The ultimate high. (1998 National Veterans Wheelchair Games) - Paraplegia News

The 1998 National Veterans Wheelchair Games--'Triumph at Three Rivers'--were about much more than just winning medals.

Athlete: 'One who takes part in competitive sports and possesses the natural prerequisites for sports competition such as strength, agility, and endurance.' The dictionary's definition only begins to describe what makes an athlete. To get a true understanding, you have to add determination, courage, and dedication.

Through sports, athletes strive to reach a level of exuberance that cannot be explained in words--a high that can only be described by gestures and emotions. A 'high five,' the traditional pat on the back, and encouraging words are just a few ways in which athletes show enthusiasm. The 18th National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG) participants were no exception.

Willingness to train is also a key ingredient. Preparation should be consistent and enjoyable, because competition is the ultimate high. Kater W. Comwell, a Vietnam veteran from Charlotte, N.C., competed in softball, weightlifting, and basketball.

'I train four times per week, two and a half hours a day,' he says. He easily lifted 425 pounds on his first attempt, then proceeded to raise 450. His 460pound lift received a huge ovation and won the gold medal in the masters 100+ kilogram division.

Joe Wittkamp (Jackson, Ohio) also won a gold medal in his weightlifting class when he hefted 335 pounds. 'I love to train because it makes me feel good, keeps me healthy, and prepares me for the competition,' he says.

Charles Allen, of Dallas, says that while winning is nice, it isn't everything and he 'would be an athlete forever.'

By any definition, at week's end, everyone knew the real athletes were all the NVWG participants.

COMMITMENT

A multi-event sports and rehab program for military service veterans using wheelchairs for competition due to spinal-cord injuries, amputations, or certain neurological problems, NVWG is the largest annual wheelchair-sports event in the United States. This year's Games, held July 7-11 in Pittsburgh, attracted participants from Puerto Rico and Great Britain as well as from all over the U.S. The VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System hosted the Games. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)--along with financial assistance from corporate, civic, and veterans service organizations--sponsor the event.

NVWG is committed to improving the quality of life for veterans with disabilities and to fostering better health through sports competition. Although past Games have produced a number of national and world-class champions, NVWG also provides opportunities for newly disabled individuals to gain sports skills and exposure to other wheelchair athletes and competitors.

Competitive events included swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, track and field, archery, basketball, softball, rugby, bowling, wheelchair slalom, and a 5-kilometer road race. Track competition featured the 100-, 200-, 400-, 800-, 1,500-, and 5,000meter races. In field, athletes tried club throw, shot put, discus, and javelin. Exhibitions were tennis and handcycling. This year, participants and spectators also enjoyed equestrian demonstrations.

Athletes competed against others with similar abilities, competitive experience, or age. Most events and activities took place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and area high schools.

THE GAMES BEGIN

The ceremonial victory torch flickered into a blaze, and the 18th National Veterans Wheelchair Games got under way. Former Pittsburgh Steeler Andy Russell got the ball rolling as master of ceremonies in the packed David L. Lawrence Convention Center, in the heart of Pittsburgh. Close to 600 athletes from 48 states, Puerto Rico, and Great Britain paraded in with their coaches and attendants.

After speeches, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Athletes Oath, the music blared, the crowd cheered, and the veterans rolled on to competition venues in pursuit of the mighty gold in the City of Champions.

EVOLUTION

Many wheelchair sports had their beginnings after World War II, when young veterans began playing basketball in VA hospitals throughout the United States. Interest soon spread to track and field, bowling, swimming, and archery and spawned the formation of several associations devoted to new and innovative wheelchair sports.

While the participation of veterans with disabilities continued to flourish, it was not until 1980 that VA's efforts brought about an enhanced awareness of the rehabilitative value of wheelchair athletics. VA established a Recreation Therapy Service, in which therapists use wheelchair sports as a treatment tool. The first NVWG took place in 1981 at the Richmond VAMC. That year, 74 competitors from 14 states gathered to participate in sports ranging from table tennis and billiards to swimming and weightlifting. The first Games established an enduring trait characterizing the event ever since: a strong sense of camaraderie and common identity among all athletes.

