NASA - Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank

NASA - Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank

Professional /General Positions May 2012

The Washington Post is holding a Colossal Career Fair on May 7,2012 from 10am to 3pm at Hyatt Regency Crystal City(Independence Center) 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway Arlington,VA 22202 There will be a pavilion for Professional/General Positions for all levels of experience.Employers participating include Apple Federal Credit Union;D.C. Army National Guard;Farmers Insurance;Graduate School USA;Ross Companies;The SkillSource Group;ThinkFoodGroup;and Transportation Security Administration.They are looking for Military Police;Concierge;Sales Consultant;Sales Manager;Maintenance Technician;Property Manager;Sous Chefs;Restaurant Managers;Interns;Transportation Security Officers;Air Marshals;Managerial,Administrative,Business Ownership-Sales Agents and related.Educational Opportunities and Scholarships Available.Attendees must bring a hard copy of their resumes.To pre-register and submit resumes,please visit www.washingtonpost.com/careerfairs

The Heart of Biogen Idec

Just what is biotech titan Biogen Idec really about?We are a science-based business,according to CEO George Scangos,PhD.Making science-based decisions is the best thing we can do for our patients and shareholders.The company is a leading maker of multiple sclerosis therapies such as the established MS treatment Tysabri.Our new MS drug is oral;the first generation drug was injectable.Novartis also has an oral MS drug. There's a lot of innovation going on in the neurodegenerative field.There is a Phase III trial on an ALS drug-a drug for Lou Gehrig's disease.There are earlier programs on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.You need to find out what type of neurodegenerative disease they have in order to treat them,and more advanced imagery is helping that. Biogen has one of the most robust late stage pipelines.All of the research is associated with protein folding and plaques,understanding the pathology.There's huge potential.I'm very excited about the potential to treat these poor patients with better drugs in the next couple of years,Dr.Scangos said. Biogen Idec is based in Weston,Massachusetts. Biogen Idec(BIIB),Novartis(NVS)

Consultant:The Outlook for Banking-should you buy bank shares

For the next 10 years,we probably will be seeing much tighter regulations for banks,says Dino Kos of consultancy Hamiltonian Associates.The returns probably will be lower for the next decade.Regulators want to see capital cushions-and the more the better-to absorb losses,and that's gonna have an effect on return on equity. Some of the banks are shrinking,but I don't see that the industry or big banks as a whole are going to be shrinking.For banks with legacy issues,such as Bank of America with housing,it's gonna take several quarters-perhaps a number of years-to resolve them,Mr.Kos believes. Hamiltonian Associates Ltd. is a consultancy specialising in analysis of recent economic and political developments in a relevant,timely and incisive way.It has associates in New York,London and Singapore.Dino Kos is former Executive Vice President of the New York Fed. Bank of America(BAC)

Boston Welcomes Inaugural Dreamliner Flight To U.S.

A new era in commercial aviation began Sunday morning with the arrival of Japan Airlines Flight 8 at Boston's Logan International Airport.The non-stop flight from Narita Airport in Tokyo was the first commercial flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the United States.Touching down at 8:37 am Pacific,the flight surely delighted plane spotters in the Boston area who were able to catch a glimpse of aviation history. Rival All Nippon Airways had received the first deliveries of Dreamliners,but hasn't initiated its U.S. 787 flights yet.ANA has been flying the 787 in Japan,as well as to Europe and elsewhere in Asia. JAL will fly the 787 to Boston and back four times a week until June,when the service goes daily.It is a 12-13 hour flight. Boeing has more than 800 orders on the books for the new,lightweight aircraft-the first commercial jet to incorporate composite materials into the majority of its construction.Technicians from both the U.S. and Japan inspected the undercarriage of the JAL Dreamliner together upon its arrival at Logan. Boeing(BA)

