Thank you Anthony for the time and effort in trying to work out the medical situation with the CBS management group...

                                          Sincerely

                                           Irene and George Klimcsak

From Bob Dailey

Tony you have to love the following article...stay well

This is an e-mail from a young ensign aboard USS Winston Churchill (DDG-81) to his parents. (Churchill is an Arleigh Burke class AEGIS guided missile destroyer, commissioned March 10, 2001, and is the only active US Navy warship named after a foreign national.).

Dear Dad,
We are still at sea. The remainder of our port visits have all been canceled. We have spent every day since the attacks going back and forth within imaginary boxes drawn in the ocean, standing high-security watches, and trying to make the best of it. We have seen the articles and the photographs, and they are sickening. Being isolated, I don't think we appreciate the full scope of what is happening back home, but we are definitely feeling the effects.

About two hours ago, we were hailed by a German Navy destroyer, Lutjens, requesting permission to pass close by our port side.  Strange, since we're in the middle of an empty ocean, but the captain acquiesced and we prepared to render them honors from our bridge wing. As they were making their approach, our conning officer used binoculars and announced that Lutjens was flying not only their flag, but the American flag. As she came alongside us, we saw the American flag flying half-mast and her entire crew top side standing at silent, rigid attention in their dress uniforms. They had made a sign that was displayed on her side that read "We Stand By You." There was not a dry eye on the bridge as they stayed alongside us for a few minutes and saluted. It was the most powerful thing I have seen in my life. The German Navy did an incredible thing for this crew, and it has truly been the highest point in the days since the attacks.
It's amazing to think that only half-century ago things were quite different. After Lutjens pulled away, the Officer of the Deck, who had been planning to get out later this year, turned to me and said, "I'm staying in the Navy."

I'll write you when I know more about when I'll be home, but this is it for now. Love you guys.

From Tony Cucurullo

Hang on folks...we are waiting for Les, to finish his moving into a new abode.  He his having trouble moving the safe, and his coin collections, along with his bearer bonds, and art collection.  He also hurt himself when he fell off of his wallet. But, he will be OK he landed on a pillow case of stored money for a rainy day.  so, have some patience, we will be right back...and....now for a commercial break.
Tony C.

From Howie Purnick

Dearest Tony & Paula,
                   Lovely to wake up to an old friend sending good wishes.  Vida and I don't get up late hardly any mornings anymore.  On the weekends she makes a pretty fancy Sunday breakfast which is always a treat.  But then again, just waking up has become a treat.  The alternative is discouraging.  However, our group is very lucky,  most seem to be living long, comfortable lives.  I am enjoying this advanced age, although I look in the mirror every morning - see my father - and ask him "what the hell he's doing here??"  All told life is good, made better with notes and interest of old pals.  Stay well and happy.
                                     Love,
                                 Howie & Vida

From Tony Cucurullo

The Yankees lost..not really. The season just ended dramatically The game is simple, but the variations of events make it fascinating to watch.
I am a baseball fan, since before I can remember anything else of importance.
My team is still one of memory, the 1941 Brooklyn Dodgers.

Baseball was the addiction of my youth. We waited for the scores to appear in the Daily News, the Daily Mirror, (now extinct). I didn't know about drugs, or drive by shootings. Girls were still thought about only after a game of baseball. We played without gloves, catchers masks, (have you ever seen my twisted nose)? or a baseball without a cover and lots of friction tape rapped around it in a couple of layers.

Kids today could do with a lot more baseball, and less drugs, cigs, and girls with all sorts of metal implants in their navels and eyes and ears.

Life was simple then, and by the reflections in my minds eye, it seemed more wholesome to me.
But baseball, hasn't run out of dramatic climaxes yet. There is still another chapter of thrills to write home about.

God Bless America, for thinking up sports as a competitive way of expressing and not allowed us to get so caught up in political and religious fervor. We take our energy and translate into sportsman like dissent. Our young people took sides, and argued the merits of their team. Other kids in the world prepare for suicide, as a future. By cowardly ignorant leaders that use them as cannon fodder in the name of their version of GOD. At least we are used as cannon fodder in the name of the right GOD??
I think our system is better. I'll take three strikes and I'm out, ant time, as opposed to three sticks of dynamite tied to my belly, and boom I'm vaporized.

Thanks Yankees, and Go Mets...next year...I hope.

From Lee Levy

NOW THAT WE KNOW WE ARE LOSING OUR MEDICAL COVERAGE ARE WE STILL ELIGIBLE UNDER COBRA ?  MY WIFE IS TEN YEARS MY JUNIOR AND THE COST OF COVERING HER WILL BE QUITE HEFTY.  BUT I KNOW THAT COBRA CAN BE EXTENDED TO 36 MONTHS WHICH MIGHT HELP A BIT IN THE LONG HAUL. DOES ANYBODY KNOW ANY OF THE DETAILS, OF COBRA...

From Barry Follet

Thought I would pass this on - really makes you stop and think, and then realize just how grateful we all should be in today's world! Enjoy!

If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a com! pr! essed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent. The following is also something to ponder... If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ....you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ...you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If your parents are still alive and st! il! l married... you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
It's NATIONAL FRIENDSHIP WEEK. Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND.

From Tony Cucurullo

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.

Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen- had to be a girl.

We should've known. Only women would be able to drag a fat-ass man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.