By 1985, the growing size, complexity, and resources needed for the Games presented a daunting challenge to the VAMCs wanting to host the program. Recognizing that most of the athletes were paralyzed veterans, PVA offered to cosponsor. To help obtain resources needed to host a national event, PVA recruited corporations to help support the Games. Since then, PVA's corporate sponsor program has aided event growth, in the number of athletes as well as the variety of sports offered.

In 1987, twelve British military veterans were invited to the Games. A team from that country has come to the event every year since then. After that first year, the British athletes formed a special disabled-sports group--the British Ex-Servicemen's Wheelchair Sports Association-which has extended the NVWG philosophy to the rest of the world.

FINDING A FAMILY

Able-bodied people often wonder how they would handle a disabling injury or condition. This year, 152 of the 595 Games registrants competed for the first time. Perhaps the most inspiring NVWG participants are those who not only are newly injured but also go on to help others with disabilities. The following two novices at this year's Games fit in this category.

In 1992, Lisa McCormick, of Arlington, Tex., became a C5-6 quad in an automobile accident. At the Dallas VAMC Spinal Cord Unit she was known as the 'Aqua Lady.' A water-aerobics instructor before her injury, McCormick missed the water.

In March 1998, just four months before the Games, she told her rec therapist she wanted to get into a pool. 'Once she was in the pool, she could swim like a fish,' says therapist Kim Canova-Romans. Swimming allows McCormick to participate in a sport she enjoyed before injury; it also builds up her strength.

Newly injured veterans often are nervous about getting in the pool. 'They think they can't do it,' says occupational therapist Dave Wilkerson, 'until they watch Lisa. She's a great role model.'

Bill Hannigan, of Baltimore, N.Y., was another novice. He competed in five events: air rifle, nine-ball, shot put, javelin, and discus. A member of the Eastern PVA team, Hannigan is the chapter's hospital liaison. He worked in construction and was a weight trainer until a motorcycle accident three years ago.

Hannigan wasn't sure he wanted to work in a VA medical facility. 'I was scared of VA doctors from my experience in the army,' he says, 'but then I...got the job, became involved with VA, and learned the system. That's where I learned about the Vet Games.'

And what about the Games experience? 'You can't meet anybody better than this. The people are so hospitable and they work well with you,' Hannigan says. 'Everybody is outgoing and you have a lot of fun. It's like having a big family. I've seen a lot of people I know from the Winter Sports Clinic in Colorado. The camaraderie is there, and it's really great.'

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Twelve veterans participated in the equestrian exhibition. While riding techniques varied, each person shared the thrill of being on horseback.

'I'm hooked!' said Lueretha Dalton, of Hampton, Va. 'I was always afraid of horses. Now I would really love to get a horse. I wish we could do this event everywhere!'

Patty Flynn, of Pensacola, Fla., rode horses frequently as a child. `I've only ridden once in the 20 years since I was injured. I saw the equestrian booth at the Expo on Tuesday and thought, How can I do this? I visited the booth about four times and finally got registered. At first, riding was kind of scary; it was hard to balance. But once I rode around the stable the first time, I said, `Okay, I can do this!''

Riding has many benefits. In addition to freedom of mobility, a rider on a walking horse experiences the same hip and pelvis muscle movement used in human walking.

ESSENTIAL COMPONENT

An estimated 3,000 volunteers donated time during this NVWG. Their assistance was crucial for all facets, from organizing the opening and medal ceremonies to picking up arrows and javelins at field events and helping at the bowling lanes.

At the convention center, volunteers wearing yellow, blue, and white shirts mingled among the veterans. Among them was Dorothy Gray, a U.S. Postal Service employee who helped with the opening ceremony.

'I'm doing this so I can help somebody else,' she said. 'It is not every day that you get a chance to help out.'

