Overlake's Dr. Kriseman joins NW Sports Tonight to discuss the potentially harmful effects of Adderall on NFL players

The past weekend was not a good one if you're a Seattle Seahawks fan. On Sunday, the Seahawks lost to Miami on a last second field goal and after the game it was announced that cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner are each facing a four game suspension for performance enhancing drugs (PED). Reports say they tested positive for the well-known prescription drug Adderall, which is used to treat Attention Defecit Disorder (ADD) and is a banned substance in the NFL. Northwest Sports Tonight caught up with Overlake Medical Center's Dr. Kriseman to learn about the potential side effects of adderall on the human body. Watch the clip below!

Space Shuttle Trainer Exhibit Grand Opening at The Museum of Flight

The Museum of Flight hosted crowds of people at its Charles Simonyi Space Gallery on Saturday, November 10 to celebrate the grand opening of the Space Shuttle Trainer exhibit. Dignitaries gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially christen the long-awaited new exhibit and declare it open to the public. Those in attendance were treated to the first look inside NASA's Space Shuttle Trainer, the only one of its kind in the world and the trainer in which each of the 355 space shuttle astronauts trained.

The astronaut with Garfield High School marching band

The astronaut enters during ceremony to assist in cutting the ribbon

View from above during Garfield High School marching band's performance
in front of the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery

Museum of Flight President & CEO, Doug King, welcoming guests

Gov. Christine Gregoire speaks during opening ceremony

 

For more information on the Space Shuttle Trainer exhibit, visit museumofflight.org.

The Museum of Flight prepares for Grand Opening on Nov. 10

The Museum of Flight is putting the finishing touches on the Space Shuttle Trainer exhibit in the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery. The Grand Opening is on November 10th at 11 a.m. Here are some photos we took today watching the preparations!

 

 

For more information on the Grand Opening, visit The Museum of Flight.

 

Overlake Hospital's Breast Health Center Hosts Mammogram Party

Pictured from left to right: Kim Wagner, Kent; Camille McLaughlin, Auburn; Julie Kennedy, Bellevue; Gayana Suparkina, Bellevue; Stephanie Banuelos, Kirkland; Lisa Morten, West Seattle; Susan Allemand, Redmond.

 

Overlake Hospital’s Breast Health Center hosted a Mammogram Party on November 10^th where women were able to get tested in a“spa-like” atmosphere with wine, chocolates and bathrobes. Overlake seeks to make the necessary annual test enjoyable for women. Early detection is the goal, but doing so in a fun environment makes it something to look forward to--especially when wine and chocolate is involved! For more information or to register with a group of girlfriends to schedule a Mammo Party, click here.

Red Bull Stratos set to Launch This Morning - Felix Baumgartner to freefall 120,000 feet

UPDATE: Flight was aborted due to weather. New launch date TBD. 

Tune in this morning as Felix Baumgartner plans to ascend to 120,000 feet in a stratospheric balloon before skydiving toward Earth at supersonic speeds. Sponsored by Red Bull, the mission hopes to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers. Baumgartner is attempting to break the speed of sound during his freefall. If you want to watch it live head here or learn more at www.redbullstratos.com.

 

Felix prepares for launch. Photo Courtesy of Red Bull Stratos Twitter: @RedBullStratos

A PR faux pas

All Nippon Airline's nonstop flight from Tokyo arrives Monday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to a salute of water sprayed from airport fire trucks. It is the first 787 with regular passenger service to Seattle. The return flight to Japan was derailed because of a faulty cooling system part, the airline said. // Photo credit: Mike Siegel, Seattle Times

After our excitement over the first 787 flight to arrive at Sea-Tac in this week's Monday Morning Musings, we quickly bit our tongue. Looks like it didn't take off on the celebratory day for Tokyo due to a maintenance issue. The flight was delayed, following the welcoming reception that took place as the plane landed at Sea-Tac Airport. Read more about the delayed flight here.

Monday Morning Musings

Another beautiful Monday morning here in Seattle as we ring in the month of October. A few exciting things around the web today:

1. This morning, the first Boeing 787 operated by All Nippon Airways landed for commercial service at Sea-Tac Airport. The Dreamliner took passengers to a terminal gate and prepared for its departure back to Tokyo. All Nippon Airways was Boeing's first customer for the new fuel-efficient widebody twinjet and began the Seattle-Tokyo route in July. To see photos of the celebratory landing, click here.

2. Another successful weekend for Overlake Hospital's Eastside Vitality Health Fair as the main campus' doors were open for free screenings, tours, raffles, and giveaways. This was the final Saturday of October's Eastside Vitality Health Month, but there will be another open house Health Fair at the Issaquah Clinic on November 10th.

