables are sometimes not, we have to use the knowledge of our kids' inherited palate to our advantage.
I've already argued that banning candy is a road to nowhere, but that doesn't mean you should let your kids eat what they want either. Making sure the cupboards are stocked with healthy, filling alternatives and sitting down to well planned meals that provide a broad range of nutrients and food types — including plenty of fruits, vegetables, proteins and whole grains — are both crucial ways we can work around our children's sweet tooth.
Above all else, it's crucial to watch out for added sugar in processed foods. From juice drinks to yogurts to crackers and breads, many processed foods contain considerable amounts of sugar – often in various forms. Keep an eye on the nutrition labels of the foods you buy. Many plain foods (apple sauce or plain yogurt, for example) will contain naturally occurring sugars. These are not your enemy. What you have to look out for are the additional sugars, syrups and sweeteners which can drastically increase the calories of a particular food. Consider, wherever possible, buying plain, unsweetened products and then adding a little sugar, fruit or jam to sweeten it to taste, while you retain control of the amount you use.
Exploring alternatives to processed sugar, or simply reducing the amount of sugar, in recipes can also be beneficial. For example, the internet is full of recipes which replace some or all of the sugar in muffins or cookies with dried fruits, apple sauce or other healthier alternatives. The gluten-free, sugar-free muffins in this power breakfast are a great example:
There's some debate in the scientific literature about the health claims made for various natural sweeteners and alternatives too. It's true that some studies have shown health benefits from eating honey, and raw agave nectar has many of the minerals present in the agave plant. In general, I am a fan of eating foods in as unprocessed and natural a form as possible — it makes sense, after all, that we would thrive on the foods that we have co-evolved with. So in our house, we prefer honey, agave nectar or even just brown sugar compared to white sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.
Nevertheless, sugar is sugar as far as your body is concerned. In fact, honey and agave actually have more calories than table sugar — although you can often use less because of their sweet taste and strong flavor. The most important thing to remember is that all sugary foods have, until recently, been a high-priced luxury that none of our ancestors would have eaten in abundance. So we'd do well to adjust our diet to plan for and reduce the temptations caused by our naturally inherited cravings.
Yes, children have a sweet tooth because their bodies need more sugar weight-for-weight than adults. But none of us needs anywhere near the amount of sugar — and especially refined sugar — that we are confronted with today.
Jenni Grover MS RD LDN is a registered dietitian and co-founder of Realistic Nutrition Partners. She specializes in child, maternal and prenatal nutrition, with a focus on whole foods.
Related files on MNN:
- 24 smart uses for sugar
- 12 tips for kicking the refined sugar habit
- 8 surprising sources of refined sugar


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2012 Rain Forest Rescue Report
The world's tropical rain forests are the last havens for some of our rarest mammals and birds. They are also home to thousands of plant species with more being discovered every year. The rain forests are also home to indigenous people, such as the descendants of Maya and Aztec cultures that prevailed in the land for centuries.
The key to preserving these precious lands is in finding ways for residents to earn income while living in harmony with the forest. Thanks to Rain Forest Rescue donors, we can report on the successes of this approach in Central America's Maya Forest.
The Maya Forest stretches across Belize, northern Guatemala and much of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. This 13.3 million-acre tropical forest is as biologically rich as any place on earth. Jaguars, scarlet macaws, harpy eagles and howler monkeys thrive in this habitat and thousands of our summer song birds find respite there in the winter.
Much of this land is community-owned by the people that live there. In recent times, income became based on over-extracting the forest's most valuable trees such as mahogany and Spanish cedar trees. This unmanaged logging - usually conducted by outsiders - as well as the opening of land to farming and grazing, was destructive to the ecological systems of which wild creatures are a voiceless component.
With help from donations to Rain Forest Rescue, The Nature Conservancy and local conservation partners are now making it possible for residents to earn income from the forest without destroying it in the process.
Sustainable Forestry
Technical training in forestry, low-impact logging methods, and small-scale milling equipment is being provided to the residents of Bethania and Veinte de Noviembre. Now, instead of middle men taking the best and leaving the worst on the community's 87,000 acres, trees are carefully selected for sustainable harvests and local people process the logs onsite. The work is labor intensive, but damage to the land is minimized, employment is provided, finished products are sold at higher prices, and larger amounts of money remain in the local economy.
Other Compatible Uses
An array of other uses of the forest are the object of technical training and assistance made possible through Rain Forest Rescue. Here are four examples from the Maya Forest:
Save 2,500 square feet of rain forest today
Progress in Guatemala's Lake Atitlan Region Selective Logging has Benign Impacts Effectiveness of Conservation Efforts

subset: commoncrawl


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Philadelphia's Ruiz suspended
The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz has received a 25-game suspension without pay after testing positive for an Amphetamine in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
The suspension of Ruiz is effective at the start of the 2013 regular season. He will be eligible to participate in Spring Training, including in Spring Training games.


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Alex Glassey necesitaba un nuevo diseño de botón o icono y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 67 diseños de 23 diseñadores freelance.
Glassey Technologies Inc.
We build software products (browser and iPad) for businesses, not-for-profits and education. We are closely allied with our parent company, GlasseyStrategy, who advises organizations on business strategy. Our products are used across the English-speaking world.
We want to get an iPad icon created.
- we have a new iPad product called Stratpad
- businesses will use StratPad to record their strategic objectives and build a detailed plan, with appropriate metrics, to help them achieve this plan
- our customers who have used early versions of StratPad have called it "Transformative" and said it "Radically changed the way they think about their business".
- the icon needs to have these key elements:
1. the name of the product "StratPad" (mandatory)
2. an indicator of performance improvement. See the top right corner of our parent website, http://www.glasseystrategy.com for an example
3. the words "for Business" (we will have several versions of StratPad)
4. we want the icon to be simple, shiny-looking and memorable
5. perhaps there could be some kind of metal look to it.
6. see the attached very rough sample
7. perhaps the icon could/should have colours that match the GlasseyStrategy logo
Thank you!


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PromoMEDIA - advertising at the Right Time, Right Place and Right Price
The online world can be harsh at times, with free access to information and anonymous reviews. Help stabilize your business and allow us to take control of sticky situations.
We can shield your brand reputation, allowing it to be a positive one at all times. A poor reputation equals poor sales.
Maintaining a consistent and positive brand reputation can be the deciding factor between becoming a success or a failure. Let us help you achieve great success today.
At PromoMEDIA, we have a number of reputation management specialists offering services to help you create and maintain a positive impression of your company, service or product with your target market.
Our experts understand that every business is different and will require a different reputational management plan to meet their unique needs. We work closely with our clients to ensure that our services meet their requirements and that their company is presented in the way they are happy with and suits their individual business.
Our specialists at PromoMEDIA can help present your company in a positive light to your target audience, as well as managing any negative comments you may have had.
We have a number of different services which we can carry out to improve your business's reputation, so please do not hesitate to contact us for more details. One of our reputation management specialists will get back to you as soon as possible with more information on the services we provide and how we can help; simply fill in our contact form to talk to one of our team members.
Reputation management is the process of controlling a business's reputation and influencing how it is presented to others. It is essentially managing your brand in the eyes of the general public so that you are portrayed both favourably but accurately.
A good reputation management agency will be able to get the information you want people to see about your business in front of your target market. We can control what people see when searching for your business online, so they are seeing relevant information. This, in turn, means that we will improve your existing status whilst also subsequently increasing the number of people wanting to use your organisation or purchase your product.
Managing businesses reputations has become essential in recent years, especially with more people using the internet. With social media and online reviews it is easy to lower a good company's status due to one negative experience. Here at PromoMEDIA, we can prevent reputations from being negatively impacted by creating a crisis management plan so that you can deal with these situations effectively and successfully.
For example, if information about your organisation has got into the wrong hands or someone has engaged with your organisation in a negative way, we are able to help resolve the problems. Sometimes local competitors can even post misleading reviews which are not fair or accurate, this is another thing that we are able to deal with to reduce the effect on your brand.
Since reputational management is vital to a business, especially in this digital age, you will need to look for top companies to help you assist you.
Our experts at PromoMEDIA can help you maintain a good reputation whilst also attracting more clients to your site and therefore increasing enquires. If you have any questions or queries regarding managing your company's reputation, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our specialists today.
In today's society, it is important for all business to have social media accounts. These are a great way to appeal to a cross-section of society whilst keeping your existing friends and followers up to date with any news you may want to share.
Having social sites connected to your local business comes with a number of responsibilities and it is important to manage your social sites regularly so that you are current and up to date. At PromoMEDIA we carry out a number of services to manage your social accounts in order to create a positive reputation for your brand in and keep people engaged with you.
Managing social media can be tricky if users start to post negative feedback on your posts. It is important that you get these removed or more preferably you respond as soon as possible to ensure other users are not deterred because of these posts. Normally if a company responds to negative posts in a positive and professional way (resolving the issues a customer is facing) the majority of times this user will remove their negative comment and/or replace it with a positive one as you have acknowledged and tried to help them.
We can carry out reputational risk management to present your company in the way you desire. Our agency are experts closest to you when it comes to managing a company's reputation, which is why we have worked with a number of corporate and small businesses in your surrounding area.
For additional information on the reputational risk management services we provide, please fill in the enquiry form on this page. Once we receive your enquiry we will get back to you as soon as possible to help improve the way your organisation is presented online.
If you are looking at how to manage your business reputation online, we would recommend following these steps as a starting point:
These tips will help you maintain a positive repute for your business and brand. Our nearby experts are able to assist you when creating social accounts and posting content to ensure that you remain professional and appealing.
Check out our recent blog on the importance of brand reputation in marketing
Get in Touch
Get in touch using the contact form on this page and lets us advise you on improving the online presence of your brand. As with all the quotes at PromoMEDIA all quotes are free and no obligation. Our reputation management specialists covering will be able to set up a unique strategy for you. Tell us a little more about your company and let us see how we can help.