CLOSING CEREMONIES

Acting as master of ceremonies and making opening remarks was WTAE Radio's Bill Hillgrove, 'Voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers' and announcer for the University of Pittsburgh. The 78th Penn. Regiment, 9th Battalion, Westmoreland County, New Jersey, Volunteers--a group of Civil War re-enactors--presented the colors. The audience heard welcomes by Thomas A. Cappello, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System director; Lawrence A. Biro, VA Stars and Stripes Healthcare Network director; and Ed 'Frenchy' DesLauriers, Keystone PVA president.

A highlight of each NVWG Closing Ceremonies is the presentation of the Spirit of the Games Award, sponsored by Invacare. Given every year since 1987, the recognition goes to the person who, according to his or her peers, best exemplifies athletic excellence, sportsmanship, and good character. This year's recipient was Gil Garcia (San Antonio), a gold-medal winner in weightlifting and discus and who took home silver in nine-ball and javelin. The Texas Blasters team member also medaled in quad rugby.

The audience viewed Steve Wiggins's excellent videotape of this year's Games. Following these entertaining and inspirational highlights, ticket holders went to the closing banquet. But even before these closing activities came the traditional passing of the torch.

DOIN' IT BETTER

As the 18th NVWG wound down, Puerto Rico was gearing up to host next year's event. During Closing Ceremonies, Luis Clemente, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, emerged dressed in his dad's 1970s-era Pittsburgh Pirates uniform. To the stirring and familiar notes of 'Chariots of Fire,' he carried the torch, which Keystone PVA athletes in turn handed to Puerto Rico's local organizing team.

More than 20 representatives from the island came to Pittsburgh to experience the Games firsthand. VA employees as well as high-ranking public officials tried to learn all aspects and observe every detail so that next year's NVWG lives up to a popular Puerto Rican saying: 'Puerto Rico does it better!'

This beautiful Caribbean island is no stranger to wheelchair sports. In 1975, six years before NVWG began, Puerto Rico's VAMC organized a local wheelchair-sports competition. Nine years later, Puerto Rican athletes joined others at Brockton, Mass., for the fourth annual NVWG and have participated ever since.

Next year's Games will emphasize water sports. The local nautical club has pledged 30 yachts so everyone interested can enjoy deep-sea fishing. Exhibition sports will include rafting, kayaking, scuba diving, and tennis. Music, native food, and entertainment will complement every competition.

'We want everyone who comes here to feel at home,' says site coordinator Edgar Diaz. 'This is going to be our welcoming message: `We are glad you're here, and we will take good care of you!''

Start making plans for next year. Come to Puerto Rico and enjoy the beach at Luquillo, visit the historic sites of Old San Juan, and take in the beauty of Guaynabo y bayamon. Nothing beats the beaches, sand, music, and fun--an entire island committed to an event dear to its heart.

Nos vemos en Puerto Rico--we'll see you in Puerto Rico!

Earl Johnson, Laura Bishop, Ivonne Chaustre, and Ann Sunderlin contributed to this article. For additional coverage, see Reasons & Remarks, this issue.

RELATED ARTICLE: 18TH NATIONAL VETERANS WHEELCHAIR GAMES

Statistics on Athletes(*)

   * 183 veterans (30%) saw combat; of these, 53 were combat wounded.   * Wars:  Vietnam          150 World War II      18 Other              7 Korea             20 Gulf War          24   * Disabilities: Paraplegia                           247 Amputation                            55 Quadriplegia                         188 Multiple sclerosis                    36 Brain injuries & other conditions     34   * Military service: U.S. Army           297 U.S. Navy           134 U.S. Marine Corps    74 U.S. Coast Guard / National Guard        9 

(*) as of July 1

'The ultimate Howard Countian': At 87, ex-state senator, longtime civic leader worries about crops and government. - The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD)