Big Search for Sierra LaMar on Saturday

Big Search for Sierra LaMar on Saturday

National Walk@Lunch Day 2012

National Walk@Lunch Day will be held Wednesday,April 25 at businesses across the country.Sponsored by local member plans of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association,employees are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and take a lunchtime walk.It is intended to be the start of a new daily walking routine,to improve their help step by step.Thus the program improves their personal health and reduces costs for all concerned. Schools are also invited to participate in the event,setting personal goals for students and teachers,incorporating walking into the school day as a first step in a preventative health regimen.Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week improves cardiovascular health;lowers the risk of developing or dying from type 2 diabetes;and strengthens muscles,bones and joints. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association,whose member plans provide health insurance to 100 million Americans,invites you to participate on Wednesday,April 25 and begin walking toward a healthier America and a healthier you.National Walk@Lunch Day is an extension of the BCBSA's WalkingWorks fitness program.

NASA - Space Shuttle Discovery Readied for Demate

NASA - Space Shuttle Discovery Readied for Demate

Special Report:The Transfer of Discovery

For more than a generation,the space shuttle program helped define America's aerospace industry and national aspirations.Tomorrow,the workhorse of the Space Transportation System,space shuttle Discovery,is to be flown to Dulles International Airport in Virginia on back of a specially modified NASA Boeing 747 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Once on the ground,the shuttle will be towed to its new home,the Smithsonian Air&Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly,Virginia,where it will be on permanent display.The remarkable feat of engineering and aviation involved in the transport mission will be repeated two more times after that to take the remaining shuttles to their respective museum homes in New York and Los Angeles.
There was quite a competition between cities to land one of the historic space planes in their museums.The prestige of such an acquisition and the potential for associated tourism dollars were impossible to resist. Now it has been determined where they will go,each 747 journey will be received with considerable excitement by the locals.Many D.C. area residents are pretty worked up about the prospect of viewing the shuttle/747 combination flying over their home.Few got to see the shuttles in person when they were in service,so this will be their only chance to see one airborne in some fashion.There could be clogged roads and parking lots-and perhaps some disappointment if they don't get quite the view they are hoping for.In the decades to come,however,they will get the chance to more fully appreciate this major chapter of history by viewing Discovery still charred and dinged from its thirty-ninth and final space mission,from February 24-March 9 of 2011,on display quite near to them.
In the link below this post,you can read a NASA article and view two NASA videos about the background and particulars of the singular transport process that will continue unfolding tomorrow.
The shuttle/747 piggyback ride is slated to begin in Florida tomorrow at 7 am Eastern,with estimated arrival time at Dulles International of between 10 and 11 am.On Thursday,a formal outdoor transfer ceremony will occur at the Udvar-Hazy Center nearby,beginning at 11 am.
Update:The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft carrying Discovery arrived in the D.C. area at around 9:45 am,quite a bit earlier than anticipated for unknown reasons.The views of the event were spectacular,both in person and on local television.WRC-TV,the local NBC affiliate,broadcast extensive uninterrupted coverage.Their camera work was exceptional,and the commentary was very good and fittingly enthusiastic.Overall,it seemed that the whole region became children again and no work whatsoever was accomplished on this memorable morning.
Update 2:A ceremony with music by the U.S. Marine Corps took place at 11 am Thursday.The shuttle Discovery was brought nose to nose with the prototype shuttle Enterprise to symnolize the exchange that is taking place.The Enterprise will be flown to New York on Monday,April 23 to Kennedy Airport for eventual installation on the Intrepid Sea Air&Space Museum there this summer.Discovery will be eased into the hanger at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles International Airport tonight for permanent display.Fourteen of Discovery's former commanders posed in their astronaut uniforms before the two spacecraft as hundreds of citizens snapped photos of the historic meeting.
This blog supports such inspiration for study of the STEM disciplines:Science,Technology,Engineering and Mathematics.

