...space shuttle was to be launched on 11/29/01, but delayed due to a docking problem at the space station...the shuttle was protected by jets & helicopters; when fully fueled, it has the potential of a small nuclear bomb...the no-fly zone was 30 miles, only Orlando Airport was permitted to remain open...boats usually have a 3-mile limit; changed to 60 miles for security measures; no one was allowed on the access roads to the space center...a second attempt was scheduled for 12/04/01...Endeavour delayed due to rain plus hand rails left on the launch pad which should have been removed on Monday...next attempt, Wednesday, 12/05/01; however, weather conditions remain the same...but the green light was given, and Endeavour lifted at 5:19 PM, EST...12/07/01: space shuttle docks with space station...one of its tasks was to move the station so as not to collide with some orbital debris...12/16/01: starts return journey home, to arrive back on 12/17/01 at 12:55 PM EST, having been attached to the station for 8 days...it landed at Cape Kennedy...(Jalalabad, Afghanistan-AP, Dec. 1, 2001 9:35 AM)...The U.S. military isn't confirming claims that a bombing raid in eastern Afghanistan has killed more than 100 civilians. (Ooops, they done it again!)...12/05/01: 3 American soldiers died (1 from MA), and 19 more wounded when a B-52 dropped JDAM bombs near their location north of Kandahar...also injured was an Afghan tribal leader who will be part of the new governing council...on the flip side, American bombs may have killed family members of the Taliban second in command...
...11/29/01: George Harrison, the youngest & 'quiet' Beatle, passed away at the age of 58, due to lung & throat cancer...people gathered at Abbey Road in London & Strawberry Fields, a section of Central Park in NY, to pay tribute & mourn his loss...this is how many of us knew him...
...12/01/55: Rosa Parks of Montgomery, AL refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus, thus was the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, which she has been part of, from then until today...
...a letter sent from a US company in Switzerland contained anthrax, no one was infected...this letter was postmarked in Zurich with a Florida return address, being sent to a doctor in Santiago, Chile...mail containing anthrax spores was found at the DEPT of Education building in DC...
the Pentagon has begun opening, irradiating and delivering mail to its offices; the same is true for NJ post offices...the Phoenix & Burbank airports were evacuated when an item that passed one metal detector's test was discovered by a machine at the other airport...America has a Taliban POW who is from California, and converted to Islam...Sharon: Israel is at war with terrorism that has been forced on us; now the Palestines are being referred to as terrorists, and Sharon does not want to continue with the peace talks...gunships attacked Arafat West Bank command center; fortunately, no one was hurt...President Bush: Israel has the right to fight back due to the 25 civilians killed by Palestinians over the past weekend....the US may break off ties with Palestine, due to another suicide bomber attack on 12/05/01...12/07/01: Arafat insists that the US is siding with Israel in this conflict...Ridge issues a third alert, approved by President Bush, based on increase in terroritsts threat to American; we cannot let down our guard, especially before Ramadan ends, but Christmas, Hanukkah & Kwanzaa soon follow...Senator Strom Thurmond (R-SC) turned 99 on 12/05/01; he will remain in office until his term ends in 2003...he does use a wheelchair to usually move about......Do you like 'Electricity'? (name of a song)...watching multiple monitors of "The Perfect Storm", "Fatal Attraction" & "Batteries Not Included" in silence on various flights...being at the peak of frustration at King's Dominion in VA when one of our friends said: A 45-minute wait for a 30-second ride!...J. Roget champagne...Don Galbraith, the Red Roof Inn in Charlotte, NC and not enough rope...the Captain's Table @the DC Eagle...the crusty bread at Bilbo Baggins...the death of Superman...Xanadu, with Olivia Newton-John & Gene Kelly, and music by ELO...Brad catches Captain taking a leak on the rug; Brad picks the cat up from the floor, and Captain still keeps urinating...walking from the (at that time) deserted Pentagon City METRO stop to our home when a snowstorm crippled the above-ground rail lines; the subway was supposed to stop at Crystal City, which had hotels & a shopping center; METROrail was supposed to have buses available at the Pentagon City stop; they didn't, however we were walking faster than most people were driving!...Brad winning a pool game against a member of the Lost Angels while under the influence...Liar of the White Worm...Great Maker!...rubber rafting down the Chatahootche River in GA...Stan Gutowski...the war with Virginia Electric for constantly (over)estimating our A/C bills, and the three months of "free" electricity because of it...Bob & Luther's party at Baileys Crossroads...Portuguese Love & Square Biz by Teena Marie...swimming in the pool at the Atlanta CBC on January 3...Brenda Tanner...Burt, a friend from Germany who had a passion for Jackie O...Mike's walk from Alexandria Hospital to METRO; Brad's walk from METRO to Washington Hospital Center back to METRO...getting the car stuck in the gravel driveway at the Beaconlight Guest House in P'town...Mike learning that fish & white wine do not mix well in his stomach...eating at "King Neptune" in Wrightsville Beach, NC...Toby & Luis at the Quality Suites, Orlando, FL...'Walk the Night': He's got a rod beneath his coat, he's gonna ram right down your throat!...at the bottom of the list of occupations that people trust are lawyers (it has been ranked near the bottom for years), insurance agents, accountants and car salesmen...
