tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26545118223694270722024-03-20T11:08:50.442-04:00PCN High LifeThe High Life Blog, for the Pilot Communication Net, is a compilation of member and editor posts along with shared online articles.
PCN Services – High Life Blog, Notices for News, Events, Deaths, Illness & PCN Ads & Calendar.
Note: This Blog is semi-private for subscribers only.
Large web community for one of world’s largest airlines. Created by DL Capt Mark Sztanyo, retMark Sztanyo, PCN Dir and HL Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00223791276696853378noreply@blogger.comBlogger2197125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-76677125469936637612024-02-29T19:46:00.003-05:002024-02-29T19:47:48.279-05:00Mark's Remarks - HL 358 (2)<div><p align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">High Life 358 | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">PCN Home</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Contact.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Post to PCN</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/PilotCommunicationNet"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">G-Group</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Calendar.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Calendar</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pilotcommunication.net/Ads/"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">PCN Ads</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Sign Up</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/FAQs.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">FAQs</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Back in the High
Life Again -Theme Song:</span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adw772km7PQ&ob=av2e"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adw772km7PQ&ob=av2e</span></i></b></a></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Lyrics:</p>
<h2 align="center" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Back in the High Life Again<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=steve+winwood&filters=ufn%3a%22steve+winwood%22+sid%3a%22a6c0380e-3858-4f4c-3391-1aeaffac7117%22&FORM=SNAPST"><span style="color: #1a0dab; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Steve
Winwood</span></a><span style="color: #767676; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">It used to seem to me that my life ran
off too fast<br />
And I had to take it slowly<br />
Just to make the good parts last<br />
But when you're born to run, it's so hard to just slow down<br />
So don't be surprised to see me<br />
Back in the bright part of town<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">I'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
I'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched me once<br />
Will smile and take me in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And I'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
Let the world back into me<br />
I know I'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Girl, you used to be the best<br />
To make life be life to me<br />
And I hope that you're still out there<br />
And you're like you used to be<br />
We'll have ourselves a time<br />
And we'll dance the mornin' sun<br />
And we'll let the good times come in<br />
And we won't stop 'til we're done<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched us once<br />
Will smile and take us in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And we'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
And have the world so easily<br />
Though we'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">High life<br />
High life<br />
In the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched us once<br />
Will smile and take us in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And we'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
And have the world so easily<br />
Though we'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">High life<br />
(Back in the high life)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Oh, we'll be back...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="background: yellow; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-highlight: yellow;">Important: If viewing in Google Drive, PDF
hyperlinks are hot after you highlight them. If you have trouble navigating to
a hyperlink then visit the blog where all links are hot -</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://pcnhighlife.blogspot.com/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">http://pcnhighlife.blogspot.com/</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dear PCN</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">(of over 2600 subscribers),<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">LEAP DAY High Life:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I don’t believe I have ever published on “leap day” before but
thought it would be fun. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><b><span style="background: yellow; font-size: 14pt;">IMPORTANT SURVIVOR section repeated in INSURANCE section
of High Life 340 and FINANCE section of 336.</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="background: lime; mso-highlight: lime;">NEW handy 2 page LINK LIST of important documents for the Survivor.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">New PCN subscriber Sign Up:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As you most of you know our PCN is a private subscribed to
online community. We maintain a list of
that virtually eliminates spammers or other online undesirables from joining
with a simple sign up procedure, so the applicant can be screened. I am very happy with how this has worked as
we can be assured that everyone on the 2670 member list is legit. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you know of a pilot who wishes to join our community and
receive our notices they can <b>easily and
painlessly become a subscriber</b> for FREE by simply filling out the </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SIGN UP</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> form. If a current <b>member vouches for a friend</b> and simply sends in their former Delta
position and email, I have always considered this an appropriate vetting and
added them directly to the list. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks for helping the PCN remain the largest retired Delta
pilot online community and for helping keep our mailing list made up of all
legit subscribers. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">+++++<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PCN sends out the High Life in 2 ways
via a Blog page and a PDF file. </span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But the PCN <u>also</u>
has a website with helpful information archived. Check out some of the elements of the PCN
Website like:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Home page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About us: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/About.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/About.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Retiree benefit page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/RetPilot.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/RetPilot.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Survivor Info page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/DLSurv.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/DLSurv.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Links page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Links.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Links.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pilot Authors: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Authors.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Authors.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sign Up Form: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Report a Death Form: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Death_Form.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Death_Form.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Archived docs: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Archive.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Archive.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comprehensive Flown West List page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/FlightWest.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/FlightWest.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Seniority lists and Hotel page (password protected): </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-54835477271487843612024-02-29T19:45:00.001-05:002024-02-29T19:47:46.812-05:00Finance - HL 358 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #D9D9D9; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 217;"><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Helpful miscellaneous articles
regarding our retirement plan and planning.