3. Seattle's Space Needle is getting a new roof design for its 50th Anniversary and we get the opportunity to vote on our favorite look! On the Space Needle's website, six awesome choices are listed and will be available for voting until October 20th. The new design will be announced the following day. Click here to cast your vote!

Two grand galas honor heroes from the past!

Before we take off for the weekend we'd like to bring your attention to one last article. Patti Payne from the Puget Sound Business Journal wrote a nice story about two recent galas that honored "those who serve, and soar."

The first was the USO Puget Sound Area's (USOPSA) annual gala, co-chaired by Randy and Margaret Talbot, and Betty and Kemper Freeman as honorary co-chairs. The event raised a record $500,000 dollars for USOPSA and the Wounded Warrior program. What Patti won't tell you is that her mother co-founded the USO!

Meanwhile, The Museum of Flight was hosting their Wings of Heroes Gala, which featured a rare gathering of space legends. The event was headed by Mike Hallman, Bruce McCaw and Charles Simonyi and was organized by Museum trustee Bill Rex. The event raised $2 million for the museum's educational programs!

If you'd like to read more - check out Patti's full column here.  

Monday Morning Musings*

There's been much to discuss following the controversial Monday Night Football game and what still remains from those Eastern Washington wildfires. Here are some highlights of what is being read on the web and discussed around the office:

Touchdown, endzone, referees..oh my! What a crazy few days it has been following the Monday night game between the Seahawks and Packers. You already know what went down if you have a homepage on your computer, but let's look at the outcome from two different perspectives: The Seattle Times and the Green Bay Press Gazette.

• Still stinging, Packers look to move on
• Dissecting the Seahawks-Packers final play

Secondly, smoke from wildfires on the Eastern side of our state is still a problem as we Seattleites experience a foreign concept to the Pacific Northwest: little to no rain. The fires on the other side of the mountains were sparked by lightning, leaving severely foul air behind as the blazes die down. Here is an article on the smoke in Eastern Washington.




*posted on Wednesday due to office giddiness following the exciting weekend at the Museum of Flight

Mission Accomplished for Historic Museum of Flight Heroes Gala

Buzz Aldrin saluting at Saturday's Wings of Heroes Gala at Seattle's Museum of Flight 

Lee Keller with retired astronaut Buzz Aldrin at Saturday's Wings of Heroes Gala at Seattle's Museum of Flight

What an exciting weekend at the Museum of Flight! From the black tie gala on Saturday night to the lectures throughout the day on Sunday, thousands were at the Museum to celebrate, pay tribune, fundraise, and support. Around $2 million was raised at Saturday night's gala to further the educational mission of the Museum.


A few highlights from Patti Payne's column on the event:

• "Enthusiastic emcee and MOF Trustee Steve Pool calling up about 50 stars of space to the stage, including Buzz Aldrin; Walt Cunningham, James McDivitt and T.K. Mattingly; Jim Lovell, of Apollo 13 fame; iconic flight director Gene Krantz; Washington’s homegrown astronaut Bonnie Dunbar; Russian cosmonauts Alexi Leonov and Valery Kubasov; Gene Cernan; Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, who lives on Orcas Island; Gemini and Apollo astronaut Dick Gordon; NASA mission controller James Joki; Charles Simonyi; Chris Lewicki, involved with the Mars rover and CEO of Planetary Resources; Eric Anderson, head of Space Adventures; Jeff Bezos, Blue Origins; Brian Binnie, test pilot for SpaceShipOne, Paul Allen’s project that won the Ansari X Prize; space traveler Anousheh Ansari, sponsor of that X Prize; and, to illustrate how far space travel has come, a father and son were on the stage – Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott and his son Richard Garriott, who has traveled to the International Space Station (ISS.) They are a great human interest story on their own.
   
• Seeing, on the same stage, the oldest and most experienced, from Joe Engle, pilot of the X-15 earliest space mission, to the youngest and newest on the space scene, like space tourist Simonyi, who has been to the ISS twice, space entrepreneur Bezos, whose Blue Origins is creating manned rockets to go into orbit, and Anderson, whose company Space Adventures sends people up to space now.
• Viewing the film clips that held the crowd rapt, with many asking each other, “Where were you when that happened?” all night long.
• Feeling the camaraderie among the aviation community, many of whom hadn’t seen each other for years but had worked together closely in their lifetimes, weathering space triumphs and tragedies.
• Watching Apollo 1 astronaut Roger Chaffee’s elegant widow Martha Chaffee presenting Deke Slayton’s cherished gold and diamond astronaut pin to the museum on behalf of the Apollo 1 astronauts’ widows who gave it to him.
• Seeing, from my vantage point on stage during the auction, a wide-eyed audience amazed at the auction offerings, including a Saturn V model rocket signed by the Wings of Heroes gala honorees; a sheet of 1969 moon stamps, a collector’s piece signed by six moonwalkers, including Neil Armstrong, Alan Shepard, Pete Conrad, Alan Bean, Jack Schmitt, David Scott; Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell’s signed space patch, which was with him in the harrowing April 1970 flight; and a trip to suborbital space donated by Space Adventures, which went for a whopping $100,000 to MOF trustee and Delta Captain Anne Simpson.
• And witnessing the poignant and loving tributes to their father by Rick and Mark Armstrong, the two sons of Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon. Armstrong was slated to be at the event early on. He passed away Aug. 25, and the nation mourns his passing."

