Happy New Year

Just a quick note to say Happy New Year! It's been a great 2011 year for me, finally going International out of Miami, and enjoying many of the hard working crews I've worked with.

I look forward to 2012 with open arms. I know it may be a very hard start with the bankruptcy here at the airline, along with vying for new Union Leadership for our Flight Attendant work force.

May you have a great and prosperous New Year!

Dec 1st is World Aids Day

World AIDS Day is dedicated to educating and motivating people about HIV and AIDS

Thursday, December 1st marks the 23rd anniversary of World AIDS Day, commemorating the 25 million people around the world who have died from the disease since the first reported cases in 1981. 

World AIDS Day, Thursday, December 1st
credit :: www.worldaidsday.org

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are more than 1.2 million people in the United States currently living with HIV. One in five of those are unaware they are infected.

There have been significant treatment advances in the 30 years since the first cases emerged and the number of people with HIV who get AIDS has decreased over time because of advances in medical care and ART. Still, more than 16,000 people with AIDS die each year.

Public health care professionals and health care providers say getting an HIV test is the first step to finding out if you have HIV and getting medical care needed to stay healthy longer.

"If you're a gay or bisexual man who is sexually active, ask your doctor for HIV testing every six months," AIDS Foundation President and CEO David Ernesto Munar told ChicagoPride.com. "If you are living with HIV, there is a great amount of hope for a long and healthy future if you take steps to take care of yourself and your partners."

According to the CDC, approximately 50,000 people are newly infected every year. African Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV - while representing approximately 14 percent of the population, they account for approximately 44 percent of new infections. HIV is the third leading cause of death for African American men and women age 35-44.

"Regular medical care and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS can dramatically improve their health and extend their longevity," reminded Munar. "Find an expert HIV doctor and seek services from an array of local AIDS organizations that can link you to others who are living with HIV and can answer your questions."

The Minnesota AIDS Project is one of a number of advocacy organizations and healthcare providers in Minneapolis helping individuals live with HIV. For more information visit PrideAlive, OutFrontMN.

AMR files for Bankruptcy Protection

1) Is it true that American has just filed for reorganization under Chapter 11?

Yes, American Airlines took a necessary and responsible step to secure the future success of our company by filing for reorganization under Chapter 11. This was a difficult decision, but it is the necessary and right path for us to take – and take now. Our goal is to become an efficient, financially stronger, and competitive airline. The Chapter 11 process lets us continue normal business operations while we restructure our debt, costs and other obligations. New restructuring websites have been launched on AA.Com to provide information and answers to your questions about the restructuring process.

2) Do employees need to report to work/continue working scheduled trip?

Yes, American is conducting business as usual. You should report for your scheduled trip or continue with your scheduled trip, just as you normally would.

3) Will I still receive my paycheck on time?

We anticipate there will be no changes in when and how you receive your pay. During the restructuring process, American plans to provide your wages, healthcare coverage, vacation and other benefits.

4) What should employee's tell customers if they ask about American’s Chapter 11 filing?

You should tell them the following:

Taking care of our customers remains our top priority. American is operating business as usual and will continue to provide safe, secure and reliable service. We intend to fly our regular schedule, honor tickets and reservations, make exchanges and refunds as usual and fully maintain our AAdvantage and other customer service programs. For more information about the Chapter 11 filing, please visit our website at aa.com/restructuring.

Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to take this moment to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.

This is a day to look back and be thankful for all that we have. A day for families to come together and celebrate with each other and be thankful for one another.

Whether you are at home with family, abroad with the military, or flying with the airlines, we can all pause a moment and be thankful for the things we have. It can be a job, a newborn, or even a piece of toast. Take a moment and remember the origins of this tradition American Holiday.

The Thanksgiving celebration has lost much of its original religious significance; instead, it now centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been an offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. Today, however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.

Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting some 2 to 3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters.

Beginning in the mid-20th century and perhaps even earlier, the president of the United States has “pardoned” one or two Thanksgiving turkeys each year, sparing the birds from slaughter and sending them to a farm for retirement. A number of U.S. governors also perform the annual turkey pardoning ritual.