Byline: Sandy Alexander

Jul. 16--Sitting in the living room of his stone farmhouse, which is surrounded by fields of shoulder-high corn and pastures dotted with cattle and sheep, James Clark talked about his health at the age of 87 with the perspective of someone who has been farming most of his life. 'You cannot overcome the forces of nature,' he said. 'It's irresistible.' In recent weeks, Clark has been directing activities on his Ellicott City farm, but leaving the heavy chores and the midsummer heat to his part-time staff and family members. He is recovering after a recent hospital stay brought on by several ailments, including cancer and congestive heart failure. But over nearly nine decades in Howard County, Clark, a war veteran, former state senator and longtime civic leader, has proven to be an enduring force. Amid relentless development, his 540-acre farm bordered by Route 108 and Centennial Lane still produces vegetables, field corn, flowers, beef and lambs. His well-known produce stand on Route 108 opened this summer for the 37th year, offering corn, cantaloupes, tomatoes and other items. A petting farm run by his daughter down the road from the farm stand is thriving. The farmland preservation and Program Open Space legislation Clark championed in the Senate have ensured that green spaces and agricultural operations will continue to survive in the state. Locally, institutions including the Howard County Conservancy, the Howard County Fair and the fledgling Farm Heritage Museum count Clark among their founders. And wherever he has been, friends, colleagues and neighbors attest to Clark's standing as a respected elder statesman and well-liked gentleman farmer. 'He is kind of the ultimate Howard Countian,' said Charles M. Coles Jr., chief judge of the county Orphans' Court and a lifelong friend of the senator. 'He's very civic-minded, very involved in his community, very concerned about his community.' Coles added: 'He and that farm have kind of stood the test of time. They have adapted and changed over the years, especially in that area [of the county] where most people would have had to fold. He found a way to keep it, and he's passing it on to his children.' Clark pauses often as he speaks and says his hearing is not very good, but there is nothing wrong with his memory as he recounts his agricultural and political careers, and his observations are sharp about the area that has been home to eight generations of his family. 'You've got too many cars, too many people too fast,' he said. 'When I came home from the war, we had about 20,000 people, a few more than that maybe.' Now the U.S. Census estimates more than 269,000 residents, a population he calls 'unbelievable.' Clark recalled that there were about 200 dairy farms in Howard County before World War II, including his, which shipped milk for 30 years before he and his son moved the herd to Georgia and produced milk for another two decades. 'There are only four or five [dairy farms] left now,' Clark said. 'Lots of people just gave up and quit. It was almost a necessity in the old days. You had to have some money coming in each month, and dairy was a pretty good way to do that. ... Hard work though.'

Clark was born in 1918 on a farm called Keewydin that his family owned in Ellicott City. According to his memoir, Jim Clark: Solider, Farmer, Legislator, Clark's father, James Clark, was a circuit court judge who traced his roots in the area to 1797. His mother, Alda Hopkins Clark, was a direct descendant of the Ellicotts who settled the mill town that became Ellicott City. [Originally part of Anne Arundel County, the area became Howard County in 1851.] Clark attended school in Ellicott City and earned a bachelor of science degree in animal husbandry from Iowa State College in 1941. He served as a glider pilot in World War II, flying troops and equipment across German lines . When he returned, he married the former Lillian Hawkins in 1946 and took up farming.In 1958, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. Four years later, he was elected to the Senate, where he served for 24 years, including as Senate president from 1979 to 1983. He said the political landscape was also different back then. 'I didn't have a bit of trouble getting elected,' he said. 'I didn't have to raise any money. I never asked anybody for a contribution because I didn't need it. I always won very handily.' During his legislative career, he was a proponent of civil rights, fiscal responsibility and a national balanced budget amendment. Today, he said, he would like to see the county, state and federal governments rein-in their finances. 'I'm not too happy with any level of government,' he said. 'They are all spending more money than they should. People never intended the government to do so many things.' But, he said, there is hope for the future. 'I have faith in the people. The trouble is [elected leaders] don't listen to the people a lot of times, and that's bad. People have got more sense than the government a lot of times. You just have to find out what they are thinking.' As Clark looked back on his civic life, he said there are a number of accomplishments that he is proud will outlast him. 'I guess I'm a born environmentalist,' he said. 'I did a lot of that in the legislature and outside of the legislature.' Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, who served as speaker of the House of Delegates while Clark was Senate president, said the senator was 'the primary reason why Maryland took a very progressive stand at preserving farmland with the easement program. He was the prime architect of that program.' Cardin said Clark was also easy to work with and easy to become friends with. 'He is a warm individual who you can't help but really respect and admire once you get to know him,' Cardin said. 'I think he is a person of unquestionable integrity.'

