Other Clips
Piracy resolution — http://www.stripes.com/news/u-s-pushes-for-anti-piracy-resolution-1.86164
Piracy decrease — http://www.stripes.com/news/navy-ships-lessen-pirate-attacks-in-gulf-of-aden-1.95059
Medal of Honor Coin — http://www.stripes.com/news/lawmaker-proposes-medal-of-honor-coin-1.89566
Free mail for troops — http://www.stripes.com/news/bill-would-give-free-mail-to-deployed-troops-1.87630
Swimmer for Afghanistan — http://dublin.patch.com/articles/dublin-swimmer-goes-the-distance-for-children
KMCC oversight — http://www.stripes.com/news/oft-delayed-kmcc-set-to-open-early-2009-1.84844
Ramstein USO Concert — http://www.stripes.com/news/troops-unwind-have-fun-at-uso-performances-1.86259
KMCC Opens — http://www.stripes.com/news/kaiserslautern-exchange-opens-with-fanfare-1.95005
Stem cell scientists get $45M
Mark Abramson / Daily News Staff Writer
Burlingame Daily News
February 17, 2007
The first $45 million in state money for stem cell research has been allocated to medical researchers, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced in Burlingame on Friday.
The money is part of the state’s commitment to stem cell research to treat or cure spinal cord injuries and diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Voters authorized Proposition 71, a $3 billion bond for stem cell research, in November 2004. Despite challenges to the initiative, the governor authorized the state in July 2006 to issue a loan of up to $150 million for stem cell research.
“Today we are making history,” Schwarzenegger said Friday. “(Scientists) are opening up possibilities that a few years ago we could only imagine. They are our new action heroes.”
Schwarzenegger talked about the millions of people who would benefit from stem cell research, including his father-in-law, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
“The initial grants are important because we all know that we cannot afford to wait when it comes to advancing potentially life-saving science,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement.
Schwarzenegger made the announcement in Burlingame, where the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s (CIRM) board met to decide how to allocate the money. The institute was established in 2005 as a state agency to make grants and provide loans for stem cell research and research facilities.
“In one day, California made a dramatic step forward,” said Robert Klein, chairman of CIRM’s board, the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee. “Today we have passed the seed money.”
After President George Bush vetoed federal stem cell legislation in July, Schwarzenegger came to the rescue with the $150 million, Klein added.
Bush cited concerns that the legislation would “fund the deliberate destruction of human embryos” for stem cell research. In a statement released by the White House, the president said he is not opposed to human embryonic stem cell research derived from embryos that have already been destroyed.
When asked about Bush’s opposition to stem cell research, Schwarzenegger said, “I am just interested in the decisions we make here.”
The $150 million is $18 million more than what China will spend on stem cell research in the next five years, and it far exceeds the $72.7 million the British government contributed to such research from 2004 to 2006, stated a press release from the governor’s office.
Roman Reed, 32, of Fremont, joined the governor Friday. He has been confined to a wheelchair since he was injured playing football at age 19. He told the audience that one day he dreams of being able to hold his son high.
“What gets me through it is hope,” Reed said. “Stem cells are going to get me out of this chair.”
E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com.
Air Force Colonel Back From Atlantis
Posted on: Wednesday, 27 February 2008, 12:00 CST
By Mark Abramson
Former San Carlos resident Rex Walheim has returned from a 5.3 million-mile trip that took him around the world — multiple times.
Walheim, 45, an Air Force colonel, was aboard the space shuttle Atlantis during its recent mission to deliver and help connect the European Space Agency’s Columbus Laboratory to the International Space Station. Hooking up Columbus to the space station involved Walheim making three space walks that totaled about 22 hours.
This wasn’t a new experience for Walheim; he also spent about 14 hours walking in space during an Atlantis mission in 2002.
“One thing that was nice is I knew what to expect,” the Tierra Linda Middle School and San Carlos High graduate said of his second mission. “Your body kind of remembers zero gravity, so it felt more normal. It’s a lot of fun, it’s a lot of pressure and it’s an incredible view.”
Walheim said he took binoculars on his first mission and could make out details like Interstate 280, Golden Gate Park and the Crystal Springs Reservoir. This time around, he recalled being able to see stretches of Earth that spanned from the Great Lakes to Florida.
“I could see the whole area where I grew up,” Walheim said. “I could see the San Carlos Airport.”