From Bill Murtough

Hi Tony,

There has been some discussion lately about CBS discontueing providing our medical insurance. I haven't received any notice about this. I talked to Bill Klink (no relation to Granny Klink from Washington) and Denny Denowitz, both engineers from WBBM, and they have not received any such notice. We did get a large brochure from CBS listing alternative plans but also asked if we wanted to switch. The three of us opted for no change. Could this be a "grandfather arrangement"?

Bill, Denny, and I belong to a large local "ham" radio club which meets every Tuesday morning for breakfast so I see them regularly. The late Steve Mayo, who was in video tape operations, was one of the founders of the club. We had lunch with his widow, Ann, recently. Frank Chionchio lived in the next town, Fort Pierce. We did see his widow Terry, but lost track. We did travel over to the other side of the state where we would see Roger Forster, Bill Kling, Durwood Kirby, Ogden Prestholdt, and
others but that has fallen by the wayside. Sid Rothstein would come up for luncheons, but that has fallen by the wayside too after Frank Chionchio died. I have talked to Tony Marvin on the phone. He lived in the Palm Beach area as I recall. Also Bob Hite, but he has sinced passed on. Good memories.

Bill Murtough

From Tony Cucurullo

Bill, What I printed is the gospel truth according to the benefits VP Chuck Becker, as he stated it to me and the entire room of reps and CBS people.
He was supposed to get back to me but as of today no response. I will pursue him this week.
As for the plan ending, yes it will DEC 31, 2003. What you receive now is only this YEARS election. That is the subterfuge, that I refer to. They have the right to alter the plan, and they do. They increase the deductible to the point that is to high for most seniors.
Viacom is now covering the remaining staff people. this sets them up for any chance of getting coverage when they leave.
I don't trust the company anymore. I never thought those words would come from a Paley boy.
I note that you contact Durwood Kirby. When I was working summer relief at NBC, I worked a show where he did the Maxwell House commercials live. I was his cameraman. That has to be back in the fifties. How old is the gentleman?
Regards,
Tony C.

From Les Burkhardt

Yes, as Tony indicated, we have completed the move to our new place but not without heartaches.  I did manage to spend several hours in the Emergency Area of the hospital due to a gaff ending up in my arm.  No, it was not during a fishing trip but the damn thing jumped off the wall of the garage and imbedded itself into my right forearm.  Had to keep my arm in a sling for 3 days with that one.  Realized then that the last tetanus inoculation I received was back in the 1950's.  Had to use up that money in the pillow case, ergo, I lost my protection.

I also found during this moving period that common sense is not in the minds of providers.  Sprint, that Giant of a communication company, found more ways to screw up the transfer of 2 phone lines than Doans has pills. I guess that I had to explain the what they had miscommunicated to their service people 5 times before they were able to transfer the lines.  A large retail Furniture store took 3 tries to deliver the furniture that we had ordered...............sidebar, 2 of the pieces have to be replaced due to incomplete workmanship or just the products not of the same finish.  Have to call the supplier of a large appliance back to correct a problem with that unit.  What in the world has happened to the ability of the people out in the world of day to day business. 

I know that the leaders of our country have asked us to spend to help the country recover economically, Jackie is doing a good job of that.  I think that the amount that each person should spend is somewhere in the area of $100,  about 2999 of you people can rest assured that your money is in the economy because of Jackie.  One of the great pluses of our move is viewing the sunrise and sunsets Mother Nature Provides, Michelle helped a bit there.

In response to Bill and Tony, I think that Durwood Kirby passed on about a year and a half ago.  I am not 100% certain but he did reside on Sanibel and it seems that I recall his passing on.  I can check with the local newspaper to verify that.

Received Nov. 8, 2001:

From Bob Vernum

I have been reading with great interest the comments regarding medical insurance, it seems to me that we are in a position where we must explore all options either collectively or individually, I admire Tony's efforts in trying to resolve the problem.
       Many weeks ago(SEPT 10) I sent a message to the site, in the message I included the e-mail messages I sent to senators Feinstein,and Boxer imploring them to investigate the situation regarding post retirement benefits-----I have never seen the message posted!  my intent was to show how a short concise message might have some impact.
 I have not seen any evidence of an attempt to contact any government officials in this matter.  I agree with Tony regarding complacency, on the part of retirees.
 stay healthy---Bob V.

[Les] I missed your message about the email to your Senators...probably occurred during the period of when I blocked certain email.  I call it my PO period.  You are more than likely correct in your comments but I am not the one to throw harpoons at this time.

From Tony Cucurullo

Thanks to Cuz Bob. This needed to be said.
Tony C.

REPEAT AFTER ME:

I will NOT get bad luck, lose my friends, or lose my mailing lists if I DON'T forward an e-mail! 

I will NOT hear any music or see the Taco Bell dog if I DO forward an e-mail. 

There is no kid with cancer through the Make-a-Wish program in England collecting anything! He did when he was 7 years old.  He is now cancer free and 35 years old and DOESN'T WANT ANY mORE POST CARDS, CALLING CARDS, BUSINESS CARDS or GET-WELL CARDS.

Bill Gates is NOT going to send me money.

Victoria's Secret doesn't know anything about a gift certificate they're supposed to send me.

Ford will not give me a 50% discount even if I forward my e-mail to more than 50 people! 