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Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
- Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs)
- Antioxidants ( Carotenoids , Green Tea , Milk Thistle , Oligomeric Proanthocyanidin Complexes (OPCs) , Selenium , Soy Isoflavones , Vitamin C , Vitamin E )
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
- Acupuncture
- Aloe
- Arnica
- Beta-carotene
- Calendula
- Chamomile
- Coriander Oil
- DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
- Dead Sea Minerals
- Glucosamine
- Gotu Kola
- "Growth Hormone Enhancers"
- IGF-1, IGF-2, TGF-A, and other growth factors
- Niacinamide
- Silicon
- Thuja
- Vitamin A
- Vitis vinifera
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution
- St. John's Wort
- Vitamin A (Among People Using Tretinoin)
The substances collagen and elastin give skin its firmness and elasticity. With age, though, the collagen and elastin content of the skin gradually decreases. As a result, the skin becomes looser, weaker, less elastic, and drier. In addition, the fat pads under the skin begin to disappear. Wrinkles form, and the skin begins to sag.
This gradual loss of structure has several causes: genetic programming (a built-in "clock" that causes aging), cumulative sun damage (photoaging), and direct chemical effects from cigarette smoking and/or abrasive chemicals. Sun damage additionally causes fine wrinkles that disappear when stretching the skin, surface roughness, mottled pigmentation, "liver" spots, and skin cancer.
In people who already have signs of aging skin and wish to reverse it, a number of treatments are available.
The drug tretinoin (retinoic acid, or Retin-A), a substance related to vitamin A , has been shown effective for reversing the fine wrinkles, splotchy pigmentation, and rough skin of sun damage.
The hormone estrogen is thought to help restore normal skin tone in menopausal women, but the evidence for this widely held belief remains weak.
More aggressive treatments for aging skin include injections of botulin toxin, dermabrasion, chemical peels, soft tissue augmentation, laser resurfacing, and GORE-TEX® threads. For detailed information on the relative merits and demerits of these methods, consult a dermatologist or plastic surgeon.
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
Two classes of natural treatments have shown promise in the treatment of aging skin: alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) and antioxidants. However, the evidence that they work remains incomplete, and AHAs can cause significant side effects.
Alpha-hydroxy Acids
Alpha-hydroxy acids, such as glycolic acid and lactic acid, are substances derived from fruit and dairy products. These are milder relatives of the substances used by dermatologists in chemical peels, which are designed to remove damaged layers of the skin. In recent years, cosmetic manufacturers have begun to add AHAs to numerous skin-care products.
Meaningful evidence in support of AHAs comes from one double-blind, placebo-controlled study reported in 1996. 1 This 22-week study enrolled 74 women with sun-damaged skin. Participants received either 8% glycolic acid, 8% L-lactic acid, or placebo cream, and applied it to the face and forearm. Although participants showed improvements in each of the three groups, superior results were achieved with each of the AHA creams than with the placebo cream.
Another double-blind study compared estrogen cream, glycolic acid cream, and their combination against placebo. 26 Both estrogen and glycolic acid improved skin aging.
AHAs are not always harmless. Possible side effects include burning, blistering, severe redness, swelling (especially in the area of the eyes), bleeding, rash, and increased sensitivity to the sun. 2 There are also concerns that AHAs may increase risk of skin cancer. For all these reasons, the FDA is currently investigating the use of AHAs in cosmetic products to determine whether they should be reclassified as drugs.
The ultraviolet light from the sun creates free radicals, naturally occurring substances that can harm many tissues of the body, including the skin. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals. On this basis, various antioxidants have been investigated for their potential usefulness in treating or preventing photoaging. (Note, however, the surprising results described at the end of this subsection.)
A small, 3-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found benefit with a cream containing 5% alpha-lipoic acid . 27 Use of this antioxidant substance improved several measures of aging skin as compared to placebo, especially skin roughness. Benefits have also been seen in preliminary studies with a cream containing vitamin C . 3,4
In a small double-blind study, use of mixed antioxidants ( lycopene , beta-carotene , vitamin E , and selenium ) for 12 weeks improved skin roughness and scaling. 36
Oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs) made from grape seed or pine bark are widely marketed for the treatment of aging skin. These substances, closely related to bioflavonoids , have antioxidant properties and might also protect and strengthen collagen and elastin. 5-10 These effects provide theoretical reasons to believe that OPCs might be helpful for the treatment of aging skin. However, despite widespread marketing, no properly designed studies have been reported to indicate that OPCs really provide any benefit.
In an 8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 40 women who already had sun-damaged skin, combined use of oral green tea and a topical green tea cream failed to prove more effective than placebo in improving the condition of sun-damaged skin. 29 Some possible benefits were seen in microscopic evaluation of skin condition.
Antioxidant substances have also been studied as aids to preventing sun damage.
Studies on laboratory animals found that topical vitamin C and vitamin E helped prevent burning on exposure to ultraviolet light. 11-14
One small, double-blind study found that 2 g of vitamin C and 1,000 IU of vitamin E taken orally for 8 days resulted in a modest decrease of "sunburn" induced by ultraviolet light. 15 In addition, a 50-day, placebo-controlled study of 40 people found that higher doses of these vitamins provided a sun protection factor of about 2. 16 (Compare this to the sun protection factor of 15 or higher in many sunscreens.) It appears that these vitamins must be taken together for best effect; when used alone they do not appear to work. 16,17,40
Oral use of beta-carotene , lycopene , and other carotenoids has shown preventive effects in some but not all studies. 25,30-31 Benefits have also been seen with mixtures of various antioxidants taken together (vitamin E, zeoxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene, and others). 32-33
Oral vitamin A has shown some promise for preventing skin cancer in people at risk for it, but the doses used in studies were quite high, considerably above current recommendations for the maximum safe dose. 28 ( Note: Do not use vitamin A along with the drug tretinoin. See Safety Issues .)
Topical vitamin A may be helpful for treatment of aging skin. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that a 0.4% vitamin A lotion applied three times a week significantly reduced the number of "fine" wrinkles in seniors. 42 Benefits were also seen in terms of some biochemical measures of skin health.
Because these antioxidants work in an entirely different manner from standard sunscreen, it appears reasonable to believe that they might offer a synergistic effect if taken with sunscreen. However, this hypothesis has not been studied.
Other substances with antioxidant actions that have shown some promise for treating or preventing aging skin include cocoa , 39Vitis vinifera extract, 43milk thistle , 21 and zinc . 21 However, the supporting evidence that use of these substances (taken either orally or topically) offers any benefit for the skin remains far too preliminary to be relied upon at all.
Note : Any discussion of the potential benefits of antioxidants for preventing cancer must include the startling finding of a large study that tested the effect of mixed antioxidants. This trial, enrolling 7,876 women and 5,141 men, evaluated the potential benefits of a combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, selenium, and zinc for preventing cancer. According to results published in 2007, no benefits were seen among male participants, but among women, skin cancer rates actually appeared to increase . 44 The cause of these findings remains unclear.
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
In a double-blind study of 50 women with signs of aging skin, use of topical niacinamide cream significantly improved skin appearance and elasticity as compared to placebo cream. 34
A study published in 2007 tested a purified soy isoflavone product (technically, isoflavone aglycones) for treatment of aging skin . 41 In this double-blind trial, 26 Japanese women in their late 30s and early 40s were either given placebo or 40 mg daily of soy isoflavone aglycones for 12 weeks. Researchers monitored two types of wrinkles near the eye: "fine" wrinkles and "linear" wrinkles. The results indicated that use of the soy product significantly reduced "fine" wrinkles as compared to placebo. (Effects on "linear" wrinkles were not significant.) As a secondary measure, researchers also analyzed skin elasticity, and found an improvement in the women given the isoflavones as compared to those given placebo.
An unusual soy extract containing soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) and Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor (BBI) has also shown promise for aging skin. 45 Sixty-five women with moderate skin damage from the sun either received soybean extract or placebo cream for 12 weeks. Compared to the women in the placebo group, treated women showed an improvement in mottled pigmentation, blotchiness, dullness, fine lines, as well as an overall enhancement of texture, skin tone, and appearance.
The substance glucosamine is widely used for osteoarthritis in part because it seems to help collagen regenerate. For this reason, it has been advocated as a treatment for aging skin. However, the only evidence that it works comes from one poorly designed study. In this single-blind trial , 72 women with symptoms of aging skin were divided into two unequal groups: a small group that received no treatment, and a much larger one that received a proprietary mixture of glucosamine, amino acids, and minerals. 22 The results indicated greater improvement in the treated group as compared to the untreated group. However, because this was not a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the results cannot be taken as reliable.
The mineral silicon has also been proposed as a treatment for aging skin. In the one potentially meaningful published study, 50 women with sun-damaged skin were given either 10 mg silicon daily (as orthosilicic acid) or placebo for 20 weeks. 35 Measurements of skin roughness and elasticity showed improvement in the silicon group as compared to the placebo group. However, this study, performed by the manufacturer of a silicon product, leaves much to be desired in design and reporting.
A proprietary dietary supplement containing soy , fish protein polysaccharides, white tea extract, and many other ingredients has also shown promise, according to a study performed by the manufacturer. 37
One study provides weak evidence that the substance DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) might be helpful for improving skin condition in seniors. 38
In a preliminary, double-blind blind study, coriander oil applied topically was more effective than a placebo cream at reducing redness due to UVB exposure. 46 This effect may or may not translate into long-term benefit for aging sun-damaged skin.
Numerous herbs and other natural products have been advocated for the treatment of aging skin, including aloe , arnica, calendula , chamomile , dead sea minerals, gotu kola , PABA , thuja, and vitamin A . Other products claim to contain biological substances called "growth factors"—with names such as IGF-1, IGF-2, TGF-A, TGF-B, EGF, and FGF—and go on to claim that these growth factors improve skin condition. Still others supposedly raise levels of human growth hormone in the body and, therefore, help produce youthful skin. However, there is no meaningful evidence that any of these treatments actually work.
So-called " acupuncture face lifts" are widely available for treating facial wrinkles. They involve a series of treatments in which fine needles are inserted into the face. However, there is no evidence to indicate this method produces any benefit.
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution
The herb St. John's wort contains a substance, hypericin, that increases the skin's sensitivity to the sun. 23,24 For this reason, it is possible that use of St. John's wort could accelerate sun damage of skin.
People using the drug tretinoin (Retin-A) should not take high doses of vitamin A , as each might increase the toxicity of the other.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO CAM Review Board
- Review Date: 12/2015 -
- Update Date: 12/15/2015 -