Tons of coverage has been pouring in from the full weekend. More to come!

For more information on the Museum of Flight, visit their website.

2012 Spirit of Team Play Award Recipient Throws First Pitch

Last night, John Nankervis, Shoreline Fire Department paramedic, received the 2012 Spirit of Team Play Award sponsored by the Medic One Foundation, Philips Healthcare, and the Seattle Mariners. Nankervis threw out the first pitch at the Seattle Mariners game after being awarded for his continued commitment and exemplary service to the community. He was nominated by his coworkers, who said Nankervis exemplifies the integrity, teamwork, and compassion that bestows this honor.

Here a few photos from the exciting evening:

John Nankervis receiving the 2012 Spirit of Team Play Award

 

Nankervis throwing out the first pitch

 

Nankervis walking off the field after opening the Mariners game on September 19th



Moose with 2012 Spirit of Team Play award recipient, John Nankervis

Museum of Flight Hosts Star-Studded Weekend

 

The 2012 Wings of Heroes Gala is a celebration of men and women who have helped make spaceflight a reality and who continue to serve as the visionaries and entrepreneurs who are taking space exploration to even greater heights today.

Over 40 astronauts and mission control figures from all eras of space, including Buzz Aldrin, Gene Cernan, and Jim Lovell, are just a few of the guests attending this weekend's events at Seattle's Museum of Flight.

The distinguished group arrives for the Museum's Wing of Heroes Gala on Saturday evening, many of whom will be available to the public on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. for a sneak peek of the Space Shuttle Trainer and the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery, which will permanently open in November.

To cap off this exciting weekend at The Museum of Flight, native Seattleite and “Father of the Space Program,” George Abbey will be in attendance and donating all of his historic, personal NASA papers and documents from his time as Director of the Johnson Space Center to The Museum of Flight archives.

 

Below is a list of the lectures being hosted by the Museum of Flight this weekend.

 

Spaceflight Lectures - Sunday, September 23

11 a.m. - Moon Missions - The First Space Station - The Shuttle

• Buzz Aldrin - NASA astronaut, Gemini 12, Apollo 11.
• Jerry Bostick - NASA mission controller for Apollo 13 and other moon program missions, shuttle program manager
• Gerald Carr - NASA astronaut, Skylab 4 (1974)
• Owen Garriott - NASA astronaut, Skylab 3 (1973), shuttle mission STS-9 (1983).
• Jack Lousma - NASA astronaut, Skylab 3 (1973). shuttle mission STS-3 (1982).
• T.K. Mattingly - NASA astronaut, Apollo 16, shuttle missions STS-4, STS-51C.
• Milton Windler - NASA mission controller for Apollo 13 and other moon program missions, Skylab, space shuttle.

1 p.m. - Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and International Space Programs

• Valery Kubasov - Cosmonaut, Soyuz 6 (1969), Soyuz 19/Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (1975), Soyuz 36/Salyut-6 space station (1980).
• Alexey Leonov - Cosmonaut, Voskhd 2 (1965), Soyuz 19/Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (1975).
• Charles Lewis - NASA mission controller for Apollo 17, Skylab, ASTP and early shuttle flights
• Sy Liebergot - NASA flight controller for missions including Apollo 13 and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
• Glynn Lunney - NASA mission controller for Apollo 13 and other moon program missions, manager of Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and shuttle program.
• Charles Simonyi - Spaceflight participant, Soyuz TMA-10, 9 (2007), 14 and 13 (2009).

2 p.m. - Book signing/autograph session

 

For more information, visit www.museumofflight.org.

 

 

Monday Morning Musings

It was an exciting weekend here in Seattle and around the (virtual) globe. Between the Seahawks win at home against Dallas, chart-topping iPhone 5 orders and some of the best online live-streaming we've seen, these stories have us talking around the office today.

Our top three links for this Monday morning:

Topshop
Two million people from over 100 countries watched fashion retailer Topshop's Spring/Summer 2012 broadcast from London's Fashion Week. Not only could viewers watch the 10-15 minute fashion show, but they could click on clothes and accessories as the models walked the catwalk. Topshop estimates that "well over" 200 million people were exposed to images from the fashion show in the first three hours after it began. Now that is impressive.