Like you, I review my retirement nestegg and plan from time to
time. Recently, I went though some continued
education for some credentials I maintain and it occurred to me that we all
could use a review about these issues.
So with your help, we will share and post articles and info that may be
helpful and of interest to many of you in this section. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tax
information RE the PBGC from Capt Bob Pike:<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 5.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm sending this to both of you with
the hope that you will pass it on to your email list of retired Delta
pilots. My brother (Retired USAir pilot) told me that the withholding on
his monthly distribution form the PBGC had changed drastically over the past
few months and advised me to check mine. My January payment was the same
net amount it had been for years but in February my withholding DECREASED by
over $1000.<br />
I called the PBGC and spoke to a very helpful woman who explained that the IRS,
without notification or explanation, had required them to change withholding to
some arbitrary base category - in my case, single with no dependents. Since I have income from other sources (IRA's, SS, Investment Accounts) as I'm certain most retirees do, I had long ago adjusted my PBGC withholding to
reflect my personal requirements - which the IRS has totally ignored. She told me the PBGC was also blindsided by this requirement but had to follow
the IRS directive even though none of us received a heads up or any other
notification. She did say that the PBGC would be sending out some sort
of explanation at some indefinite time.<br />
<br />
My next step, under her direction, was first to enter the convoluted PBGC
website to find the record of recent Gross and Net distributions and then do
the math to find what my monthly withholding had been. Â I then used their
link to find IRS Form W-4P, compute the difference between what they had taken
out in February and what I actually wanted taken out (that's the $1000+ I mentioned)
and enter that number in the bottom line of the form to bring my withholding
back up to the same number it has been for years. You might think that
in the computer age the change would take effect in the next pay period - the
US Government will take 45 days minimum to make it happen. <br />
<br />
I would recommend that all Retirees who are receiving a PBGC benefit take a
look at your recent payments to see if your withholding has changed - if so you
may want to submit a W-4P ASAP.</span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bob Pike</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i> (As with any of these informative articles,
anyone who needs someone to talk to about <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i>this
very subject </i><a href="mailto:mark@pilotcommunication.net"><i>contact me</i></a><i> and I can direct you to a knowledgeable advisor).<o:p></o:p></i></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-18061602564474559512024-02-29T19:43:00.000-05:002024-02-29T19:47:45.935-05:00Insurance - HL 358 (2)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">Hi Mark-<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">We think that a significant number of people on your PCN
distribution list may not be on the DDPSA distribution list. If they would like
to receive timely updates of information and News Releases from us, they can
visit the DDPSA website at <a href="http://www.ddpsa.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">www.ddpsa.org</span></a> and sign up on our
Contact Us page. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">Attached is the latest DDPSA News Release that focuses on
survivor benefits and concerns about the future of the variable portion of the
benefit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">Ev<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">DDPSA News Release BELOW:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">DELTA DISABLED PILOTS
AND SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION</p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">P.O. Box 5955,
Vacaville, CA 95696</p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ddpsa.org/">www.ddpsa.org</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">February 24, 2024 INFORMATION ON SURVIVOR BENEFITS:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> There are three
topics covered in this News Release. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->A
lack of awareness of the significant D&S Plan Survivorship benefit
continues to exist: </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">DDPSA continues to encounter retired Delta
pilots and survivors of retired Delta pilots who are unaware of, or simply have
forgotten about, a significant survivorship benefit. This benefit is paid from
the Delta Pilots Disability and Survivorship Plan (Pilot D&S Plan) and is
distinct from any benefits paid by the PBGC. The vast majority of pilots
elected a single life annuity from the Delta Pilots Retirement Plan thereby
eliminating any benefits payable to their survivors from the PBGC. However, the
monthly income survivor benefit from the Pilot D&S Plan still is available.