I will NEVER receive gift certificates, coupons, or freebies from Coca Cola, Cracker Barrel, Old Navy, or anyone else if I send an e-mail to 10 people. 

I will NEVER see a pop-up window if I forward an e-mail ... NEVER!!!!

My phone will not MYSTERIOUSLY ring after I forward an e-mail.

There is NO SUCH THING as an e-mail tracking program, and I am not STUPID enough to think that someone will send me $100 for forwarding an e-mail
to 10 or more people!

The government does not have a bill in Congress called 901B (or whatever they named it this week) that, if passed, will enable them to charge us 5 cents for every e-mail we send.

The American Red Cross will NOT donate 50 cents to a certain individual dying of some never-heard-of disease for every e-mail address I send this to. The American Red Cross RECEIVES donations.

And finally, I WILL NOT let others guilt me into forwarding emails by telling me I am not their friend or that I don't believe in Jesus Christ if I don't. If God wants to send me a message, I believe the bushes in my yard will burn before He picks up a PC to pass it on!

Now, repeat this to yourself until you have it memorized, and send it along to at least 5 of your friends before the next full moon or you will surely be constipated for the next three months and all of your hair will fall out.

[Les] Don't know Cuz Bob, but thanks

From Tony Cucurullo

We have a request from a member.
There are some people that require a font size that is at least 14.
To accomplish this, ( I am on AOL):
Click on the SETTINGS
Click on PREFERENCES
Click on FONT TEXT AND GRAPHICS
Then change setting to 14.

I hope this works for you.
Tony C.

From Emily Paulson

Right O!!!!!!!!  Emily

[Les]

 From Tony Cucurullo

With tongue in cheek:
Here is Lee Levy's answer to his own problem about his wife being younger.


The young bride approached her waiting husband on their wedding night and demanded $20 for their first love-making encounter. In his highly aroused state, he readily agreed.  This scenario was repeated each time they made love for the next 30 years, with him thinking it was a cute way for her to buy new clothes, etc.

Arriving home around noon one day, she found her husband in a very drunken state. Over the next few minutes, she heard of the ravages of financial ruin, caused  by corporate down-sizing and it's effects on a 50 year old executive.  Nonplussed, she loaded him into her car and drove down to the local hospital. Pointing to the fine structure, she informed him that he owned the land it was built on and that they paid him $6000 per month rent.  She handed him a bank book showing deposits and interest for 12 years totalling nearly $1 million dollars. Pointing across the parking lot, she gestured toward the local bank, while handing him stock certificates worth nearly $2 million dollars, and informing him that he was the largest stockholder in the bank. She told him that for 30 years she had charged him each time they had sex, and this was the result of her investments.  By now, he was distraught and beating his head against the side of the car. She asked him why he was so upset in light of such good news. He tearfully responded, "If only I had known what you were doing all these years, I would have given you all of my
business!"

From Tony Cucurullo

I spite of the terrorist and their cowardly acts, Ted P. and his wife Patricia, are sailing the briny deep and enjoying a vacation aboard a cruise ship.
Les B. and his wife moved into their new home that sits on the edge of the world where he can enjoy, both the sunrise and sunset. Now all he has to do to be human again is to avoid accidents, and just play with his portfolio.
Our curmudgeon and titular leader Fred S., is nursing a boo-boo. We hope his recovery is less painful than his fight to get us all medical coverage.

So with two of the five that it takes to put this WEB page to print, it seems that we may finally get it up and running again.
(please take note of the last line,...there are two things I don't think we can really accomplish anymore)

Anyway, it is good to be "KING."
Send in your remembrances.
Tony c.

From Tony Cucurullo

Recipe: Crunchy Carmel Apple Pie
Ingredients:

1 pastry crust for a deep-dish pie 9-inch (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (You may need more if your family sits by the bowl and sneaks the sliced applies when you are not looking) Marsha likes to use golden delicious and fuji apples.
1 recipe crumb topping (see below)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup caramel topping
1 oz. of TLC (tender, loving care - see Marsha's love story below)

Ingredients for Crumb Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2cup all-purpose flour
1/2cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup butter

Directions for Crumb Topping:

1. Stir together brown sugar,flour, rolled oats.

2. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until topping is like course crumbs. Set aside.

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.

2. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated.

3. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell (I remove the store-bought pie shell from the aluminum pie plate and transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate of my own, but you do not have to.)

4. Sprinkle crumb topping over apple mixture.

5. Place pie on a cookie sheet so the drippings don't drop into your oven.

6. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil.

7. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for 25 minutes. Then remove foil and put back in for another 25 to 30 minutes without foil.

8. Remove from oven. Sprinkle pie with chopped pecans then drizzle with caramel on top.

9. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Marsha Brooks, Apple Pie Contest 2001

[Les] All of we diabetics thank you kindly for this 
***From Adrian: Les, you're so subtle. The way I'd put it, such torture should be banned from our site. But I'll leave that to you.

From Bill Murtough

Hi Tony,

I did forget to mention that Durwood Kirby died several years ago. An amusing bit that I forgot to mention. His father was a farmer, I beleive it was in Indiana. Durward auditioned and got an announcing job at WLW in Cincinatti which payed forty dollars a week. His father was annoyed that Durward was being paid such a huge salary. The strange twist to the story was that WLW was noted in the industry for paying such low salaries. (WLW stood for "Worlds Lowest Wages"). In the thirties I applied for a job there as an engineer. I wanted to get back to my native Ohio. I received a reply from Chief Engineer Rockwell saying that he would be delighted to have me but didn't think I would like working there as they only paid their engineers fifteen bucks a week. They hired workers from their Crosley Radio factory, promising that they could gain experience which would lead to a job at another station for better pay.