Clark also helped found the Howard County Conservancy, a land trust that holds easements on preserved land in the county and runs an environmental education center at Mount Pleasant Farm in Woodstock. When a group of citizens wanted to start the conservancy in 1990, 'the first thing we did was to go enlist Senator Clark,' said James Eacker, a board member and former president of the organization. ' ... There simply wasn't anybody in Howard County that knows land preservation the way Jim Clark does. Plus, he had all of the contacts in the world.' Another project Clark is excited about is the Howard County Living Farm Heritage Museum, which the Howard County Antique Farm Machinery Club plans to open in the fall in West Friendship on county parkland.

Clark, a founding member of the club, has been involved in the group's education programs for many years and helped lobby the county government for permission to use the land. He said the museum is important because 'it documents and preserves agriculture, which was the main industry for over 200 years. ... You can't do the history of the county without understanding the impact agriculture had on it.'

John Frank, president of the Antique Farm Machinery Club, said that working with Clark to get the museum running gave him a chance to see some of the senator's personal qualities. 'I personally have never met anyone in local or state government who didn't have the highest regard and respect for Jim Clark,' Frank said. 'Folks just react to him as a statesman, and his integrity.' Frank added: 'He is a very genteel and kind-speaking person. He's a very intelligent person, someone who understands, certainly, the government workings, but who has a common-sense approach that ... puts him in a little different category.' Clark, whose wife died in 2001, is close to his three children, each of whom have families of their own. His son Jamie lives in another house on the Ellicott City farm while son Mark lives in Florida. Martha, his daughter, lives nearby, on Centennial Lane. Clark also speaks with pride of his six grandchildren, whose photographs decorate a table in his living room. As he sat beside a window in that room recently, Clark talked to one of his workers about the quality of the corn and the readiness of the produce stand, but he was not able to walk to the road himself. He said it is difficult to have to slow the pace of his life. But he also said he looks back with no regrets. 'I've been able to do what I like all my life,' he said. 'A lot of people can't do that. They have to work for someone else. I like the government, and I like farming. They are my two loves.'

He added: 'Of course, I didn't think I was going to live this long. You never can gauge that. But I've had a good life. Nobody could have a better one.'

Copyright (c) 2006, The Baltimore Sun

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

News.

ESPN's Ultimate Standings have some local franchises feeling rank - The Washington Post

Mid-June in D.C. sports means video of Alex Ovechkin smoking ahookah in Russia, reports of D.C. United's television ratings (theclub's ratings on Comcast SportsNet through five games are up 340percent) and joyful stories about how former Washington Wizards likeDeShawn Stevenson have defeated LeBron James.

(And also, sorrowful stories about how Stevenson was laterarrested by police in Irving, Tex., for public intoxication. Thoughbefore Stevenson's arrest late Tuesday, he gave a radio interview toDallas's 105.3 The Fan, in which he again assailed James'scharacter, this time for making fun of Dirk Nowitzki's cough.)

'I was [mad] about it. But at the same time it shows a lot abouttheir character and how they do things,' Stevenson said. 'And Ithink that's why a lot of people dislike them or don't like the waythey handle things. You know, Dirk is a soldier. He plays through atorn finger, he had a sinus infection with a 101 [degree]temperature, and I don't know if people know, a sinus infection islike the worst thing you could ever have.'