Eligibility: For clarification, for the surviving spouse of a retired Delta
pilot to be entitled to the Pilot D&S Plan Monthly Income Survivor Benefit,
all of the following are required: </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .5in;">A. The pilot must
have retired from Delta before January 1, 2008. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto;">B. The spouse must have been married to the pilot at least 12 consecutive
months prior to the pilot’s event date (retirement or disability, which ever
occurred first), unless the pilot was in a good state of health at some time
between the date of the marriage and the event date. (Basically, the pilot had
to be actively flying and not on disability when the marriage occurred or have
returned to active flying after the marriage occurred). </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto;">C.
The spouse must have been married to the pilot continuously from the event date
(retirement or disability, which ever occurred first) until the date of the
pilot’s death. Please continue to help us ”spread the word” to your fellow
retired Delta pilots about this significant benefit and the information
available on the DDPSA website (<a href="http://www.ddpsa.org/">www.ddpsa.org</a>).
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2. Concerns about the financial status of the D&S Plan
Trust Fund: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Important questions about the
financial status of the D&S Trust remain unanswered. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">A. First, it appears that the
D&S Trust now contains minimal assets. Over the past several years, Delta
has made limited contributions to the D&S Trust while paying benefits and
administrative expenses. Because Delta repeatedly has stated its intention to
maintain the Pilot D&S Plan indefinitely, it is apparent that contributions
to the D&S Trust will be made on a “pay-as-you-go” basis. Therefore, at
this point in time, it is reasonable to assume that Pilot D&S Plan benefits
will continue to be paid. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">B. Second, of course, there is a
significant difference between benefits being paid from a well-funded Trust
Fund versus those paid on a “payas-you-go” basis. Benefits coming from a
well-funded Trust arguably would be more secure should Delta ever file for
bankruptcy in the future. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">C. Third, the Pilot D&S Plan
contains an important provision for variable increases on one half of the
original benefit. (Benefits under the Plan are “half fixed; half variable”)1 .
This structure is of vital importance to beneficiaries to counter the impact of
inflation over time. Annual adjustments to the variable portion are directly
based on the investment performance of the D&S Trust Fund assets. Thus, if
the D&S Trust does not actually have invested assets, future variable
increases could be in jeopardy of being reduced or eliminated and existing variable
benefit payments potentially could decline. The most recent change to the
variable benefit was a decrease of approximately 6.9% on April 1, 2023 (which
most likely was impacted by investment market declines in calendar year 2022).
The upcoming adjustment on April 1, 2024 (which should reflect the strong
market recovery in 2023) will provide an indication of the future direction of
the variable portion of Pilot D&S Plan benefits. Additionally, we should
have a better indication of the status of the D&S Trust when the required
annual IRS Form 5500 is filed (usually by mid-April). 1 The calculation of the
variable benefit is explained in an article on the DDPSA website. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">3. Problems encountered by Survivors in receiving benefits: </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">A. In some cases, Survivors of retired
Delta pilots have experienced problems or delays in receiving the Pilot D&S
Plan Monthly Income Survivor Benefit. The following information should help
preclude such delays. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">(1)When a pilot passes away, the
surviving spouse must contact the Employee Service Center (ESC) by calling
1-800-MY-DELTA. At this initial contact, be sure to tell the ESC representative
that the deceased was a Delta PILOT and that you as the surviving spouse are
eligible for survivorship benefits (provided that you meet the “Eligibility”
requirements stated on page 1 on this News Release). </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">(2)Be aware that the vast majority
of cases the ESC deals with are ground personnel, who do not have the
significant survivorship benefit available under the Pilot D&S Plan. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">(3)The ESC is required to mail you
an application for benefits within 5 days of the report of the death. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">(4)Complete and return the
application and required documentation which includes the pilot’s death
certificate, pilot’s birth certificate, spouse’s birth certificate and marriage
certificate. If Delta receives the application and required documentation by
the 5th day of the month, benefits will be paid at the end of that month. If
not, benefit payments will start at the end of the following month. All
benefits in arrears will be paid. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in;">(5)In rare cases, ESC
representatives have asked spouses for Social Security and/or PBGC award