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You'll be able to select the elegant trendy master floating sink cupboards bathroom with heat colours or cool blue bathroom enhanced with compact floating sink shelf. Select the colors that you simply wish to design the bathroom. In case you choose the sink and cupboard underneath, they're commonly thought of as mandatory elements of every bathroom. Bathroom.
72 Bathroom Vanity Design
Contemporary Floating Sink Cupboards within the Bathroom
Wednesday, April 05th 2017, 14:12:56 PM|


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Penguins Sign Forward Kasperi Kapanen to a 3-year Entry Level Contractby Staff Writer / Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed 2014 first round draft pick Kasperi Kapanen to a three-year entry-level contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford.
The contract will begin when Kapanen turns professional.
Kapanen, a 17-year-old forward, was the Penguins 22nd overall selection in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft. He was the No. 1-rated European skater by NHL Central Scouting after finishing with seven goals, seven assists and 14 points in 47 games for KalPa in Finland's top professional league.
Kapanen made his Finnish League debut with KalPa at just 16 years old in 2012-13 where he posted 4 goals in 13 games.
Kapanen is the son of long-time NHL player Sami Kapanen, who had 458 career points in 831 NHL regular-season games. The two Kapanens were teammates this year with KalPa.
Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford drafted Kasperi's father, Sami, in the fourth round (87th overall) in the 1995 NHL Draft when he was the GM of the Hartford Whalers.
Kapanen was ranked as the 10th-overall prospect by The Hockey News; 13th-overall by International Scouting Services; and 18th-overall by McKeen's Hockey.
The 6-foot, 180-pound Kapanen has starred internationally many times for Finland, scoring five goals at the 2013 World Under-18 Championships, including the game-winning marker in the bronze-medal game.
The native of Kuopio, Finland served as an alternate captain at the 2013 World Under-17 Challenge where he led Finland in scoring with nine points (3G-6A).
Kapanen was also selected to play for Finland at the 2014 World Junior Championship, but he was unable to suit up due to injury. Finland went on to win the gold medal.
Kasperi Kapanen's grandfather, Hannu Kapanen, was a forward for five seasons with Jokerit and HIFK of the Finnish Elite League, and also played for Finland at the 1976 Canada Cup and 1976 Olympics.


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Perez delivers clutch double, seals win for Royals
Chen's stellar outing nearly spoiled when Davis gives up two in eighth
KANSAS CITY -- When Salvador Perez comes to bat in a crucial situation, it's generally a good thing for the Royals.
"He's a clutch player," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "The best definition of a clutch player is a guy that can rise to the occasion without raising his emotions. ... He stays steady and makes things happen."
That's exactly what Perez did Saturday, drilling a two-out double down the left-field line to score Alex Gordon in the eighth inning with the deciding run in a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.
That second straight win over the White Sox got the Royals' young season even with a 2-2 record against American League Central foes. They lost their first two games at Detroit.
Other winning touches were provided by left-hander Bruce Chen, who was strong into the seventh inning; Billy Butler, who knocked in two runs, and right fielder Nori Aoki, who made a game-saving catch.
"That was a tremendous play, to save that game from being cracked open right there," Yost said.
The White Sox had just gained a 3-3 tie in the top of the eighth with two runs against reliever Wade Davis. With two on and two out, Aoki ran down Alexei Ramirez's line drive as he sprinted toward the fence.
"I knew in that situation we couldn't give up any more runs there so for me personally, that was the play I was most happy with today," Aoki said. "I was just focused there and I felt like I got a good jump. The sun was kind of in my eyes but I thought I had it all the way."
With the tie preserved, the Royals appeared to be going nowhere in their half against left-hander Scott Downs. Eric Hosmer struck out and, after Butler walked, pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson was thrown out stealing.
Then Gordon had two strikes on him.
"Two strikes against a tough lefty like that and I've been trying to work on my two-strike approach and really make something happen -- and that's what happened," Gordon said. "So tough lefty and just able to get a good swing on it."
Gordon put a double into right-center field and arrived at the bag, clapping with anticipation as Perez stalked to the plate.
"He's usually doing damage so I was ready to get moving because I knew in that kind of situation, he's going to come through and I was going to do everything I can to get to home plate," Gordon said. "So I was ready to go."
Downs was replaced by right-hander Maikel Cleto, who had been in Spring Training briefly with the Royals. So briefly that Perez didn't know much about him.
"I'd never seen Cleto before so he threw me a fastball at like 97 [mph], that's what the scoreboard said," Perez said, recalling strike one. "So then he threw me a slider, a little bit off to the side, and I saw it pretty good."
The ball rolled deep into the left-field corner while Gordon sprinted to the plate to break the tie. Perez got to third on a passed ball but was stranded there. That left the one-run lead and the ninth inning to closer Greg Holland. He created some anxiety by issuing a leadoff walk followed by a stolen base but the crisis evaporated with two strikeouts and a grounder.
"You never want to put the tying run on," Holland said. "Unfortunately it happens from time to time."
Earlier the bright, sunny afternoon was going well for the Royals and the biased, blue-tinged crowd of 21,463.
Chen was very solid, going into the seventh inning with just one unearned run against him. Meantime the Royals had scored three runs against lefty John Danks, who'd come into the game with a 6-0 record against them.
However, what loomed as a very large fourth inning shrank into a modest two-run event for the Royals.
"When we've got the bases loaded and one out there, we want to punch runs across," Butler said. "They're easy ones."
Or not, as it turned out.
Danks gave up three successive singles to Omar Infante, Hosmer and Butler, pushing one run home with nobody out. Gordon dropped a single into right field, just in front of diving right fielder Dayan Viciedo.
But Hosmer feared a catch, hesitated between second and third and then had what he called a miscommunication with the team's new third-base coach, Dale Sveum. Rounding third base, Hosmer got hung up and was tagged out in a rundown.
"My first peek, I saw his hand and saw him point so I figured the ball got away from somebody or something like that and I just saw the hand and went," Hosmer said. "It wasn't the right thing to do."
So that was one out. Danks proceeded to walk both Perez and Mike Moustakas to force in a second run. But that was it because he then struck out both Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar.
The Royals added a run in the fifth on Aoki's double, his stolen base and Butler's sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead And, in the last two innings, things shook out in the home team's favor.
"It was a big one for our team," Hosmer said. "There are not many games where our bullpen's going to blow a lead like that, so for the offense to respond like that and all with two outs, that's a huge win."