NASA - World's Greatest Piggyback Ride

NASA - World's Greatest Piggyback Ride

Aviation Industry Jobs

Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation is hiring for its Washington Dulles International Airport operations.They need Passenger Service Agents.Duties include loading and unloading bags;cleaning aircraft interiors;marshalling airplanes;providing excellent customer service;working outside under any weather conditions.
AWAC provides ground handling for United Airlines at Dulles.The largest independent regional carrier,it flies as U.S. Airways Express with a fleet of 71 of the sleek Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets.
For details and to apply,please visit www.airwis.com

Digestive Upsets:When to Seek Help

An upset of the digestive track in the form of diarrhea is experienced by the average adult about four times a year.There are a number of causes of this very common affliction.Usually it resolves itself in a few days or less and medical attention isn't required.
Causes of diarrhea include:
bacterial infection(foodborne illness);viral infection(Norovirus);food intolerances;parasites;reactions to medication such as blood pressure pills;intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease;functional bowel disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome;post-surgical reaction(stomach or gall bladder surgery);stress.
Medical attention should be sought when either:
it lasts longer than three days;there is severe abdominal or rectal pain;there is fever of 102 degrees or higher;there are bloody or black stools;there are signs of dehydration,especially in children or the elderly.
When ill,sip water,soup or pedialyte if possible in order to prevent dehydration.Sports drinks are not recommended by the CDC for this purpose.When recovering,avoid dairy,greasy,high sugar/fat,high fiber foods.Taking over the counter medicine may mask dehydration or even prolong diarrhea if caused by microrganisms,so be careful with that remedy.

Who Sings On The KFC Chunky Chicken Pot Pie Commercial

A most effective use of the nostalgia theme was employed by KFC in its Chunky Chicken Pot Pie commercial,blending classic soul music,hair styles and a treasured automobile.The song is called "Time To Get Down" and was recorded by the O Jays for their "Back Stabbers" album on PIR(Philadelphia International Records)."Some things never go out of style,"the ad says-among them,this fine example of Philadelphia soul.It is the ultimate cool.
As part of the promotion,KFC held a "Bring Back a Classic" photo contest on its Facebook page,in which entrants were to submit a nostalgic photo from the 1970s-or a photo that evoked that era.The winner will be awarded a vintage 1970 bright red Dodge Charger,which is featured in the commercial along with the period attire and hair styles.
The African American actor in the commercial is Cornelius Smith,Jr.,who appeared in the soap opera "All My Children" as Frankie Hubbard.
The O Jays album is still available on amazon.com and the song is featured on iTunes and YouTube.The O Jays are performing to this day.
KFC is a subsidiary of Yum Brands(YUM).

Planned Job Cuts Drop,Consultant Says

The number of planned job cuts fell 27% in March,following heavy cuts in February,according to outplacement firm Challenger,Gray and Christmas.It's a sign that the labor markets continue to improve,CEO John Challenger said.The statistic is at a 10-month low right now,and things are looking good.On the year,planned cuts dropped 8.8%.
Telecom was the worst monthly sector,with more than 4,000 cuts.On the year,consumer products and transportation,key indicators for the economy,are the best faring sectors.Looking at jobs growth,is something going on or is it just the election?,Mr.Challenger asked.Governments haven't been cutting as many jobs.There were no big cuts at the federal level.
Employers will add 12,390 jobs-up from 10,720 in February.
The private sector's creating a lot of jobs,but we are without the large numbers of construction and government hiring as there usually would be by now in a recovery,Mr.Challenger pointed out.
Challenger,Gray and Christmas is the nation's oldest outplacement consulting organization,providing outplacement programs for executives,middle managers and long term or highly valued employees.

Shop Talk:Bay Area in Overdrive

It's been inspiring to see the massive response in the San Francisco Bay Area to the likely abduction of high school student Sierra LaMar.This blog commends the passion and dedication shown by the innumerable professionals and volunteers alike,giving up untold hours of free time to defend the values of their community.
It is clear the Bay Area is sending a message.A line has definitely been drawn.Like this blog,they will not accept the predatory abduction,abuse and/or murder of young women.If it's three more weeks or three more years,we can be confident Sierra LaMar will still be looked for by her many loyal friends and steadfast neighbors.At least this active statement makes the crisis a little more bearable.