Apple: iPhone 5 orders topped 2M in 24 hours
Have you ordered the iPhone 5 yet? Two million is more than double what the iPhone 4S raked in within the first 24 hours. The iPhone 5 is Apple's first major revision to the iPhone since its introduction in 2007. It will be available at Apple's 356 U.S. stores starting Friday. That is, if there are any left.

Seahawks show the world the team it can and wants to be
We Seattleites have a pep in our step this morning thinking about the Seahawks 27-7 win at home against Dallas. Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times said the Seahawks "practically pitched a perfect game..." Let's hope there's more where that came from!

And honorable mention to the current Seattle weather: thanks for making our Monday!

Seen Around Town

 

 

Be on the lookout for these posters peppered around businesses and landmarks in the Kirkland and Redmond areas. The first Eastside Vitality health fair is this Saturday from 9 am to noon at the Kirkland clinic. Walk-in appointments are welcome!

Like so many people probably did, I woke up this morning not thinking about this horrific event 11 years ago.  But when I saw the national coverage, the memories came flooding back.  I had just found out I was pregnant with Jacob 4 days earlier.  Mike told me I should come look at the pictures on the television.  I was horrified and actually didn't believe what I was seeing .  Then the second plane hit and I felt this wave of nausea (and not from being pregnant), come over me.  And what was most horrifying to me personally, was the plane hitting the Pentagon. After working in Washington, D.C. for 9 years, I never thought in my wildest dreams, anything like that could happen.  Then the phone began to ring and never stopped. I was managing a public affairs firm in Seattle, APCO Worldwide, and we were located in Seattle's World Trade Center.  I had employees literally crying and screaming into the phone that they were not going to come to work.  I reassured them and we shut the offices down for the day.  As it turned out, we left it closed for the week. 
But so many things were happening so quickly that it was impossible to wrap my head around it.    Air traffic was halted.  Commerce stopped.  Nothing was normal.  Our worlds simply stopped functioning.  And for me, that was the most unsettling thing of all.  We wake up every morning expecting certain things will be the same.  Our ability to move about freely.  Our ability to get on an airplane or call someone or pick up the mail.  Our everyday functioning.  All of that stopped. 

And so on this day, 11 years later, as we all move through our worlds, I will take the time to hug my family, tell my friends and colleagues how important they are to me.  And most of all, thank God that I live in this country.  Because we have the ability to bounce back from even the most horrific of events like this.  And I remain so very proud to be an American and to live in this greatest country on earth.  And I will never take our liberties here for granted.  And I will never forget.

Eastside Vitality Health Month Launches in Kirkland This Weekend

A community health fair is taking place this upcoming Saturday, September 15th, at the Overlake Medical Clinic in Kirkland. This is the launch of Overlake Medical Center's Eastside Vitality Health Month; the first of three Eastside locations hosting the event. Guests can participate in FREE cholesterol, blood pressure, cardiac and diabetes screenings, and much more! Appointments are filling up quickly, but walk-in guests are always welcome during the event hours from 9 am until noon.

 

The second community health fair will be on September 22nd at Overlake Medical Clinics Redmond location. The final event will take place at Overlake's main campus in Bellevue on September 29th. All events are from 9 am until noon.

 

Visit www.OverlakeHospital.org/EastsideVitality for a full list of screenings and more information.

Beloved KOMO TV anchor Kathi Goertzen dies

So well put by my wonderful Mom, Patti Payne, on Kathi's passing. I was so lucky to know Kathi and be touched - like so many others - by her grace and charm and amazing warmth. Whether she was calling me about her daughter wanting to be on American Idol or telling me she still wanted to go on a medical mission for Medical Teams Int'l even though she was not on the news desk anymore. She even wrote me back a few weeks ago saying that she would love to visit even though she wasn't eating or walking or talking very well. I didn't know what to do or say when I learned of her passing this afternoon from my Mom, because I was so sure she would pull through this. But my way of keeping her with me is to rememer that infectious smile and her incredibly positive attitude about EVERYTHING and her fierce love of family and friends. It reminds me to spend as much time as possible with my family and my dear friends and to remind them how much I love them. Going to get my son now and spend a good evening at home with him and with my husband and family. Cliche as it is, each day is so very precious. You will be missed by so many, Kathi.  And yes, as you asked, we will always remember you for who you are and were.

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2012/08/beloved-tv-anchor-kathi-goertzen-dies.html

             
 

 

 

 

Seattle's Museum of Flight Welcomes Final Portion of Space Shuttle Trainer on What Could Be Super Guppy's Final Trip to Region

Photo courtesty of Joshua Trujillo of the Seattle PI. More photos can be seen here

For the third time in just over a month and potentially the last time ever, NASA’s Super Guppy could be spotted high above the Seattle skyline as it delivered the final portion of the Space Shuttle Trainer to Seattle’s Museum of Flight on Thursday morning.