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Age 5
Mom's going to let me stay up till midnight! I'm sooooo exciizzzzzzzzzz.
Age 6
I'm definitely staying up this yeazzzzzzzz.
Age 7
Made it till midnight! Dad gave us giant spoons to bang on pots and pans, this is awesome! Mom looks PISSED.
Age 9
Age 13
Kourtney's dad left his bottle of sherry open in the kitchen. Should we take a little? Ew, this is gross. Put some apple juice in it? Oh, this is kind of good. Am I drunk?
Age 15
We're so lucky Jesse's mom left him home alone on New Year's! And Kourtney got this six-pack of Smirnoff Ice for us to share with Leah, which is awesome. I'm definitely drunk.
Age 16
You're supposed to kiss someone at midnight? That's so unfair for people who don't have boyfriends. I'll just kiss Kourtney.
Age 17
I'm soooo in love with Billy I can't wait to make out with him at midnight.
Age 18
First NYE back home with my high school bitches! I'm glad I get to spend it with Billy; long-distance relationships are sooo haaard.
Age 19
Ew, that asshole Billy is at this party. I'm not going near him.
Age 19.001
Ugh, why did I make out with Billy at midnight?
Age 21
I'm so glad we can go to bars on New Year's now! I bet the crowd will be amazing. I could meet my future husband at this bar, you never know! House parties are so lame.
Age 22
The package for New Year's at the bar costs how much?! That's like half my paycheck! But all my college friends live here now so I'm sure it will be so fun I won't notice!
Age 22.001
Did I seriously just pay $200 to spend 20 minutes waiting for each of my drinks and an hour to get my coat?
Age 25
Forget it, I'm not doing anything for New Year's, it's so stupid. I'm staying home and watching Netflix. Seriously. OK, fine, I'll go to that dive bar with you. Wait, is that Billy? I'm never going out on New Year's again.
Age 27
Now that my apartment isn't the size of a shoebox, I'm going to have a fancy dinner and dancing party for New Year's. House parties are the best.
Age 29
Shouldn't the baby at this party be asleep?
Age 33
I may be spending New Year's in pajamas on my couch, but I'm totally staying up till midnzzzzzzz.
Follow Alie on Twitter.
Photo Credit: NBC


text:
Update! As of today, 1/18/12, these bags are all that are left. I have a few more emails to answer to people who have contacted me about scraps, so if you haven't heard back from me, I'll be in touch ASAP. Thank you for all of your interest!
I have way too many scraps. I've used a lot, but I'm at the point where I'm ready for other people to use them. As I've been working on redecorating and decluttering my studio, I've found even more! So, I thought I'd offer them up for sale to you. Each bag is $5 plus $5 shipping, for US buyers. If you live outside of the US, please email me first so I can estimate shipping for you.
All of the scraps are in 1-gallon zip lock bags, and they are stuffed to the brim! All of the fabric is designer prints, and a bit of solids, all woven cottons with some home dec weight as well. There is a lot of Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, Joel Dewberry, Sandi Henderson, Michael Miller, Riley Blake, and more! I've taken photos of the fronts and backs all of the bags that I have available, and I've numbered them as well. So, if you see a bag that you'd like to have, send me an email at olive_and_ollie at yahoo dot com and it's yours!
These scraps would be perfect for any type of patchwork projects. Happy shopping!


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Lawton Man Chasing $20 Gets Stuck in Storm Drain for 2 Days
How far would you go to recover a $20 that you dropped? A Lawton Oklahoma man was stuck in an underground storm drain for 2 days after he chased a $20 bill that he dropped.
Two Lawton students were walking through the intersection of 6th and Arlington when they heard someone yelling for help. Thinking it was a friend they stopped to look around and then realized the yelling was coming from under a manhole cover in the street. They immediately stopped and dialed 911.
According to Lawton Police Department, he was crawling around in a 42" drainage pipe trying to find the $20 when he became lost and disoriented. He suffered bumps and bruises and was suffering from dehydration. Unfortunately, he did not find his $20.
I spoke with the city of Lawton to try to find out who the man was but no name was ever released. They believed the man to be homeless. They also advised that if you lose something valuable down a storm drain, do NOT go after it. Call the City of Lawton and they will assist you.
I received a call from a concerned listener asking how they could help and since we aren't sure who the man is, my suggestion was to make a donation to a charity that helps the homeless like The Salvation Army.
Source: KSWO


