Jorge was born into an upper class Guatemalan family of MDs and one engineer. At age 18, he arrived in the US on a student visa with $40. He got a job in an Italian restaurant which provided room and board. He graduated from Montgomery College, UMD, and Harvard with an advanced degrees in engineering and Public Administration. He worked in engineerig for the Navy and DOD in Madrid, Europe, and Diego Garcia ( a British island in the Indian Ocean ). Jorge then worked for the National Institute of Standards & Technology. He retired from the US Government and is the owner and CEO of Management Services Inc Universal in Gaithersburg.

Kent started with his West Virginia winter photos from the highest point in the Allegheny Mountains (that run from Georgia to Main). He then switched to photos of the Cheat River, that runs North from WV to Ohio. Kent ran the river rapids in the bow of an inflatable boat that can carry 8 people; the professional guide steered from the stern. The 7 riders all had paddles to help keep them in the boat. Kent showed a picture of the Cheat in August ’13 when it was very low water and the big rocks in the rapids were exposed. The rapids are graded 1 to 5 in difficulty (based on the height of the water and the water flow). In September 2 boats and a canoe ran 7 Cheat rapids with class 3 and 4 difficulty. Kent did 5 rapids and went ahead down river for two of the most difficult rapids to take pictures as the boats came through the rapids.

Kent started with his West Virginia winter photosfrom the highest point in the Allegheny Mountains(that run from Georgia to Main). He thenswitched to photos of the Cheat River, thatruns North from WV to Ohio. Kent ran the riverrapids in the bow of an inflatable boat that cancarry 8 people; the professional guide steeredfrom the stern. The 7 riders all had paddles tohelp keep them in the boat. Kent showed a pictureof the Cheat in August ’13 when it was verylow water and the big rocks in the rapids wereexposed. The rapids are graded 1 to 5 in difficulty(based on the height of the water andthe water flow). In September 2 boats and acanoe ran 7 Cheat rapids with class 3 and 4 difficulty.Kent did 5 rapids and went ahead downriver for two of the most difficult rapids to takepictures as the boats came through the rapids.

It was our second meeting at the Oakville Grille (Wildwood Shopping Center, across from Hamburger Hamlet). The food and room are excellent. Mikki Firor talked about the National Capital Area chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. One in 6 people 60 years old and 50% of 85 year olds have Alzheimer’s disease. It is a brain disorder with no current cure. Medications can suppress the symptoms, but can’t slow the disease progression. Five million Americans have the disease and require 15 million care takers. It starts with memory, language and hearing, progresses to the eyes, and in the end stops breathing. Mikki explained its differences from other forms of dementia, and talked about the 10 behavior signs to look for. She recommended to keep a log of the symptoms.