Following a low fly-over that buzzed the heads of hundreds of spectators, NASA’s Super Guppy landed at Boeing Field at 10 a.m. with the forward portion of the payload bay on board. It taxied past The Museum of Flight to Boeing’s Military Flight Center, where the payload bay was moved from the Super Guppy onto an Air Force “Tunner 60K” loader and slowly transported across East Marginal Way to the Museum’s Charles Simonyi Space Gallery. This could be the Super Guppy’s final flight to the region as many experts believe the plane will be retired within the next several years.     

“The third and final Super Guppy delivery marks the end of a complex and hectic process that would not have been possible without the tremendous support from NASA, our members and the people of this great region,” said Museum of Flight President and CEO Doug King. “As one chapter comes to end, another begins, which will see the completion of the Space Shuttle Trainer exhibit and the grand re-opening of the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery.”

Built in the 1970s, the Shuttle Trainer is the only one of its kind in the world and is the simulator in which each of the 335 space shuttle astronauts trained. It will be on display in the 15,500-square foot Charles Simonyi Space Gallery, where it joins a collection of other rare space artifacts including Simonyi’s Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft and interactive exhibits showcasing space travel from the earliest days of the space shuttle program to the future of commercial space flight. The payload bay portion of the shuttle trainer is 61 feet long, 19 feet wide and 23.5 feet high.    


There has been a lot of great coverage on the third portion of the Space Shuttle Trainer delivery aboard the Super Guppy to the Museum of Flight. Here are a few of the stories posted today:

Last big space shuttle trainer section arrives in Seattle on the Seattle PI

Super Guppy makes final delivery to Seattle Today on KING5.com

3rd and final Shuttle delivery to Seattle museum on The Seattle Times

The Super Guppy arrives at the Museum of Flight today--we're on board!

Oliver aboard the Super Guppy, which made its third and final delivery to the Museum of Flight this morning

On the runway as the Shuttle Trainer is unloaded from the Super Guppy

More photos and news to come!



Marvin Hamlisch dead at 68

Marvin Hamlisch dead at 68

My heart was so heavy when I heard that Marvin Hamlisch had passed away at only 68 years old.  What an incredible talent and amazing man that I was lucky enough to have met this past year because of my equally amazing mother, Patti Payne. Interviewing him for her column in the PSBJ, she invited my son (her grandson), Jacob and I to join her backstage as he rested during a break.  He was gentle, inspiring, loving, softspoken and very Jewish, which we all appreciated.  The world was a more magical place because of your presence!

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/07/composer-marvin-hamlisch-dead-at-68/

Erin McCallum of Enterprise Washington, Business Institute of Washington, featured in Seattle Times, Snoqualmie Valley Record and Bothell-Kenmore Reporter

Erin McCallum, president of both Enterprise Washington and the Business Institute of Washington, was featured in several newspapers over the last week including the Seattle Times. Below is an exerpt from the Seattle Times article and links to columns in the Snoqualmie Valley Record and the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter. 

From the Seattle Times: Washington's all-important primary election is here. With ballots in Washington state homes, voters are deciding on races for Congress, governor and other statewide offices. With a 46 percent projected voter turnout, this primary election is important for our state's future.

While the presidential and gubernatorial elections capture headlines, the critical races that really impact our lives are those for Washington state Legislature. It is a crowded field of candidates and challenging to navigate.

The top-two primary is Tuesday. Now is the time to become informed.

Based on the responses we heard in three recent, in-depth focus-group discussions we held with independent voters, Washingtonians are fed up with the status quo. The first focus group comprised women in North King and South Snohomish counties. The second focused on communities of color in south King and north Pierce counties and the third focus group consisted of men and women, ages 25-45 in East King County... To read more from the Seattle Times head here. 

To read the OpEd from the Snoqualmie Valley Record go here.

And finally, to read the piece in the Bothell-Kenmore Reporter visit here. 

 

 

Overlake Specialty School on Northwest Focus

Overlake Specialty School is a unique program coordinated with school districts, community service providers, families and others to meet the special needs of students in grades one through 12. The mission of Overlake Specialty School is to promote students' academic, social, emotional and behavioral growth in order to help them attain the learning abilities and behaviors necessary for success in the classroom.

This week's episode of Northwest Focus features Overlake Specialty School and originally aired on July 12 on IonTV, but can be seen here, as well.




For more information on Overlake's Specialty School, visit their website.