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Greenpeace activists join with PlanetStreet artists to unveil a 3D street painting at the World Fashion Centre in Amsterdam to mark the publication of "Dirty Laundry Reloaded" and raise awareness for the pollution caused by the fashion sector around the world. Greenpeace is calling on all fashion brands to "Detox" and eliminate all hazardous chemicals from their supply chain and products, and to respond to the urgency of the issue by setting clear and ambitious short-term deadlines for the elimination of the most toxic and hormone-disrupting substances.
© Greenpeace / Alex Yallop
very good for inscenisation going form antytocication!
2012-04-06 at 2:23
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Michael Markel founded his company way back in 1973, but the homebuilder is only now about to start putting his fingerprints on housing in Longmont.
Markel Homes started buying up lots in south Longmont's Prospect neighborhood last summer and is about to break ground on the first round of single-family houses and townhomes at the site.
"This house is sold, pre-sold, to a Longmont family," Markel said as he stood on the muddy lot that will be the site of the first home he builds in Prospect: a four-bedroom house, approximately 3,800 to 4,000 square feet — including the basement — that will have a three-car garage and a sizable enough lot that it could hold another smaller structure.
"We're not going to be building the carriage house, but it has the potential for a carriage house," Markel said.
Last August Markel bought 18 lots from Kiki Wallace, the original developer of the Prospect New Town neighborhood, which has won national recognition for its "new urbanism" design. On those 18 lots, Markel is building nine single-family homes, which will range from about $650,000 to $800,000, and nine townhomes, which will sell for approximately $550,000.
The townhomes themselves will be large — 2,250 square feet, Markel said — with three bedrooms and a loft. All the houses and townhomes will have a basement.
Markel, who lives on 73rd Street and has a Longmont mailing address, said he has always been attracted to Prospect's design, which is what compelled him to approach Wallace in the first place.
"Prospect has a real variety and a character mix and we're trying to continue that theme," said Markel, adding that is different than the way he usually approaches homebuilding.
"As a builder, I don't repeat too much the same design," he said. "Every project, large or small, I kind of wipe the decks clean."
Prospect, however, "sort of splits the theme between contemporary and traditional," which is what he wants to do with the homes he's building there.
"It can accomodate all different types of designs and actually makes it much more interesting (from a builder's standpoint)," Markel said.
Along with the 18 original lots Markel bought he's also under contract to purchase an additional 40 lots, on about 7 ½ acres, which he also has slated for a mix of single-family homes and townhomes.
"We want to have started all 18 of these and then we would start with the intrastructure on the next round in the next 8 to 10 months," he said.
Markel Homes' imprint on the Prospect neighborhood won't stop there. Markel also has plans — construction won't start until next summer at the earliest — on about 8 acres of vacant land on the northeast corner of the neighborhood where he intends to build a condominium development that will include a mix of for-sale units and rentals.
"Just the last couple of months I have signed an agreement with (Wallace) on the multi-family (site) — 150 to 200 units," Markel said.
Given the time it will take to move through the city process he doesn't expect construction to start on those until at least 14 to 18 months from now.
Markel also has two other future projects coming up in Longmont that he declined to talk about, but presumably they will be more in the style of the other communities he's built in Boulder, Niwot and Lafayette and Louisville. In Prospect, he said, his plan is to be "complementary" to the existing housing stock.
"I've been in conversations with Andres (Duany, considered by many the father of the new urbanism style) to help me work some of this out," Markel said.
Contact Times-Call staff writer Tony Kindelspire at 303-684-5291 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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*** The GE Field Engineering Program is 50 Years Old!***
Once you become a Turbine Cowboy, click open FEP Member's List here to find your page or search for other FEP grads who have registered. You can correspond with them directly via their email addresses in the right-side column! Find a long lost buddy or someone who still owes you rent $$$ from your FEP days in Schenectady! :-) Use the SEARCH tool at the top right to find old friends mentioned herein. Also, we suggest you use the NORMAL or LARGE text option at the top right for better viewing.
Please click on your individual HOME PAGE and provide a BRIEF BIO including your FEP Class Year, district office, field career years, current job and company, family and other items of interest. To do this click on "my folder", select view, then select edit. Delete what is in the box and type in your own BIO.
NOTICE: Turbine Cowboy has ABSOLUTELY NO affiliation with General Electric Company! The Big Bulb's crack staff of "website watchdogs" have threatened us, making us disavow any association with The General. As if there could be any doubt, TC.com is solely the innovation of two fun-loving, FEP grads (Dave Lucier & Charlie Pond) who want to share field engineering experiences with other so-called M&N; Flangeheads and E&E; Spark Chasers. We know that the lives of field engineers are far TOO WEIRD to be taken seriously!
Why was the Turbine Cowboy website created?
Turbine Cowboy was created to salute FEP-trained field engineers and their field work. Think of it as the FEP Yearbook we never had! We invite graduates of both mechanical & electrical Field Engineering Programs to visit the site and contribute their stories and photos. As you have experienced, when you get a few field engineers together, tall tales begin to flow (embellished, for sure). Laughs soon follow. Other listeners (like wives, girlfriends or both, if you have both) can't relate to the sick humor of our career. It always generates some STRANGE looks from them too!
The unique careers of field engineers need to be recorded for antiquity (and perhaps the FBI). Please upload any true stories, FEP class photos and other candid pictures. The site is R-rated, of course. After all, we are field engineers! However, site administrators might have to reject some X-Rated photos and edit some of the greasier stories (for the field language, not for content).
Turbine Cowboy is the brainchild of Dave Lucier and Charlie Pond. Most of the FEP grads of the late 1970s and early 1980s will likely remember us. For those who don't (or who have lost their memories), Dave started as a FEP grad (1968), instructor (1977-1980) and became the first FEP manager of the Mechanical Program (1980-1983). He managed entry-level steam & gas turbine training. Charlie was an FEP grad in (1978), who later became an instructor (1980-85). Both say that the most rewarding job they ever had was teaching at the FEDC.
This site is linked to the company we started: PAL Turbine Services, LLC. Please visit the PAL website: www.pondlucier.com and see what we've been up to since leaving The General. We currently have 15 FEP grads on the PAL staff and affiliates, with many other ex-GE guys and gals to provide services on GE turbines/generators. Three PAL staff engineers passed away recently: Raymond Duell, Robin Ashley and Charlie Pond.
Why the name Turbine Cowboy?
An FEP grad in the late-1970s named, Dennis Ledbetter, was also an accomplished country & western guitar player and singer. He wrote and recorded a C&W; song in 1981 called "TURBINE COWBOY" It was a 45-rpm disc (remember those?). Listen to Turbine Cowboy by Dennis Ledbetter
TURBINE COWBOY obviously plays on the popular John Travolta movie of that era: Urban Cowboy. We field engineers often look upon our careers (the work and travel) as if we are COWBOYS, roaming the world to work on TURBINES and generators.
Send an email to Dennis at email@example.com to purchase an autographed copy of his new CD "IF YOU DRIVE ME TO DRINKIN' (I'll buy the gas)." The CD includes a new version of The Turbine Cowboy.
Origins of the GE Mechanical Field Engineering Program (FEP) by Dave Lucier
In 1966, the Installation & Service Engineering (I&SE;) Division started the Field Engineering Program (FEP). There were actually two programs: Mechanical and Electrical. The goal was to train field engineers to work on the installation and maintenance of power generation and industrial products. These engineers would replace turbine erectors and generator specialists sent out from the factory to work on equipment.
The Mechanical-Nuclear FEP was first managed by Joe Markey, himself a former steam turbine erector. The training facility at the time (1966) was located in Building 28 on the 5th floor. This building was headquarters of the Switchboard Department and located near the railroad tracks on South Ave inside the Main Plant in Schenectady, NY. The program remained based there for about six years, until a new facility, called the Field Engineering Development Center (FEDC), was constructed in 1974 at 2690 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, NY. Markey remained the program manager when it moved to Niskayuna. The new faciltiy was tucked away back from Balltown Road and was also called Building 600.
In the mid-1970s, the FEP staff grew considerably under Markey. Dave Lucier, an instructor hired in 1977, was promoted to be the first FEP manager for the mechanical program in 1980, still under Markey. Dave's responsibilities included entry-level, field engineering training on both gas and steam turbines. NOTE: The Nuclear FEP was shifted to San Jose, CA a year before.
The Mechanical FEP program was expanded to 18 weeks including:
- 1 week Orientation
- 4 weeks Mechanical Principles
- 2 weeks Electrical Fundamentals
- 5 weeks Gas Turbine Technology
- 5 weeks Steam Turbine Technology
In 1979, the FEDC building was expanded, allowing the Electrical & Electrical FEP to move into the new wing. This also freed up the mechanical lab to allow more turbine hardware. There were several steam turbines in the lab already. A marine TG set came in 1980, and in 1984, the FEDC got its first gas turbine. It was a 1962-era MS5001D purchased (purchased for scrap) from Delmarva Power & Light in Dover, Delaware.
The mechanical lab area had several supervisors over the years. All were ex-GE field engineers including Andy Tomko, Don Simmons, Dave Couse & Dave Smith. The lab grew in activities and importance to the FEP. Many "hands on" work stations were developed to train the FEP members with real-world experiences. Peter Morley and Paul Matula were lab tecnicians during this era.
The Advanced Technical Training (ATT) programs were managed by Hal Parker, a former steam turbine start-up engineer. Often referred to as Level II training, field engineers were brought back to the FEDC for higher-level training, including such one-week schools as: steam and gas turbine maintenance and Speedtronic, MHC and EHC controls. Also, courses for the Gas and Steam Turbine Start-up Programs were taught at the FEDC.
Under Markey in the 1980s, the staff grew to 31 individuals, including 18 instructors, two managers, a lab supervisor, several lab assistants, and three secretaries. Ann Fossella was the FEP coordinator and the late Anne Nagy was the secretary (and second mother to many FEPs). This FEP team trained approximately 1000 FEP grads during a seven-year period from 1976 to 1983. To identify some of the instructors during the "FEP Hey Day," there were: Ralph McCreadie, Bob Morris and Walter Wintergerst. In mid-1970s, Doug Lemmo, Barry Knickerbocker, Hal Parker, Andy Tomko and Dave Lucier were hired. Around 1980, the staff grew significantly when Peter Runyon, Dave Smith, Dave Couse, Al Shuman, John Mitchell, Charlie Pond, Rick O'Reilly, Lee Wilkerson, Terry Hutson, Joe Armstrong and Chuck Henry joined the staff. In mid-1980s, people like Dean Slack, Denise Palumbo and Reiner Schumacher replaced some of the earlier staffers when they moved on to other jobs. (I'm sure I missed several names. Please forgive me.)
The Level II staff during the early 1980s was managed by Hal Parker and included: Marc Eggenberger, Dick Abel, Rick Reffitt, Dietmar Breitkreuz, Frank Scovello, Dave Nilsen & Louise Halle (O'Reilly). They also participated significantly in training FEP classes in support of entry-level staff. The mechanical lab, with old turbines in the high bay and the hydraulics lab, were a vital part of the "hands on" training of the FEP. The labs filled the void for most FEPs who were deficient in their "how to" knowledge. Andy Tomko often reminded the guys with the motto: "To measure is to know," quoting Lord Kelvin.
Markey retired in 1986. He was succeeded by Louise (Halle) O'Reilly. From 1990-94, the slot was filled by John Vanderhoef, himself a FEP grad. The likes of Pete Oehman, Hugh Miles & Matt Chamberlin continued the string into the turn of the century.
In 1982, the name of the building was changed to Training & Development Center. Much to the chagrin of FEP grads over the years, the words "Field Engineering" were noticeably dropped from the Center's name. This change was done because other training (human resources stuff) was now being done in the facility, and GE Management wanted a more inclusive name. The FEDC no longer existed. A sad day for field engineers.
Around the year 2000, the facility became known as the Power Systems University. To many, this seemed an absurd name change, since no accredited degrees were granted to graduates of any of the programs. In the late 1970s, however, the FEP applied for accreditation from NY State. The FEP was evaluated and 16 undergraduate college credits were allowed for some engineering-degree programs, primarily because of the mechanical and electrical lab sessions and the written testing that was done during the FEP. We recall, that Frank Scovello is the only FEP grad (former steam turbine instructor) who has ever applied for college credits.
If you drive by the FEDC today (hmmmm. FEDC? Habits are hard to break!), you'll only see a sign that reads: 2690 Balltown Road. There is no reference to training at all. I guess this is a consequence of the terror of 9/11 and the current security mentality. Got to keep those FEP members from danger. Of course, the job itself of working on turbines hasn't gotten any safer for GE field engineers, as we observe. We ask, "Anyone want to install a turbine in the Middle East these days?"
According to the late Denise Palumbo, the current name of the building is the Energy Learning Center. I guess every time GE changes its image, they have to change the name of its training center!
In closing, the Field Engineering Program (FEP) began in 1966 and has enjoyed a 50-year lifespan, so far. The FEDC name is no more. However, we want to honor the nearly five decades of the program coming up soon in the year 2016. Let's hope the FEP survives many more years. In recent years, the facility on Balltown Road closed and the FEP moved its training center to Houston, Texas.
Enjoy the website www.turbinecowboy.com!
Later, please visit www.pondlucier.com
Last modified Friday, Feb-10-2017 04:04 PM
Johnny Turner
Does anyone else remember why Johnny wore his belt buckle on the side instead of centered? Email me your answers.
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Walter H. Wintergerst
Charlie remembers meeting Walter at the FEDC in the mid-1970s. We believe he still lives in Schenectady, NY.
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Joseph H. Markey (FEP Mechanical Manager, 1966-1986)
Joe was initially a steam turbine erector. We believe he worked out of the Chicago office (?). His photo appears in the **FEP 1977 and 1979 Instructional Staff** photos herein. Also, he was reunited with other retired field engineers and managers shown in the section herein entitled: **GE Field Engineering Program - The First Hundred Years.**
There is a story he once told to the FEP staff: He owned an aluminum-bodied vehicle back in the early 1940s. We were told that one day early during World War II, Joe drove his old vehicle to the junk yard and threw the keys to the proprietor. The government needed all the aluminum it could get at the time. Joe enlisted in the military soon thereafter and served in WW-II. Perhaps his ride became a fighter plane!
Another story: Joe used to like to cross-country ski. He often skiied to work after the FEDC opened in Niskayuna (circa 1974). He lived on Morrow Ave in Niskayuna and took the back woods to River Road (dodging traffic going to/from the GE Research & Development Cemter). It is a wide road, so we suspect Joe had to remove his slippery boards on most days to hustle across the street.
**Recollections of Dave Lucier & Charlie Pond**
Ralph McCreadie, Mr. CRI
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Origins of the EE FEP by Phil May
* Digital Systems
* Drive Systems (Speed Variator and Directomatic ll)
*AC machines
I'm sure there was other material, which I can't remember. Dave Plumer was one of the prime in-house instructors. Most of the instructors were borrowed from the field and product departments. Some of the product department training was by way of field trips from Schenectady to:
- Erie
- Philadelphia
- Pittsfield
- Roanoke
Other training was through field assignments and product department (PD) assignments. This varied by individual, field needs, and PD assignments available. In 1969, Hody transferred to Salem and took over as product service manager and **Phil May** came from the Baton Rouge office to take over as FEP- EE manager. Virginia Guido, Irene Hayes and Linda Albright were secretaries at the time to handle mechanical and elecrical programs.
Lab work was very limited at this time. The course material was being controlled by others, so we decided we needed in-house course preparation and presentation. We began hiring in house instructors. Over the years there were many instructors including: Rick Chase, Larry Richter, Jim Lyons, Tom Maclaughlin, Pete Gamwell, John Marshall, Wally Dunn, Chris Weathers, Tim Kondek and Steve Herholtz (please forgive me I know I forgotten some, I'm sorry brain decay).
The EE-FEP program member numbers of electrical and mechanical engineers grown so that Phil May and **Joe Markey** needed help controlling their movement. That's when we hired Ann Fossella to help out. We also brought in Lori from finance to help audit expenses. We acquired lab equipment from wherever we could beg, borrow or steal. A customer had an abandoned mill around Lake Champlain and donated some of the old equipment. Joe got the steam turbine and I got the switchgear. We used program engineers to dismantle the plant and put in storage along with other equipment we "acquired". Motors were purchased for scrap prices and some donated by Erie. Walt Adams, manager of product service in Philadelphia, was a big help in obtaining equipment. We absconded with a motor generator set from the 6th floor of Building 28. It was used in testing turret and guns for planes built for WW2.
We designed and built much of our own training aids as well as clean, refurbished and redesigned much of the equipment to meet our needs. I'll take the 5th on the rest.
The idea for a new facility (which came to be know as the **Field Engineering Development Center**), concept came up in 1972. With all the planning, architectural design, construction, etc we moved in to bare walls in 1973. The only thing installed in the labs during construction was cable trays overhead. All the lab equipment including conduit, wiring, etc. was installed by instructors and program engineers.
We had a problem with construction electricians still working on site. Electricians love GE Diaries. I distributed a few and convinced them that these were training exercises. I also asked them to keep an eye on the guys so they didn't get hurt. They bought it and reported only a couple of things to warn the men about. No one got hurt and no strike!
Joe Markey and Phil May assumed the titles of Manager Internal Technical Training (MN – EE) respectively. The new **FEDC** was dedicated in 1974. The program was changed to include an orientation. We combined the two programs together for this period. This consisted of physicals exams, GE history, signing up for employee benefits, legal, and other non-technical material.
The EE program was scheduled for 9 weeks at the **Center** and 9 weeks field assignments at the end of 9 weeks the two groups were alternated. The FEPs were divided into groups of 24, since that was optimum class size. There were times when there were so many recruited we ran two groups simultaneously effectively doubling the workload on the instructors. Talk about dedication! Daily classes were ½ lecture and ½ lab where possible.
There are many great memories of those days and I would like to thank everyone who worked with me including the ones I forgot to mention. I had the best staff anyone would love to have. Their dedication was unbelievable. Much of the work in putting together the program by the instructors was done after hours on their own time. They also made themselves available after hours to anyone who needed help or wanted to spend more time in the lab.
Phil May transferred to the Dallas office as area manager at the end of 1978. **Rick Chase** was appointed to the title of Manager Internal Technical Training EE. There was to be an addition added to the building (circa 1980) to include computer training.
Replies to this comment
Fred Thompson reports
John was a talented steam and gas turbine field engineer who was well liked by customers.
Our families became aquanited when John and I were working out of the Rome office in the late 1960's when Bob Knorr was the manager there. Later on John was in a supervisor's position in the Bahrain field engineer office before retiring.
John was 92 years of age and he and Noreen were married 66 years.
Noreen's address is:
7, Eucalyptus Court, Capalaba-4157, Queensland, Australia.
Death of a Field Engineer & FEP Instructor
Denise J. Palumbo, 62, at rest Wednesday February 13, 2013. Denise was born in Schenectady, and lived most of her life in Rotterdam. She was a graduate of Mohonasen High School and Oswego College.
She was employed by General Electric Power Turbine Division for 29 years, retiring as a technical instructor. Denise was a member of the Adirondack Triumph Association and the Hudson Mohawk Weavers Guild. Her favorite hobby was restoring, driving and collecting vintage British cars. Denise is the beloved daughter of Marie Palumbo and the late Stephen Palumbo; she is also survived by her beloved life partner, Bernadine Peterson; beloved son, Stephen Palumbo; beloved sister, Joanne M. (Rich) Reynolds- Wagner; and a nephew, John Reynolds. Denise is also survived by aunts, an uncle and cousins.
Calling hours will be held Sunday, February 17 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the DeMarco-Stone Funeral Home, 1605 Helderberg Avenue, Rotterdam. All are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial to be held Monday, 11 a.m. at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, 812 Union St., Schenectady. Those in attendance may follow in procession to Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Niskayuna, where Denise will be buried.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Denise's name to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 5 Computer Drive West, Suite 100, Albany, NY 12205