Did you know that WLW was operating illegally at 500,000 watts? Their license for that power was "experimental" meaning no commercials. In those days this would mean after ll:00 or 12:00 PM, untill about 7:00 AM. However WLW ran full time at that power.  They finally got "caught". Probablly an "RI" (FCC Radio Inspector) dropped in and read the meters as they were want to do in those days. I visited their transmitter site in the mid thirties.

Many of the old time announcers and performers "paid their dues" at WLW. My friend, old time WOR announcer Bill Slater was one of them. One of our sound effects guys, I think that it was Byron Winget, also came from WLW.  A real historic radio station even though Powell Crossley was a "fox".

Bill Murtough

From Gayle DePoli

All of the rubble from New York... all the huge blocks of concrete and steel, the old busted up computers, refrigerators, hot water heaters, air conditioners, fire trucks, Lazyboy recliners, broken glass, etc., should be shoveled into C130's and C5A's, flown over Iraq and Afghanistan and dropped  from 32,000 feet.

An old Coldspot can do a heck of a lot of damage from 5 miles up!  With each  assault we can drop pamphlets: "Greetings, from the 110th floor of the World Trade Center". The next day it could be from the 109th floor... Then the 108th, etc., etc.

After 110 days of this, I can't imagine much left standing on the ground.  Can't you just see the headlines : "WORLD TRADE CENTER STRIKES BACK!" What wonderful irony this would be and think how much money we wouldn't have to  spend on new bombs or missiles! ... not to mention the 100-million tons diverted from the New York City landfill...

[Les] Gayle it a great idea, anything to aggravate the bastards

From Adrian: NY Antennas
Last Tuesday, at the SMPTE Fellow's Luncheon, Bob Seidel, who happened to sit at the same table I was, gave the group an update on the status of TV Antennas in New York. Channels 7 and 11, if I remember right, have now moved to Empire, and 13 will follow soon. 4 intends to, but the project has to wait until power supply is beefed up. A new 13.2 KV feeder is to be installed. Bob didn't mention the projected date for that. Evidently space is not the problem, just power. Dick O'Brien had some details about the cutover when WTC went down. The cutting of the WTC transmission occurred at least several minutes before the tower collapsed, when the fire had finally severed the power feed. When the WTC signal failed, Empire went on the air automatically after a gap of somewhere between 5 and 15 seconds (I've heard both numbers). Dick heard a report that a big cheer went up in Master Control when Channel 2 hit the air again. As someone else had mentioned, WCBS-TV was the only network station to maintain spare facilities at Empire.

Received Nov. 9-13, 2001:

From Les Burkhardt

On a personal note, this is the ninth anniversary of my last day of employment at CBS

Just got off the phone with Jim Martens, he reports that Fred is still undergoing tests, Fred hopes to be released from the hospital this coming weekend. I spoke with Fred about 2 weeks ago and he did sound a little tired at that time.  I felt that he was a little down because of the delay in the hernia operation.  for those of you who do not have the master list here is Fred's home address so that you may post that cheer-em-up card from the 2 for $1.00 card store.

Fred Schutz

90 Cabot Rd

Massapequa, NY    11758

I did have some trouble with my ISP over the weekend, and that is why some people received several emails about Fred.

From Tony Cucurullo

Thank You for your concern for Fred.
Les, had contact with his son, and was told that his dad, has kidney stones, and a hernia.  e is being treated in the hospital for the stones first, before they can operate on the hernia.  I can imagine the discomfort that he is experiencing, hence the request that, "NO PHONE CALLS, PLEASE"  be made as yet.  If I hear anything further I will pass it along.  Please, stay healthy..all of you. I am still in the process of trying to get the company to continue our medical coverage.
Regards,
Tony C.

From Harry Peterson

Sorry to learn about Fred being in the hospital.  Just what is his problem?

Whatever is Freddie's problem to land him in the hospital?

Harry Peterson from greater metropolitan downtown Fort Lauderdale

From Sam Ambrosio

Hi Tony, thank you for the info on Fred I know you will keep us posted on his progress.
Regards old buddy, Sammy A.

From Tony Ancona

El-burk

  thanks for the info--

   tony ancona

From Nancy Sarmast

Hi - Thanks for all of your efforts and hopefully Freddy will come through
with flying colors.  Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Sincerely - Nancy Sarmast

