Energy

U.S. Rep. Peter H. Kostmayer has assumed the chairmanship of the House Interior subcommittee on energy and the environment, a position that could broaden his influence over national energy policy and critical environmental issues facing Bucks County. Members of Congress are allowed to chair only one subcommittee, so Kostmayer is giving up his chairmanship of the subcommittee on general oversight and investigations. He called his move to the energy and environment panel "a step up. This is a subcommittee which is going to be very deeply involved in the writing of a national energy policy over the next two years," Kostmayer said.

Eagles defensive lineman Mike Golic catches a little rest on top of some mats at Veterans Stadium before practicing for Sunday's game against the Redskins in Washington.

At 9:02 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29, my 8-year-old son came barreling up our basement stairs, screaming, "What happened?" Our electricity had shut off due to Hurricane Sandy, as it had for hundreds of thousands along the East Coast. We were prepared with candles, flashlights, and a spontaneous game of charades played out in our living room. But this event occurs in thousands of homes in Philadelphia without hurricane winds or fallen trees. Children emerge from basements citywide with the same fear and confusion as my son's, but games do not spontaneously occur.

I had my first taste of gasoline the other day. Well, to be honest, it shot down my throat so fast (through the hose I was using as a siphon) that I didn't actually have time to savor it. However, over the next 24 hours, I had a small sense of what the fish, fowl, and other fauna of the Gulf of Mexico must be experiencing. Like many Americans, I have watched in horror as the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon explosion has unfolded. But once I have heard enough bad news for a day, I turn off the television or put down the paper and go back to my comfortable, energy-intensive lifestyle.

Flamenco Ole's performance at the Movement Theatre International Saturday night emitted a fiery energy. Graceful hand gestures and staccato foot stomps make flamenco a uniquely subtle and symbolic style of dance. Add a guitarist - playing sounds from gently lyrical to full-throttle strum - to accompany and punctuate these movements. On Saturday, a hand drummer provided extra accents. A male singer's plaintive vocals embodied the soulfulness of a cantorial chant joined with the theatrical passion of an operatic aria.

Creative and inquisitive, 10-year-old Jay has an endearing personality and a cheerful smile that draws people to him. He makes friends easily. Always on the go, he channels his abundant energy into a variety of sports. It's no surprise that his favorite animal is the cheetah. He loves to ride his bike and scooter, and readily participates in any activity that requires vigorous playing. In school, Jay is enrolled in a specialized educational program where the one-on-one support he receives is helping him accomplish his academic goals.

He's going to be a firefighter, or maybe a police officer, when he grows up. Jimmy isn't quite sure what his career will be, but the 10-year-old is determined that it will involve helping people. For now, his efforts include working in the yard with his foster father, assisting his teacher by passing out and collecting papers, and patiently explaining the intricacies of math, his favorite subject, to some of his fellow students. Full of energy, Jimmy enjoys many activities - outdoor sports, bike riding, arts and crafts, and playing video games.

When the social worker comes to visit Andrew, he runs to her for a hug and bubbles over with the latest news. "See my muscle?" he proudly asks. "See how tall I am?" (He weighs 82 pounds and is 4 feet tall.) "He's full of energy" the worker reports, "and not withdrawn as he could be with his background. "Though Andrew, 9, has neglect and abuse in his past, he has made a good adjustment in his foster home," his worker says, "and he would do well in a family with an older or younger child so he could get individual attention.

A pickup game of basketball can be organized in short order for Elymas, 13, since he lives in a residential center with eight other boys. They ride bikes around a field in back of the house, too, and play kickball and football and go roller-skating. Elymas' favorite sport is soccer. Whether he's defending the goal or scoring, he plays as hard as he can. Indoors, he builds model airplanes, and has shown skill in taking stereos and handheld fans apart and reassembling them.

Though Jahkiera, 9, loves being where she is, her foster mother gives her words of reassurance. "Adoption is a good thing," she tells her. "You're going to be with a family you will never leave. They'll always be your family. " Jahkiera would like brothers and sisters. There are four girls in her home, and they read to one another, play basketball, and ride bikes. She likes to read Scripture, and is in the church choir. Her favorite song is "I Love to Praise Him, With My Hands Lifted Up. " She's in second grade and working at grade level in writing and reading and above grade level in math.