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Insisting that Guantanamo Bay has become a recruitment tool for future terrorists and must be closed, CNN's Christiane Amanpour arrogantly scoffed at opinions to the contrary on Wednesday's special edition of Anderson Cooper 360.
Amanpour knocked Rudy Giuliani's concern of "I can't imagine where you would put these people," by jeering, "Come on." Later on, when The Blaze TV anchor Amy Holmes argued that "Jihadists have a laundry list of resentments against the West" and that the Guantanamo hunger strikes are not their prime motives for attacking the U.S., Amanpour condescended, "Oh no, we're just talking facts here now, Amy."
Amanpour compared the hunger strikes at Guantanamo with the IRA hunger strikes against the British and argued they would act as a recruiting tool for future terrorists: "It is general consensus among those who study the Northern Ireland issue that the Good Friday agreement might have happened earlier, but for the anger and the recruiting tool that these hunger strikes and the way it was dealt with proceeded."
Both Holmes and Giuliani contested that. "I don't think our authorities are sending out pictures of this," Holmes said of the hunger strikes.
Giuliani blamed radical Islam: "I do not believe it's a recruiting tool at all. The reality is, this comes out of a perverted interpretation of the Islamic religion that is very, very commanding in the minds of these people. This is why they're doing it; that's what jihad is all about."
Nonetheless, Amanpour lamented that some detainees are being held at Guantanamo without trial. She relayed the liberal argument that President Obama should close the detention center even though Congress has passed a law forbidding it.
"Maybe they don't want to roll the dice. But the – even this week, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee has written a letter to the National Security chief and has said, it is time to use executive branch authority to close down part of it and to have a review and to transfer the 86 detainees who have been cleared for transfer," she argued.
Below is a transcript of the segment, which aired on May 1 on Anderson Cooper 360 at 10:31 p.m. EDT:
ANDERSON COOPER: Welcome back. About half of the 166 detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility are participating in a hunger strike over complaints about how they're being treated. President Obama says the facility should be closed and that Congress wouldn't let that happen, but he promised to revisit the issue. Here's what the President said at the White House yesterday.
(Video Clip)
BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States: I think it is critical for us to understand that Guantanamo is not necessary to keep America safe. It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing. It lessens cooperation with our allies on counter-terrorism efforts. It is a recruitment tool for extremists. It needs to be closed.
(End Video Clip)
COOPER: He also said that, of course, during his re-election campaign. And it hasn't happened so far.
ANTHONY BOURDAIN: I'd sure like to see him make a more forceful case here. A little more lurid language –
AMANPOUR: And it's really bad. I mean, yesterday he also said, "I don't want these individuals to die." And to that end, there are some 25 and counting prisoners on hunger strike who have been designated force – to be force fed.
COOPER: He said only half are on strike. It's actually about 100.
AMANPOUR: It is more than that, but 25 or so of those are being force fed. And the way it was described to me by lawyers and by medical ethicists today is that they are strapped down to a chair, forcibly strapped down by personnel in riot gear, on occasion. That they are then, with a nose up their – the tube up their nose down their throat, into their stomach. It's apparently really agonizingly painful. It takes two hours to pump down the food supplement.
And I spoke to a doctor today, whose, as you know, doctors should do no harm. But he also said we should also respect the rights of these people. They are lucid; they're conscious, and they don't have to take this.
TOOBIN: Rudy, what do you think we should do about Guantanamo?
GIULIANI: Well, I don't think we should close it. I can't imagine where you would put these people –
AMANPOUR: Come on.
GIULIANI: I can't imagine where you could put these people that wouldn't endanger the community in which they were put. I certainly wouldn't want them in or around New York. I think there has to be an option. In this kind of war that we're in, we're not -- we're not in a war with a state. We're in a war with an ideology. These people are vicious, horrible terrorists. Look at the people we've released there. A significant number of them have been released, and then engaged in killing Americans after –
AMANPOUR: They haven't been charged, they haven't been tried.
TOOBIN: You say they're vicious killers. But you know, certainly, some of them will be tried under military tribunals, and they will be proven to be vicious killers. But what about that significant group of people – and it is a significant number – who we describe as vicious killers but we don't have enough evidence to try them? Do we just keep them there forever with no charges?
GIULIANI: Well, then you have to accept that during a time of war. If we had a group of Nazis during the Second World War, we wouldn't be – we wouldn't be worried about, are we going to try them, how are we going to try them, what kind of evidence do we have?
COOPER: But we did ultimately try the Nazis.
GIULIANI: Well, we did try some. We didn't try others. We held them in -- we held them in camps, didn't we?
AMANPOUR: By the logic of the War on Terror, it's a never-ending war. By the logic of the War on Terror, this is a never-ending war. These people have not been charged.
AMY HOLMES, "Real News": President Obama can't release them.
AMANPOUR: Some of them can't even be tried because they're tortured.
HOLMES: We're not talking about angels here. If even President Obama will not release these folks – we have 86 cleared for release. No country will take them.
AMANPOUR: Well, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee has –
HOLMES: Add to that a recidivism rate of 16 to 27 percent. And particularly after the Boston bombing, I don't think anybody wants to roll the dice.
AMANPOUR: Maybe they don't want to roll the dice. But the – even this week, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee has written a letter to the National Security chief and has said, it is time to use executive branch authority to close down part of it and to have a review and to transfer the 86 detainees who have been cleared for transfer.
TOOBIN: Let's be clear, too, that it is not up to President Obama to close Guantanamo at this point. As a result of the failed effort to prosecute Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City, Congress passed a law forbidding the closure of Guantanamo. So even if Obama wanted to, which he clearly does, he doesn't have the legal authority to close it.
HOLMES: The first civilian trial of a detainee was an absolute debacle. He was acquitted on more than 280 charges, only charged in one in the civilian court. I think that the administration looks at that, and again, do you really want to try these people in a civilian court if they're going to be acquitted?
AMANPOUR: Guys, there are so many who have actually come and been convicted and were serving life sentences. Much more have actually paid the price. Been convicted. Life in prison.
HOLMES: The shoe bomber, the underwear bomber, they pled guilty.
AMANPOUR: The Times Square, the al-Shabab guy. All the others who have been tried have gone to life sentence.
COOPER: Mr. Mayor, what about bringing them to super max facilities? I mean, super max prisons?
BOURDAIN: Why no confidence in super max?
GIULIANI: Why should – why should we have that burden in the United States? I mean, it makes no sense. And I'm not sure the state in which those facilities are located would want them. Look, foreign countries don't want them. Why would we want them? I mean, the reality is, these are exceedingly –
AMANPOUR: The president of Yemen wants them back.
GIULIANI: If I can finish –
BOURDAIN: I think the answer to that is regardless of the –
COOPER: Let him finish.
GIULIANI: These are exceedingly dangerous people. The war is still going on. Christiane says, well, it will never end. But it will end when they stop attacking us. We're not in control of this. This is really not our war on them. Boston showed, it's their war on us. So the reality is, this facility has worked to keep us safe. There are no other alternatives. Bush and Obama have both tried other alternatives, tried to get countries to take them, states to take them. Nobody wants them.
COOPER: But do you ever see an end to the so-called War on Terror or whatever you want to call it? Do you see an end to international terrorism?
GIULIANI: Of course I see it an end to it. Nobody ever saw an end to communism until it ended. So yes, there will be an end at some point to terrorism.
AMANPOUR: When al Qaeda surrenders.
GIULIANI: When they stop mounting these attacks on us in various parts of the world. There will come a time when this ends. I don't know when that is. It may be sooner than people think. It may be longer than people think. But until then, the paramount interest we should have is the safety of the American people, not the convenience of these people. Look, they have three choices, right? They can starve. They can eat food, or they can be fed the way they're being fed. It's their choice.
TOOBIN: Well, can I ask a question about -- can I ask a question about the hunger strike? I'm sorry if this is kind of a ghoulish question, but I honestly don't know the answer. And it seemed like the President didn't know the answer either. What is the humane thing to do with the hunger striker? Is it to let them die? Because they will die. Or do you force feed them? What do you do?
AMANPOUR: The American Medical Association and the World Medical Association says that force feeding people who are conscious, who are able to make a decision, who understand the consequences of it should not be force fed in prison. American courts have, in fact, ruled in the past that, yes, prison authorities can do this, because they need to be able to keep law and order. But it violates a physician's code of conduct. And furthermore, if we go back, Mr. Mayor –
TOOBIN: So Christiane, you let them die? I mean –
AMANPOUR: This is not about dying necessarily.
HOLMES: That is their rationally-exercised choice.
AMANPOUR: You may hate this, but this is about their conditions. And you may hate who they are, Mr. Mayor. I fully understand that. But this is about their conditions and it goes right back to –
GIULIANI: Christiane, their conditions are better than the conditions in 95 percent of American prisons. Their conditions are better than the conditions from whence they came. They haven't had it so good. They get better food. They have better accommodations.
TOOBIN: I've been there twice.
GIULIANI: Some of them have exercise equipment that's better than the Attorney General has.
TOOBIN: Rudy is right about this.
AMANPOUR: That's fine.
TOOBIN: No. The conditions are not the problem. The conditions are perfectly at –
AMANPOUR: The condition is imprisonment indefinitely.
TOOBIN: That's the problem. I think we have to draw the distinction here.
AMANPOUR: That is actually what I'm saying.
TOOBIN: But I think the – it's not really conditions. The conditions itself are perfectly adequate for a prison and, in fact, are probably better than most prisons in the United States. The problem is the hopelessness of their situation with no trial, no deadline, no sentence, just indefinite detention. That's why they're hunger striking.
AMANPOUR: I really think this is important, too, because I think it goes to your point, Mr. Mayor, of constant terrorism and acts against the United States. You know that way back in Northern Ireland during the hunger strikes when Bobby Sands died, and then another nine died. You know, the British were really thrilled.
AMANPOUR: Yeah. The British were thrilled about the way Margaret Thatcher dealt with this. But this was the second biggest recruiting tool for the IRA. The first biggest being Bloody Sunday, when British forces massacred people. And then this was the second biggest. Even people who hated the IRA never forgave the government for allowing these people to die.
GIULIANI: Christiane, I handled -- I handled some of those extradition cases when I was a United States attorney. One very, very famous one where the man had to be returned to Northern Ireland. I argued that case in court. Handled it myself for two years. That was in 1986. At the time I argued that, people were saying, "This will never end. It's been going on for 200 years." Well, we had the – we had the Good Friday Accords, and it hasn't ended completely, but it's pretty much ended.
So don't be so pessimistic about the fact that this war on terror, terrorist war against us, isn't at some point going to come to an end. They do. They actually do come to an end. We just can't see that when we're in the middle of it, like we couldn't see that in 1986, '87, '88 in Northern Ireland.
AMANPOUR: I would just say one thing. It is general consensus among those who study the Northern Ireland issue that the Good Friday agreement might have happened earlier, but for the anger and the recruiting tool that these hunger strikes and the way it was dealt with proceeded.
HOLMES: Jihadists have a laundry list of resentments against the West.
AMANPOUR: Oh no, we're just talking facts here now, Amy.
HOLMES: Certainly. If you look at what Osama bin Laden said about his resentments, it was U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia. So if we're looking at recruiting tools, frankly, we'd have to go through a list of 100.
AMANPOUR: So you don't think Guantanamo is?
BOURDAIN: We're giving people powerful images of people intubated and force fed. Look, for me, let's put aside the moral –
HOLMES: I don't think our authorities are sending out pictures of this.
BOURDAIN: Let's put – It's a powerful image in the mind, if nothing else. For me, let's put aside the moral question. Is it good for our country to do this? Clearly, this is – it is not. It is a recruiting tool where it is going to last for some time. Tactically, we need a Plan B.
COOPER: Mayor, your final word on this.
GIULIANI: I do not believe it's a recruiting tool at all. The reality is, this comes out of a perverted interpretation of the Islamic religion that is very, very commanding in the minds of these people. This is why they're doing it; that's what jihad is all about.
I bet you you can search all of this material for these Dagestan terrorists, I bet you you're not going to find a darn thing about -- about Guantanamo. So I think that is an overstated position. I don't think it's a recruiting tool at all. And I think it's very, very effective in keeping us safe from people who have been let out of Guantanamo and then gone ahead and killed Americans after we foolishly let them out of Guantanamo.