Walheim spent a year preparing for the mission, which included spending 150 to 200 hours rehearsing the walks in a massive pool at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
One of the most memorable parts of the journey was blasting off, Walheim said.
“I was surprised by how much (the shuttle) shook,” Walheim said. “I had problems reading the instruments, because it was shaking so much. They got video and there is a big old smile on my face.”
The roll during launch may look graceful, but it feels like someone is tugging on your body because of the centrifugal forces, he said. Theshuttle goes from zero to
17,500, or Mach 25, in 81/2minutes before it reaches space. During the landing, it relies on air resistance to slow it down.
About 100 of Walheim’s friends and family members, including his wife, Margie, and sons Alex, 11, and Jeffrey, 9, watched the Feb. 7 launch in Florida. Walheim returned to terra firma Feb. 20.
Walheim’s brother, Lance Walheim, said of Rex’s second shuttle launch, “It was probably even more exciting. Even though I’ve seen it before, it’s so spectacular.”
Lance, 55, a horticulturist in Exeter, said he watched the mission on NASA’s TV channel.
Rex Walheim said being weightless in the shuttle’s cramped quarters takes some getting used to.
On his first mission, he bumped his head frequently on the shuttle’s ceiling, Walheim said. He said this time he used the foot straps on the floor that are designed to keep astronauts planted while they work. Astronauts deal with zero gravity at bedtime by settling down in sleeping bag-like hammocks that are tied down and zipped up around the neck so the astronauts don’t float away.
Walheim also described the landing as an experience in itself. Peering out of the shuttle’s windows on re-entry, astronauts can see the orange glow from the heat coming off the craft.
“You are basically a big glider,” Walheim said. “Most of it is flown by the computer until you get to 50,000 feet and just below Mach 1.”
Although it is unclear whether Walheim will get a third ride into space, his next trip will probably not be aboard a shuttle.
NASA plans to end the shuttle program in 2010, and only 12 flights are left, including next week’s Endeavour mission, NASA spokeswoman Kylie Clem said.
Regardless of whether he returns to space, Walheim said he is grateful for the experiences he has had on Atlantis.
“It was one of those things that I really didn’t think was possible,” he said.
Peninsula residents carry torch
Hillsdale High School senior Jasmine Nachtigall was one of about 80 torchbearers who carried the Olympic symbol through the streets of San Francisco. She got the chance of a lifetime by submitting an essay to the city of San Francisco about her qualifications to carry the torch — which included racking up more than 2,000 hours of community service and raising over $200,000 for various causes. Thirty-nine essay writers were selected for the honor.
Nachtigall said she originally expected to carry the torch for a few blocks by herself, but that shortly after the opening ceremonies, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom boarded the torchbearers’ bus and told them the plan had changed because of the protests against Olympic host country China’s human rights record in Tibet.
“I believe protesters were able to get in to the Embarcadero route,” Nachtigall, 17, ofSan Mateo said via cell phone shortly after 3 p.m.
Nachtigall said the bus ride was confusing. “I don’t even know where we were,” she said. “It felt spontaneous. Nobody really knew (what was going on). We had to run in pairs because things were changed.”
Unfortunately that meant her family and family friends who came to watch her run did not get to see her — but they did briefly run alongside the torchbearers’ bus, she said.
Nachtigall said she thinks she was on Octavia Street when she finally ran but that she wasn’t sure. She said she felt safe from aggressive protesters because she was flanked by four officers on bicycle and other law enforcement officers.
“There were a lot of protesters, but people were respectful,” Nachtigall said. “People in support outnumbered the people who protested by far.”
Nachtigall also ran in a local race with the mayor of Taipei in 2005 to raise awareness about the “Say No to Drugs” campaign. She said carrying the Olympic torch ranked with getting into Stanford among her top life experiences.
At 4 p.m. Nachtigall said the torchbearers were being herded through security at SFO for a closing ceremony – which was originally scheduled to take place in SanFrancisco’s Justin Herman Plaza.
Other Peninsula torchbearers who were selected for their essays included John Goldman, 58, of Atherton; Todd Hallenback, 25, of Daly City; Todd Lincoln, 46, of Palo Alto; Michael Bailey, 27, of Sunnyvale; and Tierra Rogers, 17, of Pacifica.
Atherton City Council Member Charles Marsala carried a torch last Saturday along the waterfront in San Francisco as part of the Global Human Rights Relay, an event intended to raise awareness about human rights in Tibet. That event, which was not associated with the Olympics, included speakers at Union Square who voiced their opposition to China’s actions in Tibet.