1JUST SAY NO TO 'OSE' Eliminate breakfast cereals that list ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, honey or anything that ends in "ose" (dextrose, sucrose, maltose). Instead, go for low-sugar berries, whole-grain cereals (like old-fashioned oats), nuts (1 ounce is a serving) and plain Greek yogurt (fat-free if you're trying to lose weight). 2TAKE THE WHITE OUT Skip the white bread and go for 100 percent whole-grain or sprouted breads. 3SNACK SMARTER Ditch the chips, ice cream, fruit snacks and crackers.

New Jersey regulators on Wednesday approved a $446 million solar-energy plan for Public Service Electric & Gas Co. that a ratepayer advocate complained would give the utility an unfair market advantage over private solar projects. The Board of Public Utilities will allow PSE&G to spend $247 million of ratepayer money to develop 45 megawatts of solar projects, primarily on landfills and former industrial sites. PSE&G will also spend $199 million on solar loans for residential and business customers.

Nyzeir, 9, dreams of being a famous basketball player someday and having lots of money. Extremely bright, artistic, and athletic, he loves to challenge himself at various sports, including basketball and football. His favorite pastimes include watching sports and shows about superheroes on television. He is very sweet and affectionate when he feels comfortable with people. Although he tends to be a bit shy when meeting new people he soon warms up, especially if the conversation involves sports.

NETANYA, Israel - The huge reservoirs of natural gas discovered off the coast of Israel now flowing toward shore have the potential to transform the once energy-strapped country into a lean, green manufacturing machine - capable of supplying cheap, clean energy to its citizens, factories, and vehicles for a generation. Until now bereft of the petroleum bonanza that created the modern Middle East, Israel suddenly finds itself a major player in the Mediterranean, and perhaps even the European, natural gas market.

How many conservatives does it take to screw in a new lightbulb? More than if it were liberals. A new study out of the University of Pennsylvania finds that people who are more politically conservative are less in favor of investing in energy-efficiency technology. It turns out that they're likely to be put off by the environmental messaging. Which is ubiquitous. Energy efficiency has long been touted as a way to stall climate change. The federal government's Energy Star website promotes energy-efficient products by saying they will "save energy and fight climate change.

Building 661 at the Navy Yard was never a thing of beauty. Built in 1942, during the first months of U.S. involvement in World War II, the brick-and-concrete structure's purpose was to house an indoor swimming pool, basketball courts, and offices, a function it pragmatically performed until the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard closed in 1995. On Wednesday, the building, which has been unoccupied for nearly two decades, will begin a new life as headquarters of the Energy Efficient Buildings Hub, the two-year-old federally funded innovation center operated by Pennsylvania State University.

New Jersey is lagging in its efforts to promote clean energy and energy efficiency programs because of repeated raids on funding for the projects, according to environmentalists and industry advocates. Those concerns were underscored again Tuesday when the state Board of Public Utilities disclosed that it learned late last week that the Christie administration was planning to divert an additional $10 million in clean-energy funds to plug a gap in next year's state budget. That brings to more than $160 million the amount that may be appropriated from the program in the next fiscal year alone.

NEW YORK - Stocks edged higher on Monday as energy stocks got a lift from recovering oil prices. The energy industry climbed 1 percent, making it the biggest gainer in the Standard & Poor's 500 index. Oil rose 75 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $88.76 a barrel Monday. A week ago, crude fell below $90 a barrel for the first time this year after reports that China's economic growth slowed. The broader market managed only a modest advance as investors focused on the outlook for company profits at the start of a big week for earnings on Wall Street.

I'm always looking for ways to reduce energy consumption in our house. Every year, we succeed in using less electricity and natural gas than we did the year before, but the bill remains about the same because the cost of generating less seems to increase. Still, I'd much rather be warm or cool and able to see what I'm doing before sunrise and after sunset. U.S. households spend $230 billion annually on energy, not including transportation, and the residential sector accounts for 20 percent of the total energy consumed.

The Eagles' newest player is a real powerhouse. The stats are electrifying: On a recent sunny day, this bulky unit churned out 21,033.7 kilowatt hours, nearly enough to power two average homes for a year. Yes, the long-awaited solar panels and wind turbines at Lincoln Financial Field are up and running. More than 11,000 panels have been positioned atop the roof, over some of the parking spots, and armoring the side of the building along I-95. Those are the workhorses.