Museum of Flight Welcomes Space Shuttle Trainer Crew Compartment

The most recognizable piece of the Shuttle Trainer arrived at Seattle's Museum of Flight Saturday, June 30, amid crowds of cheering spectators. The Space Shuttle Trainer Crew Compartment, which is 28.75 feet long, 19 feet wide and 23.5 feet high, was transported in NASA's Super Guppy aircraft. The Shuttle Trainer is being delivered in several stages over the next few months and will be on display in its entirety at The Museum of Flight's Charles Simonyi Space Gallery.

The Shuttle Trainer Crew Compartment being loaded into the Super Guppy aircraft at Houston's Johnson Space Center, ready to make its final resting place at Seattle's Museum of Flight  

Built in the 1970s, the Shuttle Trainer is the only one of its kind in the world and is the simulator in which each of the 335 space shuttle astronauts trained.

The arrival of the Space Shuttle Trainer Crew Compartment kicked off ShuttleFest 2012, a week-long celebration to commemorate the historic artifact's arrival to its final home.

To read more about the Shuttle Trainer or ShuttleFest 2012, click here to read the article from MSNBC.com.

For photos of the event welcoming the Space Shuttle Trainer Crew Compartment from the Seattle PI, click here.

Museum of Flight prepares to welcome shuttle trainer

NASA's full-fuselage trainer has helped train every crew in the U.S. space shuttle program and is coming to Seattle to stay in just under two weeks. The Museum of Flight will become the FFT's permanent home where visitors can step inside for an astronaut's-eye view.

The massive wooden structure is being flown to Seattle in sections in the Super Guppy cargo plane. The front end of the FFT is scheduled to arrive in front of dignitaries and cheering spectators at Seattle's Boeing Field shortly before noon Saturday, June 30.

To read more about the full-fuselage trainer, the Super Guppy or the events surrounding its arrival, see yesterday's front page article and supplementary information published by the Seattle Times.

Recent Seattle Times articles on the full-fuselage trainer's arrival:

NASA's full-size shuttle trainer hitching a ride to Seattle
Oddball NASA craft is perfect for hauling shuttle trainer to Seattle
Astronaut helping transport NASA trainer to area is Seattle native

Turner Construction awarded Puget Sound Business Journal's 2012 Corporate Champion Award for Economic Opportunity

On Thursday, May 17, Turner Construction was awarded the Puget Sound Business Journal's 2012 Corporate Champion Award for Economic Opportunity. The award honors Turner Construction for continually providing educational training programs that are designed to enhance and support the mission and continued success of local minority-owned, women-owned and disadvantaged businesses. Through the Turner School of Construction Management, they are able to expand the opportunities available to local businesses by helping attendees build networks, establish joint ventures and win contracts with Turner and other construction companies. 

To read more about Turner's philanthropic efforts check out the Puget Sound Business Journal's story on the award here. 

Asteroid Mining Company Unveiled at Museum of Flight

On April 24, a Bellevue-based company called Planetary Resources unveiled plans to extract platinum, gold and other valuable resources from asteroids. The press conference took place at Seattle's Museum of Flight. Sounding eerily similar to a science-fiction movie, it is no surprise "Avatar" Director James Cameron is among the project's supporters.

Planetary Resources engineers and scientists are at work to fulfill the goal co-founder Eric Anderson put forth at the news conference: to launch the first probes within 24 months. With business people, space buffs, and media in the audience at the Museum of Flight, applause erupted at the exciting direction space exploration is taking.

Anderson said if all goes well, the company could have its first asteroid target identified and ready for mining within a decade.

Planetary Resources aims to use commercially built robotic ships to squeeze rocket fuel and valuable minerals out of the rocks that routinely whiz by Earth.

For more information on this exciting direction of space exploration, read the article from The Seattle Times, which also features this video.

Campaign to Make Mother's Day a Three Day Weekend Hits the Streets for Final Push

On Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12, local volunteers will be in downtown Seattle gathering signatures to ‘Give Mom a Monday,’ the petition to make Mother’s Day a three day weekend. Volunteers will be outside 607 Pine Street in downtown Seattle, and will be asking people to show their appreciation for moms everywhere by signing a petition that proposes a new holiday to be observed the Monday immediately following Mother’s Day.

Beginning on Saturday April 7, local volunteers collected over 1,000 signatures in downtown Seattle to launch the 'Give Mom a Monday' campaign. This campaign encourages people to show their appreciation for moms everywhere by signing a petition that proposes a new holiday to be observed the Monday immediately following Mother's Day. The campaign has gained momentum online and in Gene Juarez Salon and Spas locations, garnering more than 5,000 signatures so far.

Volunteers are at it again this upcoming weekend for the final push to 'Give Mom a Monday.' The goal by Mother's Day Sunday is 10,000 signatures to take to local and state officials in hopes of officially naming May 14th 'Mother's Day Monday.'