From Tony Cucurullo

Paul Anka wrote the song, "My Way." Sinatra, sang, '.....the end is near..."
But, Al Kozak is doing it his way. He is fighting like hell the ravages of throat cancer, the invasion to his blood of Leukemia. Yet, he lives for his music.
He just sent me another cassette tape a music anthology. On it he describes, the origin of Jazz by Jelly Morton, Louis Armstrong, Bix Biederbeck.
One song in particular, "Coney Island Washboard," played by a group of musicians, featuring an actor named Conrad Janis, a trombone player and son of an actress of the 20's. Conrad starred in or acted in many movies. Al has many of these collectable pieces. He has shared them with me over the years.
Al, goes on to describe this song in musicians terms, you get the sense that Al is living vicariously through his music.
The words are formed deep in his throat as he gathers enough air to force the words out. They don't come to your ears as a labored effort but as a tone of love, as the guttural sounds make musical pictures in the theater of your brain.
He digresses every so often to tell a CBS story. He knows of my love of the trumpet, so there is always a trumpet based anecdote. This one goes back in time to the 50's. I am hoping someone of you out there that can remember that far back to come up with a name for the main character.
It seems, that in Studio 61, there was a production in progress, probably in rehearsal. A technician, an avid trumpet player, and better than an advanced amateur, was assigned to pull cables for the Feerless dolly. But, he was off in the maintenance shop blazing away on the trumpet which he had with him at all times.
Well, Cal Marotta was doing the pushing of the dolly when he needed more cable length. He yelled back to the erstwhile trumpet player for help. The guy reaches down and gives a yank on the cable forcing a three foot swell like a wave traveling at high speed toward Cal. Cal had been straddling the cable, and he caught it full force in his loins. Which of course lowered his voice several octaves after that?
The trumpet player was sent to the office, and was told it is "either the job or the trumpet... "
Does anyone know the name of this former technician and trumpet player?

Al is fighting the good fight, like Doris Readon did with aplomb, and dignity, and mostly heroism. It seems there are people out there that can be inspirations to all of us to never give in to these trials and tribulations of life
Al doesn't have a computer. But, I am sure he would like a letter from some of his former buddies at CBS.
His address is:
93 Old Tappan Rd.
Old Tappan, NJ 07675

From Bill Murtough

Hi Tony,

I made two booboo's in my last posting. First, It was Tom Slater who was the WOR announcer. However, his brother, Bill Slater, was the sports announcer for all the West Point football games. I only knew Tom, Never met Bill. Also I mispelled Crosley. Only one "s".

Sorry to hear that Freddy is in the hospital and trust that he is doing
OK.

Bill Murtough

From Harry Charles

Les, reading through the messages it dawned on me some of the Retirees might be able to use a website I've found useful for answering  certain questions.  www.wa-wd.com   the site is self explanatory. Give my best to Freddie Schutz.
Regards, Harry

From T. Cucurullo to R. Terrone (CBS Human Resources)

I am sorry I don't remember the name.
However, I am assuming that you refer to my attempt to call the CBS Benefits Depart.
I was trying to get information regarding the election of plans for the CBS Retirees. I haven't received any paper to date.
I don't know if it is required?

Another item Mr. Becker told me he would arrange for another meeting after he gathered further information about the final date of the program for retirees?
I hope to hear from him.

If you can answer some of these questions please do so.
Regards,
Tony Cucurullo

From Ron Terrone to Tony Cucurullo

The retiree packages will be sent within the next few days the information should answer your questions, if you have additional questions please contact me

[Les] I had dealt with Ron in the past and found him to be a quite competent and an apparent friend to we retirees in understanding our problems and frustrations.

From Gayle DePoli

CBS News Asks '60 Minutes' to Cut Back on Producers
By BILL CARTER and JIM RUTENBERG
The New York Times

In what many CBS News staff members described as the first time in memory that television's pre-eminent newsmagazine has been asked to reduce its production staff, "60 Minutes" is cutting back its corps of producers as part of a plan by CBS News to pare its budget in reaction to the rising costs of covering the war in Afghanistan.

The cuts are not being called layoffs because some, or perhaps all, of those dropped from "60 Minutes" may be reassigned to other CBS News programs, such as another network newsmagazine show, "48 Hours." CBS executives described the move as minor and said that as few as five or six producers or associate producers may be cut from a
staff of 100, a modest number, especially in comparison to the sweeping staff reductions in recent months at other media companies.

But many current and former CBS News executives and staff members said the cuts in what had previously been a sacrosanct fief carries symbolic significance inside CBS,
reflecting the economic strains of war coverage and a possible decline in the program's status at the network. When CBS News ordered across-the-board budget cuts in 1995,
"60 Minutes" trimmed some expenses but no staff members were dropped.

"People are shocked," a CBS News producer said. "This has never happened before. `60 Minutes' doesn't ever get touched."

Though the program remains the dominant leader among television newsmagazines, its ratings have fallen. Last season was the first time in more than two decades that the
show did not finish among the 10 most-watched shows on television, falling to No. 11.

This season, the program has experienced further erosion. It is off in total viewers about 7 percent, down to 15 million from an average of 16.2 million viewers last season. But previously when news stories commanded the nation's attention, "60 Minutes" almost always enjoyed ratings increases. And other newsmagazines this fall have seen some improvement, most notably "60 Minutes II," CBS's spin- off of the original. That program is up to 12 million viewers this fall, from 10.5 million last year.  CBS executives said the reductions at `60 Minutes" should not be overstated. Sandy Genelius, the spokeswoman for CBS News, called the cuts, "the kind of tinkering that goes on periodically." She said that the news division has been looking at its operations in light of long-term needs, especially given the resources needed to cover what appears to be an open-ended war.

Some CBS news producers said the move was necessary to help make up for cost overruns from war coverage. "Everybody understands that hard-news gathering, daily hard news coverage, cannot suffer now," one CBS News producer said. "If we need to save some money, it's going to have to come from parts of the organization that are in very good shape and won't suffer much from small cuts."