Marsala said although he does not support China hosting the Olympics, he is against the type of protests that marred Olympic torch runs in Paris and London last week in which people tried to snuff out the flame and several protesters were arrested.
“The idea is, China is going to get a lot of attention for hosting the Olympics and it should be the same thing for those who want to bring attention to the human rights issues in Tibet,” Marsala said.
Marsala said he heard Tibet’s Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, speak in September 2006, and he believes in the same principles of peaceful co-existence that the Dalai Lama advocates.
He also said he is against boycotting the Summer Olympics opening ceremonies in Beijing.
“We need to respect the torch and its ability to bring people together. It promotes cooperation,” Marsala said.
E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com.
500 Alcatraz escapes, and counting
Oakland Tribune
June 12, 2007
Mark Abramson, MEDIANEWS STAFF
SAN FRANCISCO — The hardest part about plunging into the cold San Francisco Bay to swim between Alcatraz and the city for the 500th time was — what else? — finding parking, Burlingame resident Steve Hurwitz said after he accomplished the feat Monday.
The landmark swim by Hurwitz, 46, from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park was planned to coincide with the 45th anniversary of the escape by three prisoners from what was once thought to be an inescapable federal penitentiary. The escapees, Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin, managed to break out of their cells and were never heard from again.
On Monday, Hurwitz had two partners as well. Fellow swimmers and members of the South End Rowing Club Gary Emich, 56, of Pacifica, and Pedro Ordenes, 60, of Mill Valley, were also making their 500th swim from The Rock.
After years of making the Bay seem like their own little swimming pool, the three men said they are convinced that the escapees made it safely to freedom. The three men have also swum the Golden Gate Bridge’s span. And Hurwitz participated in a swim relay in the English Channel five years ago.
“This is a symbol of freedom,” Hurwitz said when hegot out of the 56-degree water at Aquatic Park.
“It means if you set a goal and you work hard … you can accomplish anything,” Hurwitz said. “It’s an adrenaline rush.”
He and his buddies braved the water without wet suits. They stopped periodically to pose for the news cameras and were pulled a little off-course by the currents during the 11/2-mile swim. They also had to notify the Coast Guard before jumping in, in order to help keep boat traffic clear.
Hurwitz’s wife Robin, 13-year-old daughter Anna, son Michael, 9, and mother, Carol Hurwitz, of Novato, cheered him on from one of the handful of boats that followed the swimmers.
His family was joined on the beach by a throng of reporters when the three men arrived at the San Francisco shoreline about an hour after they jumped off a boat into the Bay, touching Alcatraz Island to make it an official swim.
“We never gave up on any of our swims,” Hurwitz said.
The accomplishment was eight years in the making for Hurwitz.
Although his family supported him ever since he dived into the Bay for the first time, they said they initially had their doubts.
“The idea of swimming in the Bay seemed nutty,” Robin said. “It’s become a passion. He found something he loves so much.”
“I’m very proud of him,” Michael said. “I’m just amazed.”
Anna also has Alcatraz aspirations. She is preparing to follow in her father’s footsteps and is warming up for the task as a member of the Burlingame Aquatic Swim Team.
“I want to do it,” Anna said. She said she plans to join her dad within the next few years.
Monday was also momentous day for Hurwitz’s mother. It was the first time she had seen her son do the swim.
“I think it’s a fabulous feat, but I don’t think it will stop him from swimming,” Carol Hurwitz said. “He will keep going.”
For Red Bull aerobatic pilot Chuck Aaron, his barrel rolls and loops draw gazes of amazed disbelief because he’s not flying an airplane – he’s flying a helicopter.
The modified German-made Bo 105 and its repertoire of jaw-dropping maneuvers will be one of the headliners at today’s ninth annual Vertical Challenge Air Show at the San Carlos Airport and Hiller Aviation Museum. The air show only featureshelicopters, and is slated to showcase 60 civilian aircraft and military warbirds, such as the UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra attack chopper.
“It’s really grown,” said Willie Turner, the museum’s vice president of operations. “We expect 8,000 to 10,000 people.”
Understandably, museum officials have touted the Red Bull helicopter, making its second straight appearance at the show.
Pilot Aaron said initially he did not think it was possible to create an aerobatichelicopter when the beverage company approached him with the idea about four years ago, but after some brainstorming, he realized it could be done with some tweaks and the right chopper.
