Blown away by handheld device

I parked my ample butt on the granite steps and waiting in the shade of a campus building. As good as his word, Dan Hanson of Olympus Innov-X came to meet me to show me a real-life device that reminded me of Spock's tricorder in "Star Trek."

Support is key when dealing with disabilities

My very first job was working at a home for physically and developmentally disabled children. I started out in the laundry room, then worked my way to the kitchen and, finally, became a certified nurse's aide.

High school reunion success story

There was a moment that stood out during my 10-year high school reunion last weekend. It happened after people had some food and a few drinks, and the banquet hall was overwhelmed with loud chatter and pop-fueled '90s music. I was standing next to a friend and said the first thing that came to mind.

A lot can happen in 10 years

Ten years ago, I was nervously sitting in the back row of my high school graduating class. I had to, since my last name put me there. Why was I nervous? Was it because I was scared about the life I was going to lead in the coming years? No. I was nervous because I didn't want to trip and fall after I was handed my fake diploma ...

America without optimism

Of the only man ever elected four times to the White House, the historian James MacGregor Burns wrote: "If other leaders bent under the burdens of power, Roosevelt shouldered his with zest and gaiety. He loved being president. ... The variegated facets of the presidential job called for a multitude of different roles, and Roosevelt moved from part to part with ease and confidence." FDR's optimism was contagious. <span style="line-height: ...

Burning our own fuels

The Gulf oil spill has shown us just one of the downsides of petroleum. That makes the mind of even a geologist like me turn to several questions about the future. Could we Americans grow more of our own fuel &ndash; enough to run a number of our cars, trucks and airplanes? And, quite importantly, could we do so without displacing food crops like corn?

The un-recession

Good news. The folks in charge of such things announced this week that the recession is over. Actually, it's been over for some time. It officially ended in June 2009, according to the Business-Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research, which is responsible for making such determinations. As of then, our national output stopped declining and started increasing, along with a number of other key ...

The pursuit of the perfect me

A decade ago I retreated to a mountain cabin with a group of professional women. One thing led to another and soon we were having a bonding experience that I'll never forget - absent the "Kumbaya" song and campfire.

The party is — finally — over

After three years, California State University, Stanislaus' 50th anniversary celebration is finally coming to an end.

Does the turnaround model really work?

In an effort to bring Cunningham Elementary's dismal tests scores up, the Turlock Unified School District administration decided to use the turnaround model at the school voluntarily - before test scores dropped so much it became state mandated.

Zen and art of political machine maintenance

Jerry Brown has a secret plan to balance the California state budget. When the state attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial nominee recently visited the San Francisco Chronicle's editorial board, he brought with him a large three-ring binder with his ideas on how to bring state spending back into the black. But he wouldn't tell us what was in the book.

Record-breaking generosity

On Thursday afternoon I let my fingers do the walking - but not through the Yellow Pages. Instead I spent some time reading the "Guinness World Book of Records."

Book burning

Here's a really bad idea: Burn the Koran to send a message.

All aboard!

As a Midwest transplant, one thing I have found to be true with most Californians is their love of travel. Many of my neighbors and co-workers spend their weekends sightseeing, attending festivals and enjoying the great outdoors all around the state.

A heart for my family

I'm going to let the cat out of the bag&hellip;my given name is Pina. Pennie is my nickname. I was named after Grandpa Pino and my maiden name is Skittone. Have you guessed that I'm Italian? I'm proud of my family heritage and yes, Skittone Road in Modesto was named after my Great Uncle Johnny.

Congress shall make no law...

And I wondered why people don't trust the government.

May is National Bike Month — a perfect time for our community to recognize and celebrate all the ben

The San Joaquin Valley's blessing is its curse. It was once part of a great inland sea stretching 450 miles from the Cascade Mountains north of modern-day Redding to the Tehachapi Mountains just south of Bakersfield. It varies in width from 40 to 60 miles bordered by the mighty Sierra to the east and the Coastal Ranges on the west. The retreating sea left two things immensely valuable to modern civilization especially in the ...

Thank you, Turlock

When I walked into the offices of the Turlock Journal I was expecting a hectic newsroom with people yelling across the office, papers flying, phone cords wrapping around computers as some frantic writer tries to write down notes from a phone interview that took six weeks to get. Much to my surprise, I was greeted with a friendly face, a quaint office and warm smiles from each one of my co workers. Honestly, it ...