For years people at CBS News have considered "60 Minutes" an island of luxury within the division, allowed to operate under an old-fashion, high-spending model that other
broadcast news programs abandoned long ago. The program's correspondents, including Mike Wallace, Morley Safer and Ed Bradley, are among the highest paid in the business, reaching as high as $7 million a year. Its senior producers and producers generally are paid much more than those doing similar jobs at other networks.

"60 Minutes," the longest running prime-time program in television history, has also been among the medium's most profitable. CBS has for years charged advertisers a premium
to buy commercials in the show because its audience, while older than what advertisers are usually seeking, is also among the most affluent and well-educated of any show on
television.

But one "60 Minutes" staff member said he and his colleagues began to notice a pronounced change during the second half of the last television season, when their spending on segments came under intensified scrutiny. Ms. Genelius said the cuts were not dictated by CBS or its corporate parent, Viacom (news/quote). "Nobody asked for any cuts whatsoever," she said. "This is just an internal move, looking for places to be more efficient."

Ms. Genelius said the matter was not consequential enough for Andrew Heyward, the president of CBS News, to comment. Don Hewitt, the creator and executive producer of the program, said he would not discuss the business of "60 Minutes."

CBS News staff members familiar with the situation said Mr. Hewitt was fully cooperative in helping to finding ways to save money without hurting his broadcast. "60 Minutes" has a total staff of about 100. One possibility widely mentioned among staff members was that each team of producers - there are six, one for each correspondent - might lose one associate producer or producer.

The most logical place for the displaced "60 Minutes" producers to land would be "48 Hours," which is now produced one night a week but which may expand as CBS cancels hourlong dramatic shows, creating holes in its prime-time schedule.

The ratings decline comes despite the program's strength in international news. But some extraordinary circumstances have contributed to that falloff. On Oct. 7, the program
produced an abnormally low rating because it was treated as an extension of daylong coverage of the beginning of the bombing campaign in Afghanistan. It did not produce its
regularly scheduled program. A week ago Sunday, "60 Minutes" was reduced to a 12-minute show - presenting only its usual commentary from Andy Rooney - because a
football game on CBS ran long, and the network was committed to starting another live broadcast, the Emmy Awards, at 8 p.m.

Since Sept. 11, "60 Minutes" has emphasized stories related to the terrorists attacks on and the subsequent American military action in Afghanistan. Kevin Tedesco, a spokesman for the program, said that Nov. 4 was the first time the program had included any nonrelated stories in its mix. He added that he expected that to pay dividends later in the season because "our bank of stories is so much bigger from the ones we planned to use but haven't used yet." A senior executive from a competing network said that the
concentration on war coverage may have been part of the ratings problem for "60 Minutes" - as well as television's other newsmagazines, which have generally seen their ratings slide in the last few weeks.

"I think people are starting to say they'd like a little diversion," the executive said. "They've seen so much of this story. If you choose war and they don't want war, they're gone."

However, other newsmagazines got significant increases in ratings in the three weeks after the attack, while "60 Minutes" showed only marginal improvement.

From Harry Charles

What Men & Women Really Mean

What Women Really Mean When They Say...
 Yes = No
No = Yes
Maybe = No
I'm sorry = You'll be sorry
We need = I want
We need to talk = I need to complain
Sure... go ahead = I don't want you to
It's your decision = The correct decision should be obvious by now.
Do what you want = You'll pay for this later
I'm not upset = Of course I'm upset, you moron!
You're... so manly = You need a shave and you sweat a lot
You're certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you ever think about?
Be romantic, turn out the lights = I have flabby thighs
This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house
I want new curtains = ... and carpeting, and furniture, and wallpaper
Hang the picture there = NO, I mean hang it there!
I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep
Do you love me? = I'm going to ask for something expensive
How much do you love me? = I did something today you're really not going to
like
I'll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game on TV
Is my butt fat? = Tell me I'm beautiful
You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me
I'm not yelling! = Yes I am yelling because I think this is important

What Men Really Mean When They Say...
 I'm hungry = I'm hungry
I'm sleepy = I'm sleepy
I'm tired = I'm tired
Do you want to go to a movie = I'd eventually like to have sex with you
Can I take you out to dinner = I'd eventually like to have sex with you
Can I call you sometime = I'd eventually like to have sex with you
May I have this dance? = I'd eventually like to have sex with you
Nice dress! = Nice boobies!
You look tense, let me give you a massage = I want to fondle you
What's wrong? = I guess sex tonight is out of the question
I'm bored = Do you want to have sex?
I love you = Let's have sex now
I love you, too = Okay, I said it... We'd better have sex now!
Yes, I like the way you cut your hair = Okay, I said it... We'd better have sex now!
Let's talk = I am trying to impress you by showing that I am a deep person and maybe then you'd like to have sex with me
Will you marry me? = I want to make it illegal for you to have sex with other guys
(While shopping): I like that one better = Pick any bloody dress and let's go home and have sex!

Received Nov. 14-29, 2001: **Note from Adrian:- Some messages have been lost, since Les tells me he sent me a batch for posting prior to this batch, but I'd never received them. I've been experiencing other examples of lost E-mail lately, so this is not unusual. If Les still has a copy of his previous transmission and can resend it, I'll fill that in when I receive it.