...Attorney General Ashcroft states that Immigrants should pass reliable information about terrorists to the FBI in exchange for a visa to the US since their life will be threatened due to the disclosing of this information...
...at the end of 12/05/01, the Dow was over 10,000 and the NASDAQ broke 2,000...a bus company in Clovis will be providing transportation for the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City...on 12/06/01, at 7:00 PM the Albuquerque Christmas tree was lit by Mayor Chavez, it is located on the roof of St. Joseph's Hospital, once the tallest building in the city...that same day, at 4:45 PM, the governor performed the same ceremony in Santa Fe for the state Christmas tree...12/11/01: Xmas tour of the Governor's Mansion by New Mexico's First Lady...there are plans to expand Chicago's O'Hare airport, by tearing down houses and expanding the runways...the US Capitol was reopened to the public on 12/06/01...a car got stuck under an 18-wheeler as it made a right turn at the corner of Renaissance & Culture...Winter? at 4 AM in Syracuse, NY the temperature was 72 degrees; the expected high for Boston was 71 degrees; for DC, 73 degrees...however, a cold front will drop the temperatures at least 10 to 15 degrees by the weekend...in general, 2001 has been the second warmest year since weather records were kept, with an average temperature of 58 degrees; this indicates an increase rate of 3 times faster than in the early 1900's...the Hart Office Building still has traces of anthrax contamination; resulting in another thorough decontamination sweep...there has been a big decline in car sales, and an increase in car rental rates...a prototype US missile rocket veered off course 30 seconds after liftoff...Depeche Mode...All I ever wanted, all I ever needed is him in my arms! (Enjoy the Silence)...
...the Zuni Pueblo & the Santa Fe Opera received grants from the National Endowment of the Arts...
An interesting and unfortunate set of events happening 'back East'. A Mr. Thomas was placed over Member Services. Anything he touches, looks at or breathes upon crumbles or goes haywire. He spends more time complaining about the employees' production instead of providing any assistance (I guess there's a law somewhere that says directors are not allowed to perform manual labor.) Then Brenda Tanner's mother has a very serious health condition. She does not have long to live. Of course, Brenda has to attend to her mother's needs, but now no one is running the day to day activities (as if anyone was!), but there is even less people to ask any questions! Ain't life a bitch! Unfortunately, on 10/23/01, Brenda Tanner's mother passed away. In spite of everything, I am truly sorry about this event, but her mother will no longer be in pain.
There's more! Valerie Lancaster has accepted a supervisor position at Zenith. Slowly, PBP will take over the company that was supposed to handle our claims. Currently, 2001 PBP activity at Zenith is being handled by former PBP employees.
And it gets better! A new area is being created to handle the pile of untouched correspondence.This will be handled by the PBP director, his aide, a former manager now working for Mr. Ernst plus 'staff', possibly choosing people from the existing Member Services area. Add on top of all this the anthrax scare of late-2001, and there is no end to the problems.
Regarding anthrax, I proposed to Phyllis Simmons in Oct., 2001 to not touch white envelopes, and return them to the senders. PBP will need guidelines for 'suspicious looking' mail, especially anything with traces of white powder.
11/24/01: received letter that there is a question as to what interest rate to use in the lump sum payments of the pension plan. All pension plans have to be amended to conform with GUST amendments. There are no dates as to when these matters will be settled.
A Christmas party was held at the Chart House restaurant in Alexandria on 12/07/01, awards were given for longevity. Steve Kelly received the long-overdue award for Employee of the Year. Adoline was paid off by Mr. Ernst; 12/31/01 will be the last day for Helen, Hari & Minh. Phyllis may be there forever, working again for Adoline. She had a 2-week vacation in January, 2002, with people trying to decide who would do her work; the battle rages between Linda & Adoline. Steve may also remain employed in 2002 because of his systems knowledge. During the first two weeks of January, Phyllis went for a retreat in PA with her sister. She went back to work on 1/15/02, still complaining, yet still making money...they held a pizza party for MLK Day on 1/18/02...sources say Brenda Tanner's life has been threatened...Linda Griffin (located where Helen McPhilomy was) & Nancy Ellis now work for Adoline...tensions are very running high among the veterans, who are increasingly becoming vocal about the situation...claims can be paid, but checks cannot be issued, that part has to be done by Zenith...
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