Time to get physical

I've always felt that the rapid approaching of summer has a unique power of infusing a new type of energy in people. There's something undeniably exhilarating about the promise of sunshine that inspires a mindset to try something new. It seems rather befitting, then, that May was designated National Physical Fitness and Sports Month by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. The council, having been active for over 50 years, brings ...

Venture into the wild at your own risk

Welcome to Turlock

Playing host is nothing new for Turlock. The town welcomes thousands of athletes and fans to its fields and diamonds each year; sees over 200,000 visitors to the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds; and is the site of Christmas and Fourth of July family traditions for thousands of parade attendees. Turlock recently saw new-found fame as San Francisco 49er fans and Colin Kaepernick supporters flocked to the QB's hometown for a truly unique NFC Championship ...

Beware of sugary drink tax: It might end up killing you

How many calories are in 16 ounces of orange juice? Try 220 calories. How about 16 ounces of beer? It has some 200 calories. What about the caloric count of 16 ounces of Red Bull? It comes in at 220 calories. And how many calories are in 16 ounces of my favorite poison, strawberry-banana V8 Fusion? There's a whopping 240 calories. Which brings us to the $2.6 billion question: How many calories are in ...

Affordable Care Act offers small businesses better choices

For years, we had a health insurance market that was broken for small businesses. Because they had less bargaining power, small businesses paid an average of 18 percent more for the same health insurance plan offered to the bigger business down the street, and their premiums could skyrocket if a single employee got sick. But because of the Affordable Care Act, California's small businesses and their employees are getting better choices, starting with ...

The baby-faced bomber

Sometimes a picture speaks volumes. Sometimes it's outright deceptive. The picture of "Bomber No. 2" didn't look a bit like a mass murderer. A sweet-faced college kid, the former lifeguard, the nice young man described by classmates and friends. It couldn't be. There must be some outside organization calling the shots. An international conspiracy, perhaps. Brainwashing. Or maybe it was just a deceptive picture of a cold-blooded murderer. He and his brother ...

Stop me before I buy food

There is no problem too flimsy for California's nanny lawmakers, as witnessed by the many laws that state solons have proposed to keep constituents from getting free plastic bags at the grocery. Those teensy plastic bags are cheap. They're lightweight. They're energy-efficient. People use them a lot, which means that they can end up as litter. That can be ugly. So Sacramento Democrats keep concocting bills to outlaw their idea of blight - not ...

Hitting home

I'm from Boston. Over the years, I lived in two apartments within a stone's throw of Monday's bombings. Over the years, I stood and cheered marathon runners countless times. I know every square inch of the area in all the pictures, which is hardly unusual. It's the center of Boston. My nephew was around the corner when the explosions went off. This week's terror hit home for me. And what to do? ...

Healthcare cost battle: Switching sticks for carrots

Get ready for the real healthcare crisis. A growing number of firms are being nailed with rising health insurance expenses. The consulting firm of Towers Watson projects corporate spending on health care will average $12,136 per employee this year. Firms that for years have tried soft sell approaches to get their workers to take personal responsibility for their health through offers of reduced gym memberships and such are now getting employees' attention with money. ...

Keep the discourse coming with public art

I admit it; I'm a fan of Califia. Since 2005, when the 14-foot fountain statue was placed at the corner of Main and Market streets in downtown Turlock, it has evoked many a passionate opinion - mostly negative. But I , for one, am a supporter of the mythical Amazon queen that is supposed to symbolize this area's connection to the soil and its agricultural vitality. On my daily drive to work, the ...

Yosemite must be available for all to enjoy

I am writing to provide comments on the National Park Service's (NPS) Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Merced River Comprehensive Management Plan. Yosemite National Park is a national treasure that must be available for the American public to access and enjoy in the same manner that Americans have for decades. The 1864 Act authorizing the original Yosemite land grant to the State of California stated that the "premises shall be held ...

From the AP Stylebook: How to obscure

The Associated Press announced last week that it no longer sanctions the term "illegal immigrant" in its stylebook. Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll explained that the AP has decided it is wrong for reporters to use the word "illegal" to describe a person, but it's OK to use the word to "describe only an action, such as living or immigrating to a country illegally." Make no mistake about this decision. Whatever prompted the change, ...