From Tony Cucurullo

The dilemma over the cloning of humans has finally reached the proportions where the choices are equally balanced.

What it really comes down to is, "Good or Evil."

Imagine a cafeteria where one could go to make the choices for what you might consider your perfect human specimen.

Putting aside your choices for physical enhancements, and beauty features, and sexual prowess. Let's for the moment stick with the mind-set, or the mental governing stability of the new you.

Would you choose good attributes or evil attributes? That is if there is anyone that can set the criteria for what is good and what is evil.

If you choose well, how good would you be? Better than, say, Jesus, or Mohammed, or Buda? Or perhaps a leader, such as Moses, or Abraham?

As a "good clone," life can get so puerile, that boredom, and yearning for the old days would be an exciting change.

Perhaps you have a mean streak in you and you want to expand your dark side.  Would you prefer the already documented façade of a Hitler, Stalin, Judas, Bin Laden, and Manson? It can be done, just choose from the menu.

In this medical cafeteria one could order any change to their lifestyle…or it could be ordained from on high by the new head of Mount Olympus. And you wont have any choice but to be, perhaps a drone, to be used as a slave. Or maybe transformed into a human fly to be sent to the enemies of your leader. Far fetched? I think not. Dolly the sheep today, a human fly later on.

If you feel that the good men in today's research facilities do not have ulterior motives, that's fine…keep the good thought. But, consider that they are on the threshold to a new frontier and history awaits the crowing of the break-through scientist. So it's, "full speed ahead and dammed the morality and concerns of the status quo."

The President, and the Pope, and other leaders are concerned that the advancements are coming at a rapid rate. That the societal controls and thought processes are not in place, to protect society from a Frankenstein type mentality.

Those that suffer the indignity of pain or the debilitation of their bodies are praying for this medical breakthrough. Yes, we all hope for those prayers to be answered. The splitting of the Atom was thought to be the end of mankind. But, with carefully constructed rules and laws, the main cause for tension is, that the possibilities for the annihilation of the human race
exists. We have come to terms with that and coexist with it.

Cloning is far more dangerous because the possibilities prevail that an individual could get control and become a despot, and upset the balance of nature with all sorts of horrible scenarios.

President Bush, is possibly looking for controls because of the political ramifications and too, to let his party get some measure of financial gain over other entities. I am not being a cynic, or casting aspersion. It just makes good business sense, that's all.  Money will always be the BOTTOM LINE.

Finally, let your mind wander through this cafeteria of horror or gain, and choose what you think would be a good gain for mankind with the advent of cloning.

On close examination one could make a case against cloning because we already have all the possible combinations of species. Since, Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of life and chose free will.

Besides, my wife couldn't stand two of me, or even an improved version.

Regards,
Tony, and Tony 2

From Tony Cucurullo

THE TOUGHEST DECISION: SHOULD MY LOVED ONE BE PLACED IN AN ASSISTED COMPUTING FACILITY?

For family members, it is often the most difficult and painful decision they will face: to accept that a loved one - a parent, a spouse, perhaps  a sibling - is technologically impaired and should no longer be allowed to live independently, or come near a computer or electronic device without direct supervision. The time has come to place that loved one into the care of an Assisted Computing Facility.

But you have questions. So many questions.  We at Silicon Pines want to help.

WHAT EXACTLY IS AN "ASSISTED COMPUTING FACILITY"?

Sometimes referred to as "Homes for the Technologically Infirm," "Technical Invalid Care Centers," or "Homes for the Technically Challenged," Assisted Computing Facilities (ACFs) are modeled on assisted living facilities, and provide a safe, structured residential environment for those unable to handle even the most common, everyday multitasks. Most fully accredited ACFs, like Silicon Pines, are an oasis of hope and encouragement that allow residents to lead productive, technologically relevant lives without the fear and anxiety associated
with actually having to understand or execute the technologies themselves.

WHO SHOULD BE IN AN ACF?

Sadly, technology is advancing at such a dramatic rate that many millions, of all ages, will never truly be able to understand it, putting an undue burden on those friends and family members who must explain it to them. But unless the loved one is suffering from a truly debilitating affliction, such as Reinstallzheimers, the decision to commit is entirely personal. You must ask yourself:

"How frustrated am I that my parent/sibling/spouse is unable to open an email attachment?"

"How much of my time should be taken up explaining how RAM is different from hard drive memory?"

"How many times can I bear to hear my dad say, 'Hey, can I replace the motherboard with a fatherboard? Ha ha ha!'"

To make things easier, we have prepared a list of Warning Signs which we encourage you to return to often, or, if you can't figure out how to bookmark it, print out. Also, please take a moment to read "I'm Glad I'm in Here! - A Resident's Story."

MUST IT BE FAMILY, OR CAN I PLACE ANYONE IN AN ACF?

Several corporations have sought permission to have certain employees, or at times entire sales departments, committed to ACFs. At present, however, individuals can be committed only by direct family or self-internment. The reason is simple: there are not nearly enough ACFs in the world to accommodate all the technologically challenged. For example, there are currently only 860,000 beds available in ACFs, but there are 29 million AOL users.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

ACF rents range from free up to $12,500 per month. The disparity is currently a point of contention in the ACF industry. Many residents are covered through government programs such as Compucaid or Compucare, but reimbursement rates are low and only cover a portion of the fees.