For more information and to sign the petition,visit the Gene Juarez Web site here.

The Museum of Flight in Seattle welcomes first portion of NASA's Space Shuttle Trainer

This morning, as the space shuttle Discovery made its dramatic arrival in Washington D.C., The Museum of Flight in Seattle unveiled the first sections of NASA's Space Shuttle Trainer, three Engine Bells, which will be permanently housed at the Museum’s Charles Simonyi Space Gallery.

Museum of Flight President and CEO Doug King hosted a brief news conference to announce the arrival and to unpack one of the three Engine Bells, which are approximately nine feet in diameter and roughly 800 pounds each. The Shuttle Trainer is being delivered in several stages in the coming months, with the most recognizable portion – the Crew Compartment – tentatively scheduled for delivery on June 16 aboard NASA’s Super Guppy aircraft.

Workers remove one of the three Engine Bells from the Shuttle Trainer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Each Engine Bell is approximately nine feet in diameter and weighs more than 800 pounds. Photo courtesy of NASA.   

Built in the 1970s, the Shuttle Trainer is the only one of its kind in the world and is the simulator in which every space shuttle astronaut trained for space flight. It will be on display in the 15,500-sq.-ft. Charles Simonyi Space Gallery, where it will be joined by a collection of other rare space artifacts including Simonyi’s Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft and interactive exhibits showcasing space travel from the earliest days of the space shuttle program to the future of commercial space. 

See the Seattle PI's story here. Or check out The Seattle Times' take here.  

Medic One Foundation receives generous donation from James and Sherry Raisbeck

After collapsing in his Seattle home on Jan. 2, James Raisbeck, founder and chairman of Raisbeck Engineering, is lucky to be alive. His wife, Sherry Raisbeck, found him unconscious on the floor when returning home from dinner with friends. She quickly dialed 911. Medics from Fire Station 28 responded immediately and worked on him for a "long, long time before he could even be put on a gurney," Mrs. Raisbeck said.

"Doctors at UW Hospital told me they had never seen a patient who came in that condition be able to (leave the hospital alive)," Sherry Raisbeck said. James had suffered an adverse reaction to a medication and was later diagnosed with acute autoimmune pancreatitis with sudden-onset Type I diabetes.

On Wednesday, April 4, the Raisbecks met with firefights and paramedias at Station 28 to thank them for saving his life and to present a check for $25,000 to Medic One Foundation which funds the Paramedic Training Program.This acclaimed program has become a model for the nation in training paramedics to think like doctors, and runs solely on donations.

“Having my life literally saved by Medic One without question or argument made me realize how important they are to my life and all of our lives,” says James. “We have been minor donors to Medic One Foundation for some time, but now we know more than ever that this is vital. Thank God they were able to bring me back from near death because of their world class training.”
For more information, view the full story here.

Gene Juarez kicks-off Facebook Beautification Events Today

Need a new look on Facebook? A professional photographer will shoot your new Facebook profile picture as Gene Juarez Salons and Spas launches their new “Facebook Beautification Project happy hour events” taking place at Gene Juarez’s 10 area salons beginning today and running through April 17. 

Guests who register for one of the happy hour events will receive a Gene Juarez shampoo and blowdry service or custom haircut and a “quick and easy spring makeup look” for just $40. Guests can then have their picture snapped by a professional, giving them the ultimate Facebook profile picture. Attendees will win prizes, receive a swag gift bag and enjoy wine and appetizers. There will even be fun demos to help guests learn new ways to look and feel amazing including; how to create simple and gorgeous day to night looks, how to get the latest spring looks with styling tools, skincare tips and tools to prepare your skin for the season and more.

 
Appointments for the Facebook Beautification Project happy hour events can be made here or at www.genejuarez.com or by calling (425) 373-3675. All events are from 2:45 to 9:00 p.m. and space is limited.

The Facebook Beautification Project Happy Hour Events are scheduled for:

·         March 19               Southcenter               
·         March 20               Tacoma                      
·         March 26               Redmond                   
·         March 27               Bellevue                     
·         April 2                    Alderwood                  
·         April 3                    Kitsap                         
·         April 9                    Northgate                   
·         April 10                  University Village       
·         April 16                  South Hill                    
·         April 17                  Downtown Seattle      

Overlake to host 2012 Active Senior Fair on Saturday

Overlake Hospital Medical Center will host its annual Active Senior Fair on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Westminster Chapel, 13646 NE 24th Street, Bellevue. Fair highlights include:

Entertainment

• Fashion show by Coldwater Creek of Bellevue Square highlighting the 2012 Spring Collection, 10:15 a.m.
• Steve the Pretty Good, comedy and magic, 11:30 a.m.
• Spring 2012 by Wrinkles of Washington, a song and dance musical revue, 12:45 p.m.
• Drama in the Garden: New Plants and New Ideas by Marianne Binetti, Pacific Northwest horticulture expert, 2 p.m.