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Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson Are Allowed To Date Other People
Rob's moved out of Kristen's home and their relationship is in turmoil. Plus, a source tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY that Rob and Kristen are allowed to date other people. We're extremely upset over this new development — are you?
Kristen Stewart's affair with Rupert Sanders has allegedly put a strain on her relationship with Robert Pattinson, even though it's almost been a year since Rob and the rest of the world discovered those steamy pics of K-Stew and R-Sands. We fear Rob may never be able to get over the cheating scandal.
Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Dating Other People
A friend of Kristen's tells HollywoodLife.com exclusively, "They are basically allowed to date other people and Kristen is super sad over the whole thing. She has absolutely no desire to date anyone and the thought of Rob possibly seeing other people has made her sick to her stomach. She's depressed and rightly so. Her good friends have been hanging out with her at her house giving her support. This is a tough time for both of them. But Kristen seems to be taking the split the hardest."
Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Break Up
Rob and Kristen broke up, according to a recent report on May 18. Trouble began to brew on May 13, Rob's birthday, when he ditched out on the party that Kristen planned for him.
"Kristen totally went out of her way to make Rob's birthday super special," a source close to couple told HollywoodLife.com. "At the last minute, Rob said he didn't want to make his birthday a big deal and said he was just going to hang with the guys."
Rob has been taking Kristen and her efforts for granted, our source tells us. Ever since they reunited, following the affair, Kristen feels like Rob hasn't been as in love with her as he once was.
Perhaps branching out with other people will show Rob and Kristen whether they are truly meant for each other.
What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers? Should Kristen and Rob see other people?
WATCH: Robert Pattinson Celebrates Birthday Alone
— Reporting by Sandra Clark
More Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Breakup News:
- Robert Pattinson: You Can't Live With Kristen Stewart After Break Up
- Kristen Stewart Hasn't Left 'House For Days' Since Breakup — Report
- Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Still Living Together Despite Breakup