What is a Veteran?

 

What is a Veteran?

A veteran is defined by federal law, moral code and military service as "Any, Any, Any"... A military veteran is Any person who served for Any length of time in Any military service branch. [See #1 and #2, below]

What is a War Veteran?

A war veteran is any GI (Government Issue) ordered to foreign soil or waters to participate in direct or support activity against an enemy. The operant condition: Any GI sent in harm's way.

What is a Combat Veteran?

A combat veteran is any GI who experiences any level of hostility for any duration resulting from offensive, defensive or friendly fire military action involving a real or perceived enemy in any foreign theater. [See #3, below]

 

NOTE:

1. Veteran's benefits are based on Congressional regulations determined by Honorable Discharge or Under Honorable Conditions status.

2. Retirees (either 20+ years service or medical discharge status) are also Veterans. Retirees are usually eligible for supplementary federal benefits, privileges and access on military installations, but not necessarily all VA services (some services are maintained by the former military branch), as regulated by Congress.

3. Wartime medals define various levels of individual combat involvement, sacrifice and/or valor.

4. (Ret.) or (Retired) may be used by any veteran when stating or publishing his or her rank to indicate they are not on the active list.

What's the deal with the Minnesota Vikings Stadium?

So the lease is coming up on the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome and they are currently looking...no, wanting a new stadium to be built within the next few years. Only problem, one of the prospects is an old Army Ammunition location that would literally cost around $200M more because the site has to be thoroughly cleaned, the transportation infrastructure has to be totally rebuilt, and of course, the stadium would have to be built.

Rybak offers 3 Vikings stadium sites in Minneapolis; hard sell expected By Doug Belden dbelden@pioneerpress.com Updated: 10/27/2011 11:50:50 PM CDT

While the Vikings reiterated that Arden Hills is the "ideal stadium site" for the team, state and fans, Rybak insisted he's not too late.

Mayor R.T. Rybak detailed plans Thursday for three potential sites in downtown Minneapolis for a Vikings stadium, financed with a sales and lodging tax or revenue from a downtown casino.


"I'd be too late if somebody was standing out in Arden Hills with a shovel today, but I don't see that happening right now," the mayor said at a Capitol news conference.

"The Vikings are obviously a critical partner in where their home will be, but so is the state and so is the local partner," Rybak said. "What's important is to follow the invitation of the governor, to put every good idea on the table, which we are doing."

Gov. Mark Dayton has called on those with stadium ideas to submit them in writing in the next week so he can craft his own recommendation by Nov. 7.

The Democratic governor has said he will call a special legislative session before Thanksgiving to act on a stadium bill if lawmakers agree to limit their actions to that issue.

Dayton is remaining neutral on where a stadium should be built. Early Thursday, he got an aerial tour of the Arden Hills site. He was scheduled to meet with legislative leaders this morning on the matter.

The stadium plan favored by the Vikings calls for a $1.1 billion stadium on 430 acres in Arden Hills. The state would pick up $300 million of the cost, Ramsey County $350 million (through a 0.5 percent sales tax) and the team at least $420 million. 


But even after the Vikings pledged themselves to the Arden Hills plan in May, Minneapolis kept hoping, Rybak said.

"We stood back, but we kept working," he said. "We kept vetting these plans and getting them ready and, again, when we see an opening, we came in and did this."

Rybak proposed renovating the aging Metrodome ($895 million price tag) or building stadiums at the Farmers' Market site ($1.05 billion) or on an adjacent Linden Avenue parcel near the Basilica of St. Mary ($1.03 billion).

Much of the land at the Linden Avenue site is owned by Xcel Energy and the city, Rybak said.
In any of the three scenarios, funding to pay off the bonds would come from a citywide 0.35 percent sales tax and a 1 percent additional lodging tax or a percentage of revenues plus a $20 million license fee from a privately operated casino at Block E.

KSTP.com also has a great update and pics of some proposals.