Exacerbating the situation are the HMOs (HelpDesk Maintenance Organizations), which often deny coverage, forcing residents to pay out of pocket or turn to expensive private techcare insurers such as BlueCache/BlueScreen.

Offsetting the costs are technology companies themselves, many of which subsidize ACFs. Firms such as Microsoft, Dell, Qualcomm, and America Online will pay up to 100 percent of a resident's monthly bill, but there is a catch. ISPs, for instance, require residents to sign service contracts lasting a year or more. Microsoft, meanwhile, prohibits the installation of any competitive software, while Priceline requires that residents buy shares of its stock, which seems onerous but saves residents on lavatory tissue.

HOW OLD MUST I BE TO HAVE SOMEONE COMMITTED?

Until very recently, you had to be 18 or older to legally commit a family member. However, the now famous British court case Frazier vs. Frazier and Frazier has cleared the way for minors to commit their parents. In that case, 15-year-old Bradley Frazier of Leicester had his 37-year-old parents committed to an ACF in Bournemouth after a judge ruled Ian and Janet Frazier were a "danger to themselves and the community."  According to court records, Bradley told his parents about the I LoveYou virus and warned them not to click  attachments, then the next day his parents received an I LoveYou email and clicked on the attachment because, they explained, "it came from someone we know."

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN AN ACF? First, make sure it's a genuine Assisted Computing Facility, and not an Assisted Living Facility. To tell the difference, observe the residents. If they look rather old and tend to openly discuss bowel movements, this is probably 'assisted living.' On the other hand, if they vary in age and say things like, "I'm supposed to figure that out? I'm not Bill goddamned Gates you know!," this is probably 'assisted computing.'

Also, at a well-run ACF, residents should lead full, independent lives, and should be allowed the use of many technology devices, including telephones, electric toothbrushes, and alarm clocks.  However, only a facility's Licensed Techcare Professionals (LTPs) should perform computational or technological tasks such as installing programs or saving email attachments. And LTPs should NEVER answer residents' questions because studies have shown that answering user questions inevitably makes things worse. Instead, residents should simply have
things done for them, relieving them of the pressure to "learn" or "improve."

CAN A RESIDENT EVER GET OUT?

No.

OK, THIS SOUNDS PROMISING. HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?

For your enlightenment, we offer extensive information on Silicon Pines and the ACF lifestyle, which can be found by clicking one of the links in the navigation bars found at both the top and bottom of this page. But whatever you decide, keep in mind that due to demand, ACFs now have long waiting lists. WebTV & AOL users alone will take years to absorb.

November 29 addition

These articles came in as email after my last posting

From Cal Marotta

Subject: RETIREMENT

RETIREMENT IN THE EYES OF A CHILD:
   After Christmas break from school a teacher asked her young  pupils to write how they spent the holidays.

One child wrote the following:
We always spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa.  They used to
live  here in a big brick house, but Grandpa got retarded and they
moved to  Arizona. Now they live in a place with a lot of other
retarded people.  They live in a tin box and have rocks painted
green to look like grass.  They ride around on big tricycles and
wear name tags because they don't know who they are anymore.  They
go to a building called a wrecked center, but they must have got it
fixed, because it is all right now.    They play games and do
exercises there, but they don't do them very well.    There is a
swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with their
hats on. I guess they don't know how to swim. At their gate, there
is a doll house with a little old man sitting in it. He watches all
day so nobody can escape.

Sometimes they sneak out. Then they go cruising in their golf carts.
My Grandma used to bake cookies and stuff, but I guess she forgot
how. Nobody there cooks, they just eat out. And they eat the same
thing every  night -  Early Birds.

Some of the people can't get past the man in the doll house to go
out. So the ones who do get out bring food back to the wrecked
center and call it pot luck.

My Grandma says Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment
and says I should work hard so I can be retarded some day too.
When I earn my retardment I want to be the man in the doll house.

Then I will let people out so they can visit their Grandchildren!

From Linda Burkhardt Schultz

This email came from an English friend of my sister

Hi Everyone,

This may help stop the spread of computer viruses and it shouldn't hurt anything. I got it from a friend in England.

Linda

This is a gem of a piece of advice: This seems to be a gem of a piece of advice: Source: www.prophezine.com Virus Prevention By: Simon Collard - VIC A clever and stunningly simple solution. (Editor's Note: Simon is one of our "A#1 Programmers and offers a simple solution to spreading e-mail viruses. As Simon says, this won't prevent your computer from being infected, and Anti-Virus protection is a "MUST" if you're on the Internet, but this will help prevent the spread of viruses.) This tip won't prevent YOU from getting viruses (you have to scan those attachments yourself before opening them to do that), but it will stop those viruses from latching onto your address book and sending itself out to others. To avoid spreading computer viruses, create a Contact in your e-mail Address Book with the name: !0000 with NO e-mail address. This contact will then show up as your first contact in your Address Book. If a virus attempts to do a "send all" on your contact list, your pc will put up an error message saying that "The message could not be sent. One or more recipients do not have an e-mail address. Please check your Address Book and make sure all recipients have a valid e-mail address." You click on OK and the offending (virus) message would not have been sent to anyone. Of course, no changes have been made to your original contacts list. The (virus) message may then be automatically stored in your "Drafts" or "Out box" folder. Go in there and delete the offending message. Problem is solved and virus is not spread. Try this and pass on to your e-mail contacts.

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