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Op-ed piece sparks debate over stone-throwing as Palestinian 'birthright' or act of violence
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JERUSALEM – A newspaper op-ed piece by an Israeli writer has revived an emotional debate surrounding Israel's 45-year rule over the West Bank and east Jerusalem: Do Palestinians who throw rocks at Israelis exercise a "birthright" of resisting military occupation, as the author argued? Or is stone-throwing an indefensible act of violence?
The heated argument — along with a police complaint West Bank settlers filed against the author — was another sign of the deepening gulf between the two peoples after decades of conflict.
The debate comes at a time when Israelis are watching for any signs of a third Palestinian "intifada," or uprising, against the occupation that began in 1967, when Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.
Palestinians want the three territories for a state. However, two decades of intermittent Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have come up empty and Israel — while withdrawing from Gaza in 2005 — has moved more than half a million of its civilians to the rest of the occupied lands during the four-decade occupation in what much of the world says violates international law.
In the past 25 years, Palestinians have launched two uprisings. The first erupted in 1987 and was characterized by large demonstrations, often accompanied by stone-throwing. Israeli troops responded with tear gas, live fire and mass arrests. The revolt led to negotiations that produced interim peace deals.
The second intifada broke out in 2000, after failed talks on a final deal, and violence escalated on both sides. Palestinians used guns and bombs, including suicide attacks. Israel retook parts of the West Bank earlier handed to partial Palestinian control and began targeting militant leaders in missile attacks from helicopters.
In an op-ed piece in the Haaretz daily Wednesday, Israeli journalist Amira Hass wrote that Israel has engaged in systematic violence against the Palestinians as part of its well-oiled machinery of occupation.
"Throwing stones is the birthright and duty of anyone subject to foreign rule," wrote Hass, who covers the Palestinians and lives in the West Bank. Limitations of that right could include "the distinction between civilians and those who carry arms," she wrote.
Her words elicited a flood of angry reactions in Israel on Thursday, including from the mother of a 3-year-old Israeli girl who was critically injured last month in a West Bank road accident triggered by stone-throwing. Another writer brought up the case of a 1-year-old boy who, along with his father, was killed under similar circumstances in 2011.
The Council of Settlements, the main umbrella group for Jewish settlers, filed a complaint with police against Hass and her employer, Haaretz, accusing them of incitement to violence against Israelis driving on West Bank roads.
Haaretz declined comment Thursday.
Hass, a prize-winning journalist, has been fiercely critical of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians to an extent that places her far outside the Israeli political mainstream.
She told The Associated Press on Thursday that she believes those skewering her intentionally ignored her reference to the limitations of resistance. "The choice not to read those very clear sentences is part of the Israeli culture of denial of its institutionalized violence against the Palestinians," she said in an emailed response to questions.
Even Yossi Beilin, a former Israeli peace negotiator and longtime advocate of Palestinian statehood, joined the chorus of critics, an apparent sign of a broad Israeli consensus on the issue.
"Stone-throwing is not a "birthright and duty' of those being ruled (by others), but an act of violence that can lead to death, disability and injury," Beilin wrote in the Israel Hayom daily.
His comments, perhaps more than the more predictable reactions of West Bank settlers, illustrated the divide between Israelis and Palestinians after decades of conflict and growing Israeli-enforced physical separation between the sides.
Ghassan Khatib, a West Bank intellectual who has served in Palestinian Cabinets, unequivocally defended the Palestinians' right to resist occupation but said non-violence is preferable to guns and bombs.
Palestinians gained worldwide sympathy during the first uprising, as the David to Israel's Goliath, but lost it during the second intifada, when they unleashed suicide bombings and shooting attacks on Israeli civilians.
"I think the non-violent and non-military struggle is more useful to the Palestinian cause," Khatib said. Asked about stone-throwing, he said he considers it part of the non-military approach.
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said stone-throwing throwing cannot be considered a legitimate form of protest because it is violent. "People are being killed, people are being injured," he said.
While the political battle lines are drawn, the legal dimension is murky.
Palestinians say the right to resist occupation stems from the right to self-determination, affirmed in various U.N. resolutions. A 1974 resolution recognizes "the right of the Palestinian people to regain its rights by all means," provided they're in line with the U.N. Charter.
Eliav Lieblich, who teaches international law at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel, said international law does not dictate exactly how they can claim that right.
"There is full recognition that nations under occupation have the right to self-determination, but international law didn't take the extra step to say that they are allowed to resist the occupying power using force," he said.
Palestinians, along with Israeli and international human rights groups, charge that Israel's military often uses disproportionate force against Palestinian protesters, such as live ammunition and rubber-coated steel pellets. There has also been a sharp increase in settler violence against Palestinians and their property in recent years, rights groups have said.
On Wednesday, two Palestinians were killed by army fire in a clash near a West Bank checkpoint. The Israeli military says Palestinians threw firebombs, while a Palestinian human rights group says they hurled stones and empty bottles.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of overreacting to street protests. Abbas was one of the most outspoken opponents of the armed uprising a decade earlier.
Instead, Abbas and his Fatah movement have called for "popular resistance," or acts of civil disobedience.
Abbas aide Nabil Shaath said this includes demonstrations, hunger strikes, a boycott of Israeli products and setting up protest tent camps to reclaim expropriated lands.
Shaath said the Palestinian Authority is not urging Palestinians to throw stones, but that "if they decide it's the way to defend themselves against automatic weapons (of soldiers), then it's up to them."
Mustafa Barghouti, a leading Palestinian activist, said Palestinians have become more sophisticated in their protests over the years. He said a group that has set up protest camps on West Bank land earmarked for a settlement is training activists to stick to passive resistance. "Even when the army came, people did not throw stones," he said.
Laub reported from Jericho, West Bank.


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- Wildlife
- Wildflowers
- Heather
Heather is also known as 'Ling' and is an abundant plant on heathland, moors, bogs and even in woodland with acidic or peat soils. Its delicate pink flowers appear from July to October and are a contrast to the tough, wiry, sprawling stems they grow upon. Plants grow tightly-packed together and can live for up to 40 years or even older.
How to identify
The stems of Heather are woody and coarse, sometimes clumped together and close to the ground in exposed areas. The delicate pink flowers grow loosely up the stem and the short, narrow leaves are borne in rows.
Where to find it
Common in the UK and Ireland, but scarcer in the east of England.
When to find it
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
How can people help
Purple-carpeted heaths are an iconic feature of the UK's landscape and are the result of hundreds of years of low-impact human activities such as livestock-grazing and scrub clearance. Yet development and the decline of traditional farming methods have caused many of these precious habitats to be lost - over 80% of lowland heathland in the UK has disappeared in just 200 years. The Wildlife Trusts manage many heathland habitats for the benefit of wildlife; by volunteering for your local Trust you can help too, and you'll make new friends and learn new skills along the way.