I don't think he was joking.

Anyhow, mid-June in D.C. also means the annual release of ESPNThe Magazine's Ultimate Standings, which might not provide the finaljudgment regarding franchise health across the four major sports,but sure are fun to stare at.

A year ago, these rankings - which claim to provide 'an overallranking for pro sports franchises according to how much they giveback to fans for the time, money and emotion they invest in them' -had the Washington Wizards ranked 120th out of the 122 teams in thefour major North American pro leagues. Owner Ted Leonsis reactedwith appropriate concern.

'We still have lots of work to do,' was the headline of hissubsequent blog post. 'ESPN has a tough criterion. We want toimprove. We want to serve our communities and our customers well. Wewant to win as well. We have work to do. No rest for the weary. Wehear you all on this poll.'

Well, the Wizards made modest improvements over the past year,climbing to 110th, presumably on the strength of John Wall and thosenew fill-from-the-bottom beer dispensers.

But the news wasn't all swell for this metropolis, as theRedskins slid to 121st among 122 North American pro franchises.

That means the Redskins are behind the Raiders, who finished104th. They're behind the Clippers, who were 105th. They're behindthe haphazard Bills (107th) and Knicks (109th). They're behind thewoeful Islanders (114th), and the Atlanta Thrashers (115th), whoaren't even the Atlanta Thrashers any more. They're behind the Mets(117th) and the Kings (119th), franchises that have offered fans allthe stability of a Rehoboth Tilt-A-Whirl in recent years

In fact, the Redskins are ahead only of the Bengals, territorynot often associated with a franchise that won three world titleswithin the past 30 years. The rest of the bottom eight teams havecombined for one title in that span.

(The Capitals finished 27th in the rankings, while the Nats were78th. The top five included the Packers, Lightning, Saints, Angelsand Spurs.)

Even more troubling, perhaps, was the result of the ESPN fansurvey, asking fans to rate on a scale of 1-5 how their commitmentto their favorite team had changed in recent years. The Redskinsfinished tied with the Kings for 116th in that category. That's likefinishing tied with Rep. Anthony Weiner on a list of potentialcommencement speakers at an all-girls school.

EDITORIAL ULTIMATE BETRAYAL THE REVIVED BELMONT LEARNING CENTER IS THE CURSE OF THE LAUSD - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)

WITH their decision to complete the Belmont Learning Center, theflip- flopping Los Angeles school board and Superintendent Roy Romerhave committed the ultimate betrayal of parents, students, teachersand taxpayers.

This betrayal began years ago, when the board decided to depriveteachers and students of classroom funds, using the money to buy theland that now houses the infamous school atop an earthquake faultand oil field spewing dangerous gases.

Now the board has compounded that betrayal by signing off on anew Belmont plan that would put a 2,100-seat high school and 500-seat academy on the site, as well as a library/auditorium, parentcenter and 10- to 12-acre park.

The park will be run by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy,for which it will pay a symbolic $1 a year - symbolic of what littleregard the LAUSD has for taxpayer money that's supposed to educatechildren.

The original, unfinished Belmont Learning Center already has costtaxpayers at least $166 million and probably quite a bit more if atrue accounting were made. At that price, it's the nation'scostliest school ever built or, in this case, not built.

Completing the project is expected to cost (at least) $111million more, which brings the total price to nearly $300 million -or an astonishing $100,000 per seat.

Romer and the board now plan to spend Measure K funds to help paythe bill, despite repeated promises that none of the bond moneywould be used for the star-crossed project.

Chalk it up as just another betrayal.

But the even greater betrayal is the LAUSD's violation of thepublic trust.

The board had previously decided - twice - to abandon Belmont dueto the health and environmental risks.

That was then. Now, expedience rules the day.

Without thorough study of the risks at hand, the board has pushedforward, rushing to complete a school that will be a target forlawsuits every time somebody gets a headache.

And that's the best-case scenario.