letters. Be aware that NEITHER of these items is relevant to survivorship
benefits under the Pilot D&S Plan for pilots who died after retiring from
Delta. These items are not required and should not be sent. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: .5in;">(6)For any
problems or delays, ask the ESC for a case number. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">B. Occasionally, some eligible
surviving spouses of retired Delta pilots who also later worked as Simulator
Instructors at Delta Ground Services (DGS) have encountered difficulty in
obtaining their Pilot D&S Plan survivorship benefits. Such pilots were assigned
a new employee number at DGS. Problems arose when the ESC processed the case as
if the employee was only a DGS employee, and not a retired Delta pilot. To
avoid this problem, it is important that the ESC be notified that any such
deceased pilot was a pilot who retired from Delta before January 1, 2008 as
well as a pilot who worked for Delta Ground Services. The pilot employee number
should be used for the processing of Pilot D&S Plan benefits. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Please notify DDPSA if you encounter problems in receiving
survivor benefits from the Delta Pilots D&S Plan. We are willing and able
to assist you. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The DDPSA website at <a href="http://www.ddpsa.org/">www.ddpsa.org</a> has a significant amount of information about
the D&S Plan as well as a Worksheet that can be used to estimate the
Survivor Benefit and a Flight Plan for the Final Flight West that should be
helpful to the executors of your estate. The DDPSA Board of </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Directors thanks you for your support.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">IMPORTANT SURVIVOR information in many former
HL issues but INSURANCE section of High Life 340 and FINANCE section of 336 a
good resource to keep.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">CORRECTION to language I used in HL 350 for
the D & S Plan TRUST<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">All Archived High Lifes issues: </span></i><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BzB_SBDmSd9AMzViODQ3MDQtODhjYy00YzkwLThiMzktM2FhMDEzMDZhYjA0?resourcekey=0-sovghKhA1zNRWP5SUxjUqA&usp=sharing"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BzB_SBDmSd9AMzViODQ3MDQtODhjYy00YzkwLThiMzktM2FhMDEzMDZhYjA0?resourcekey=0-sovghKhA1zNRWP5SUxjUqA&usp=sharing</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-highlight: yellow;">I
previously used the word ‘unfunding’ or ‘defunding’ the Trust but I believe that is in error and
can cause unnecessary misunderstanding.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The Company is not defunding the Trust but
rather funding it ‘monthly’ as opposed to carrying a long term balance. There IS a tax advantage for both Company and
Beneficiary from the Section 501(c)(9) nature of the Trust so, one would expect
to see the Company continue to keep the Trust even though the funding is not executed
well in advance. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-66214802545908512322024-02-29T19:41:00.008-05:002024-02-29T19:47:47.399-05:00Events - HL 358 (1)<div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">YES, there are early Spring Air Shows ---- Take
a look and get off the couch!<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></strong></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://airshowstuff.com/v4/airshow-calendar/2024-airshow-aviation-event-calendar/"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">https://airshowstuff.com/v4/airshow-calendar/2024-airshow-aviation-event-calendar/</span></a><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></strong></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.airshowcenter.com/airshows/united-states/march"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">https://www.airshowcenter.com/airshows/united-states/march</span></span></a><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-67956341040989477692024-02-29T19:40:00.001-05:002024-02-29T19:47:47.691-05:00Travel / Non Revving - HL 358 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #010158; font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Note: About </span></i></b><b><i><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">layover hotels</span></u></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> (List Now Updated as
of Nov 2021) </span></i></b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Lists are<b> </b></span></i><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">no longer accessible on the DeltaNet. The page is password protected for our PCN
group ONLY. Please use the password of </span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: yellow; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">pcnpilot</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><i><span style="background: yellow; color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: yellow; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">To
access the 2021 listing of layover hotels click here:</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some LCC are in a race to the bottom. Tell me how Frontier is going to conquer the