Red Bull officials would not say what was modified, but they noted the red-and-blue painted Bo 105 was chosen for its solid rotor blade construction and other attributes. The helicopter has been getting oohs and aahs ever since it debuted.
“Nobody could believe it,” Aaron said about the crowd’s reaction. “I try not to do the same air show over and over again.”
Aaron is no novice when it comes to flying. He’s been flying for 35 years and has done everything from flying crop-dusting helicopters to being the lead pilot of NASA’s space shuttle air rescue program.
And aviation is in his blood. His father flew planes in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. While his father taught him to fly airplanes, he was hooked on helicoptersafter one flight, Aaron said.
Members of the media – including this reporter – got a chance to take a ride in RedBull’s helicopter Friday, and some – not including this reporter – walked away from the experience feeling a little queasy.
On my 15-minute flight, I was treated to a Split S, in which the helicopter goes into a 45 degree angle climb at 69 mph, rolls upside down and points straight down before pulling out of the maneuver. The experience of doing a full loop in the chopper was like riding a roller coaster, except slower and with a floating-like sensation. Aaron also pulled a half Cuban Eight, in which the aircraft does three-fourths of a loop and then does a roll before it pulls out. Two of these in a row are called a full Cuban Eight.
Performing such maneuvers requires focus on many elements, including airspeed, altitude and location in the airspace, Aaron said.
“I intentionally do not look at the crowds when I fly. It is one of the no-nos you don’t do,” Aaron said. “Afterwards, it is pretty cool to shake people’s hands.”
Such maneuvers are exciting and dangerous – in some of the tricks, the chopper looks as though it is crashing. In fact, calls flooded into police departments Friday night after several people saw a helicopter seemingly crash into the Bay; it was actually going through practice runs.
The Red Bull helicopter also performs at other national air shows, including ones with the Air Force’s Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels aerobatic teams. Aaron has forged friendships with his faster-moving counterparts, and he’s impressed the ones he’s taken up for a flight.
“They are all in awe. You throw a helicopter in there doing aerobatics, and it is a first,” Aaron said.
Today’s air show is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hiller Aviation Museum, 601 Skyway Road. The military helicopters will be on display Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To find out more about the Vertical Challenge, go to http://www.hiller.org and click on events, or call 650-654-0200, ext. 205.
E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com
Minh Ngoc Pham, 53, pleaded no contest Thursday in San Mateo County Superior Court to misdemeanor commercial burglary for a Jan. 2 incident in which he slipped past the person checking passengers’ tickets and identification at San Francisco International Airport. He proceeded through the Transportation Security Administration security screening area, then walked to a gate and boarded an America West Airlines morning flight to Sin City.
He was also charged with trespassing, but that count was dropped as part of a plea bargain. As part of the terms of his probation, Pham is ordered to stay away from the airport unless he is traveling – with a ticket of course. He was also fined $130.
According to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, Pham was discovered because the flight was full and there was nowhere for him to sit. He allegedly stated that he wanted to fly anywhere except San Jose.
“Amazingly he was able to get on the plane,” Deputy District Attorney Sheryl Wolcott said. “I’ve never seen anything like this in three years I’ve been reviewing cases (atSFO).”
Wolcott said Pham is from San Jose.
Officials in the district attorney’s office described Pham as someone who wears multiple layers of clothing and has been a problem at the airport. He was told to stay away from the airport a few days earlier, but he was cooperative after being discovered on the plane during the Jan. 2 incident, Wolcott said.
Airport and TSA officials said Pham was apparently able to sneak by the person checking IDs and boarding passes, but that the incident did not cause any delays or major security concerns.
“It was a real minor incident,” SFO spokesman Mike McCarron said.
“Of course, we responded in regard to the incident, and once it settled down we were able to take a look (at what happened),” TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said. “If he goes through security OK, there is no threat.”
The incident has left America West officials baffled as they continue to investigate how Pham was able to board the plane.
“This is a strange one,” America West spokesman Morgan Durrant said. “We are investigating, and the investigation is still open. We are cooperating with airport police and the TSA. We don’t know if he ran past the (ticket) agent and onto the plane or what happened.
“Security and safety is the number one priority, so something like this gets our attention,” he said.
E-mail Mark Abramson at mabramson@dailynewsgroup.com.
Mark Abramson -- Journalist and Writer 
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