Search continues for Sierra LaMar

Search continues for Sierra LaMar

Connecting in Israel:GE Healthcare and Intel

The GE Healthcare center at Tirat Carmel,Israel is the site of a new lab for collaboration between GE Healthcare and Intel,which also has an R&D center in the Haifa area.The two firms will jointly evaluate their products at the new lab,aligning and optimizing Intel microprocessors and GE diagnostic imaging systems.
Intel and GE Healthcare aim to bring truly innovative technology to the medical imaging industry,Intel general manager Michelle Tinsley explained.GE and Intel hope the partnership will lead to the development of affordable and advanced healthcare technology that ultimately will bring better healthcare to more people around the world,GE Healthcare Chief Technology Officer Mike Harsh added.
GE Healthcare and Intel will both provide technology and expertise to support the new lab,while GE will contribute hosting and operational management,Intel said.The two firms employ hundreds of people at their centers in the Haifa area.
At the same time,the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently sent a delegation of U.S. life sciences companies to Israel,including GE Healthcare;AstraZeneca's subsidiary MedImmune;Boston Scientific;and Oracle Life Sciences and Health.They met with Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Juval Steinitz,as well as private sector representatives.Israel is offering incentives to multinationals to open more R&D centers and provide venture capital to start-ups.Delegation leader Myron Brilliant,a senior Vice President with the U.S. Chamber,said Israel must institute regulatory reforms in the areas of intellectual property and taxation to encourage more U.S. companies to establish centers there.
General Electric(GE),Intel(INTC),Oracle(ORCL),Boston Scientific(BSX),AstraZeneca(AZN)

NCAA Basketball Championship:Eyeballs May Have Strayed

After The Fray's charming acoustic guitar and drum national anthem,the NCAA Championship basketball game was trending downhill,though with some blips of excitement.The Kentucky Wildcats seized control early and made it clear they likely wouldn't relinquish it to the Kansas Jayhawks.The game started too late to begin with-9:23 Eastern.Despite a football style crowd of 70,000 screamers in the New Orleans Superdome,the air was gradually being let out of the broadcast balloon.
Sponsors of the CBS telecast included SABMiller PLC;Capital One Financial;AT&T;Chrysler;General Motors;Daimler Benz;Liberty Mutual;Nissan Motor Company Ltd.;Coca-Cola;and TD Ameritrade.The initial audience was no doubt of exceptional size,but one can see how it may have trailed off considerably before too long,depriving these firms of many of their highly desired eyeballs.
Kansas made a late run,but number one-ranked Kentucky won 67-59 for the team's eighth national championship.

Asia This Day:Petronas To Make Big Canadian Acquisition

The Malaysian state-owned oil and gas company,Petronas,intends to make a major Canadian acquisition.The firm is expected to spend about five billion dollars for a substantial foothold in North America.It's following China's lead in seeking global energy assets.In June 2011,the company aqcuired a stake in Canadian shale gas assets for just over a billion dollars.
China's purchasing managers' index came in stronger than expected.The PMI reading was at 53.1,with 50 showing economic expansion.The index is focused on large enterprises and is affected by seasonality.Natural resources such as rubber and copper will be more in demand on the China and U.S. outlooks.
Tropical Storm Pakhar has hit the coast of Vietnam.The first storm of the year,it will also be troubling Thailand.
Mainland Chinese and Vietnam markets are closed today,Monday,for holidays.It is Tomb Sweeping in China and the Hung Kings' Anniversary in Vietnam.China's markets will remain closed through Wednesday.The rest of the Asian markets opened largely higher this morning,with the MSCI Asia Pacific Index up 0.28%.Japan's markets rose despite a gloomy Bank of Japan Tankan survey of business sentiment,which logged a -4 reading,showing more pessimists than optimists among large businesses.
It was partly cloudy in Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia this morning,with a temperature of 82F.

Sierra LaMar Fundraiser Goes Viral

Sierra LaMar Fundraiser Goes Viral