What if there's an earthquake and the LAUSD's disregard of thedanger leads to deaths and injuries? What if the explosive and toxicgases seeping up from below kill or sicken children of staffmembers?

Given the flagrant disregard of safety and common sense, theliability will be enormous.

The real victims are the students and parents in the Belmont areawho have waited for years for a new school, and very likely willwait a lot longer if someone sues to block construction for one of100 reasons.

For a man of his age, Romer has proved himself to be quite anacrobat on Belmont, turning somersaults and handstands to pleasevarious special interests.

He didn't start this monument to the failure of the LAUSD, but heclearly intends to finish it.

Maybe it should be called the Roy Romer Learning Center.

The ultimate oxymoron - The Buffalo News (Buffalo, NY)

I'm writing a Mother's Day column early this year -- but notexactly the one I intended.

The column I was planning began: Why is this Mother's Daydifferent from all other Mother's Days? Answer: Because thisMother's Day, there are many more mothers in the White House -- andmothers of young children -- than ever before.

That remains true. The deputy chief of staff, Mona Sutphen, has a4 1/2-year-old and an almost 2-year-old. Marne Levine, chief ofstaff for National Economic Council director Larry Summers, has a 31/2-year-old and a 7-month-old. The health care czar, Nancy-Ann MinDeParle, has two boys, 8 and 9.

The staff secretary, Lisa Brown, has a 6-year-old. Jackie Norris,chief of staff for Michelle Obama, has 5-year-old twins and a 3-year-old. Vice President Biden's domestic policy adviser, TerrellMcSweeny, has a 14-month-old; Biden's counsel, Cynthia Hogan, backin the work force after a dozen years away, has a 12-year-old and a9-year-old.

This is a huge change from previous White Houses, Republican andDemocrat. Two theories that may explain it:

First, when it comes to the mothers with young children, agenerational shift: 30-something husbands may be more willing tomake accommodations or perhaps even take a lap or two around theDaddy Track than their 40- or 50-something counterparts, and 30-something moms have more experience growing up with working mothersthan women of earlier generations; they may be freer of the 'I don'tknow how she does it' compulsion to bake from scratch.

Second, the workplace -- even the White House workplace, to theextent it can -- is becoming more flexible. Dads -- even White Housedads -- are more involved than they used to be, and more familiar,thanks to their own working wives, with the juggling that entails.

When the president and first lady discovered that there weren'tenough White House laptops to go around, they ordered up more, sostaffers wouldn't be chained to their desks. Chief of Staff RahmEmanuel has been known to end senior staff meetings early to reviewhomework with his kids (children 12, 10 and 8) before they go off toschool. Press secretary Robert Gibbs has spoken from the podium ofmaking peanut-butter sandwiches for his son, nearly 6.

What put a glitch in my plans for an entirely rosy column -- andprompted it now -- was the announcement last week that White Housecommunications director Ellen Moran was leaving to become chief ofstaff for Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. Not exactly a part-timegig, but less intense than the around-the-clock craziness of theWest Wing.

Moran, whose mother had moved to Washington to help with her twochildren, almost 2 and 4, said she was leaving for a job that was 'aperfect fit for me, professionally and personally.' Translation:Having not worked on the Obama campaign, she was having a tough timefitting in with the close-knit boys club of the West Wing, whichmade it that much harder to go days at a time without seeing herchildren.

Moran's departure underscores the immutable fact that a family-friendly White House, no matter how well-intentioned, is theultimate oxymoron. As Emanuel has said, 'the only family we're goingto be good for is the first family.'

ULTIMATE BREW IN ENERGY EXAMINED NEXT WEEK AT UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, CASPER - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

The University of Wyoming issued the following news release: What the future mix of energy supplies will be 20 to 30 years from now will be the topic of two events next week sponsored by the University of Wyoming.