Lecture presentations

• Keeping Your Mind Fit as you Age by Hank Williams, MD, 10:15 a.m.
• Sleep Issues with Seniors by Scott Bonvallet, MD, 11:15 a.m.
• Better Vision: Technology Advances & Nutritional Insights by Michael Gilbert, MD, 12:15 p.m.
• Keeping the Heart Beat Regular by Robert Binford, MD, 1:15 p.m.
• Painful Knees and Hips by James Bruckner, MD, 2:15 p.m.

Exhibitors and Demonstrations

View demonstrations and visit more than 60 exhibitors who serve the active senior community.

Free Health Screenings

Important health screenings conducted by Overlake healthcare professionals including balance, blood pressure, bone density, cholesterol and glucose (no fasting required), foot, hearing, stroke risk assessment, vision and more.

No reservations required and no entrance fee. Free parking available. For more information visit www.overlakehospital.org/activeseniorfair.

It should be a great event, come check it out!

Beautifying Redmond with sock art!

I LOVE Suzanne Tidwell’s “yarn bomb” that she did in Occidental Park last summer and was so excited to see it has come to  Redmond’s Anderson Park! I was driving by today on my way back from sushi at Whole Foods (I have to get my salmon sushi fix there at least once a week) and saw Suzanne on a ladder up a tree!  I asked if I could grab her picture "knitting" around the tree and she was happy to oblidge.  I love this.  I love art.  I love art meeting up with nature and with our everyday lives, which is something the Seattle area is so well known for.  It's definitely brightened up that park and brightened up Redmond!  Yeah!

Museum of Flight Welcomes Charles Simonyi's Soyuz TMA-14 Spacecraft



Today, The Museum of Flight in Seattle welcomed an exciting new space artifact, as Charles Simonyi and representatives from the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, delivered the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft. This historic craft will be on permanent loan to the museum from Simonyi and immediately on display in the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery.

“Today’s exciting arrival of the Soyuz TMA-14 is a tremendous step toward the completion of the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery, which is now open to the public,” said Museum of Flight President and CEO Doug King. “Having the Soyuz TMA-14 as well as NASA’s Full Fuselage Trainer on display later this year, makes the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery one of the premier aerospace exhibits in the world.”



Soyuz TMA-14 arriving to the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery

Simonyi, a high-tech pioneer and philanthropist as well as renowned space traveler, trained in the Soyuz TMA-14 during his preparatory time at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. He then traveled to the International Space Station on board Soyuz TMA-14, on March 26, 2009. The module stayed at the International Space Station (ISS) for the duration of Expedition 20, the 20^th long-duration flight to the ISS and the first time a six-member crew inhabited the station. Simonyi returned to Earth in the Soyuz TMA-13 on April 8, 2009 and the TMA-14 remained at the ISS until Oct. 11, 2009 when it safely returned home.

“It is my pleasure to share the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft with The Museum of Flight and the thousands of people who will visit the Space Gallery each year,” said Simonyi. “I am grateful to have had the privilege to travel into space aboard this capsule and hope that the exhibit will inspire the next generation of space explorers.”

The 15,500-sq.-ft. Charles Simonyi Space Gallery will be home to the Soyuz TMA-14 and NASA’s Full Fuselage Trainer as well as other various rare space artifacts and interactive exhibits showcasing space travel from the earliest days of the space shuttle program to the future of commercial space. The Full Fuselage Trainer, in which every space shuttle astronaut has trained, will arrive at Boeing Field aboard the NASA Super Guppy aircraft. Due to the trainer’s size, it will be delivered in several different stages beginning in May.

Charles Simonyi with the Soyuz TMA-14 Spacecraft

About The Museum of Flight

The independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, attracting more than 400,000 visitors annually. The museum’s collection includes more than 150 historically significant air- and spacecraft, as well as the Red Barn®—the original manufacturing facility of The Boeing Co. The museum’s aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 100,000 individuals are served annually by the museum’s on-site and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Associations of Museums, and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. For more information on The Museum of Flight, visit www.museumofflight.org.

About Charles Simonyi
Charles Simonyi is a high-tech pioneer and philanthropist as well as a space traveler. He was the architect of Microsoft Word, Excel and other widely-used application programs. He left Microsoft to found Intentional Software, which aims to develop and market computer software for knowledge processing. His passion for science and for space has led him to travel into space twice aboard Soyuz spacecraft, becoming the fifth space tourist and the first ever tourist to fly twice.