The annual Stroock Forum on Wyoming Lands and People will feature 'Energy: Ultimate Brew for the Future' beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15, in the Wyoming Union ballroom on the UW campus. Former Ambassador Thomas F. Stroock will give closing remarks at 4:30 p.m.

The following day is the final fall lecture/discussion series 'Energy Futures: Global Changes that Challenge Wyoming' at 7 p.m. in the Wheeler Auditorium, located in the Wold Physical Science Center at Casper College.

Both events are free and open to the public, with a question and answer session to follow each forum.

The Stroock Forum at UW has been designed this year in conjunction with the fall discussion series in Casper.

The forum on the UW campus features a day of speakers and panels, with two keynote speakers: Rutger Huijgens from multinational oil company BP and the manager of the company's Wamsutter area assets in Wyoming, and Andrew Logan, manager of oil and insurance sectors for the investor-environmental coalition CERES of Boston. Both also will attend the Casper event the following day.

Huijgens will discuss how BP has acquired a variety of companies and properties, including Amoco properties in Wyoming. In recent months the company has outlined its vision of how global energy markets will change in response to global warming and sustainability concerns.

Logan will discuss how seriously many companies worldwide now take global warming issues and how they forecast energy market trends in response.

CERES, a coalition of public interest groups and institutional investors representing more than $4 trillion in assets, describes its mission 'to move businesses, capital, and markets to advance lasting prosperity by valuing the health of the planet and its people.'

The UW School of Energy Resources is funding a video series of highlights of the series, which will be broadcast and made available on DVD in early 2007.

Ultimate Medical Academy Hosts 2012 Council of College and Military Educators Symposium. - Health & Beauty Close-Up

Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA) recently presented its online healthcare degree programs and military education services at the 2012 Council of College and Military Educators (CCME) Symposium, which was held Feb. 13-16 in Orlando.

In a release, the group noted event details:

Nearly 900 people attended this year's symposium, including Education Services Officers (ESOs) and other military educators, civilian educators, post-secondary educational institutions and providers of education products and services.

Brian Braggs, Director of Military and Veteran Affairs, greeted attendees to the UMA booth in the exhibit hall, where he provided visitors with information about the school's healthcare programs and military education initiatives. Braggs and Cristine Kreplick, UMA Military Academic Advisor, also co-hosted a special evening reception for ESOs and military partners. The event was attended by 130 guests, who enjoyed cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, music and videos as they connected with UMA representatives and students in a more informal and intimate setting.

'UMA has made significant strides in the military education section over the past year,' remarked Braggs. 'In addition to implementing numerous policies and programs to serve the needs of military students, we were approved to accept military tuition assistance benefits and were recently designated as a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs . Today, we have nearly 1,000 students affiliated with all branches of the military. It was gratifying to be able to share our progress and future plans with ESOs and our valued partners. Our guests were very enthusiastic about UMA's education services and online healthcare degree programs, and I found their feedback both encouraging and enlightening.'

Braggs noted that UMA is committed to supporting U.S. servicemembers, reservists, guard, veterans, spouses and eligible family members who aspire to pursue healthcare education and allied health careers. He cited UMA's recent agreement with the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Program, as well as the school's sponsorship of computer-based testing for the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) through the new UMA/U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg National Test Center. Most recently, the DoD presented UMA with a statement of support signed by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in recognition of the school's continued support of U.S. Guard and Reserves.

ESOs and military educators will have an another opportunity to learn more about UMA and speak with Braggs and his colleagues at the upcoming DoD Worldwide Education Symposium 2012, which will be held July 23-27 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The triennial event is billed as the most-attended conference focused on voluntary education, and is expected to draw approximately 2,600 attendees. 'I look forward to reconnecting with the ESOs and military partners we formed relationships with at the CCME Symposium, and I'm excited to meet many others among the large delegation attending the Worldwide Education Symposium in Nevada,' said Braggs. 'I expect UMA will be making additional announcements about our military education initiatives in the coming months, and I am eager to share that news with my fellow conference attendees in July.'

More information:

military.ultimatemedical.edu