world and pay their bills with this:</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63mlU9fCkyQuSMQKLYAoxiW6SAJEQsES6cvpsl4IZrCuFvICzN6o7p_92jXuTcvflJs144LDkpUaTxawmLJmF1pXHiw9knJkuFn8FJ80tNK-M9SniGbhasQhOUVyZRGkrnlHzyLxuTdmrppVBlkY2Zx9VcuH8t9x3WT-3E05mmxjJNOfxYXKXiZ_0I2-f/s653/Frontier%2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="653" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63mlU9fCkyQuSMQKLYAoxiW6SAJEQsES6cvpsl4IZrCuFvICzN6o7p_92jXuTcvflJs144LDkpUaTxawmLJmF1pXHiw9knJkuFn8FJ80tNK-M9SniGbhasQhOUVyZRGkrnlHzyLxuTdmrppVBlkY2Zx9VcuH8t9x3WT-3E05mmxjJNOfxYXKXiZ_0I2-f/w400-h265/Frontier%2019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-72481539619846345552024-02-29T19:36:00.005-05:002024-02-29T19:47:47.984-05:00Good Read - HL 358 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: #F1F3F4; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hey Mark, <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">interesting analysis of Boeing's history:</span></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Boeing’s nosedive: How
greed ruined a great American company</span></i><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><i><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">by Henry Johnston </span></i><a href="mailto:scseda@gmail.com"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">scseda@gmail.com</span></a><span style="color: #202124; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><i><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What was once essentially a
collective of engineers known for innovation and craftsmanship now operates in
the interests of Wall Street</span></i></b><b><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On a sunny day in August
1955 Boeing test pilot Alvin ‘Tex’ Johnston was to take the Dash-80, the
prototype of the Boeing 707, out for a test flight at an annual hydroplane race
over Lake Washington near Seattle. The large crowd gathered for the event
included many of the top names in the aviation industry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rather than perform a
simple flyover, the swaggering Tex, who got his start flying crazy loops on
daredevil flights on a tri-motor plane across the dusty plains of Kansas, aimed
to impress the gathered luminaries. Instead, he put the plane into a stunning
barnstormer-like double barrel roll that left the crowd below astonished and
his boss, Boeing CEO Bill Allen, mortified that the newly crafted jet was out
of control and about to crash.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was a fitting gesture
for a plane whose very genesis was the result of a huge gamble. As the 1950s
dawned, Boeing was at a crossroads. Having thus far thrived as a manufacturer
of military aircraft whose modest forays into commercial aviation had met
little success, the company needed direction as its defense contracts had
mostly dried up with World War II over and the Korean War winding down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was at this time that
CEO Bill Allen decided to bet the house – $16 million to be exact, a huge sum
in those days – on building a jet transport prototype. It is hard to overstate
how ambitious this project was. Not a single customer had committed to buying
the plane, and it was hardly clear that such an aircraft would be viable in the
market. <i>“The only thing wrong with the jet planes of today,”</i> said
the head of TransWorld Airlines around that time, <i>“is that they won’t
make any money.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Failure may very well
have meant the end of the company. It was a resounding success. After a few
lonely, uncertain years, an aircraft was built that would shrink the world and
usher in the glittering jet age. A few short years later, the company would
embark on another hugely expensive gamble that paid off when it undertook to build
the six-story-high, 225-foot-long Boeing 747.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In 1957, when the 707
made its maiden flight, fewer than one in ten American adults had ever traveled
in an airplane. By 1990, more adult Americans had flown than owned a car.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For many decades, Boeing
was a decidedly unpretentious, engineer-driven company with a culture
emphasizing both dazzling innovation and the sober virtue of impeccable
craftsmanship. It was a place where the top managers held patents and could
talk shop with the floor workers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Even as late as the
mid-1990s, the company’s chief financial officer reportedly kept his distance
from Wall Street and answered colleagues’ requests for basic financial data
with a dismissive, <i>“Tell them not to worry.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In hindsight, this
principled aloofness has a bit of Shakespearean <i>“last of all the
Romans”</i> feel. The company would soon be transformed beyond
recognition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Great companies
invariably embody some intangible quality of the nations that spawned and
nurtured them. Boeing came to represent in distilled and mythologized form
something that Americans had come to see as forming an essential part of their
national identity: unpretentious and focused on the task at hand. But if Boeing
was the quintessential American company on the way up, it came to embody many
of the country’s ills on the way down. Few companies have traced an arc of
ascendancy and decline that so closely mirrors the nation’s own trajectory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The singular event cited
as marking the beginning of Boeing’s downfall was its 1997 merger with McDonnell
Douglas, which put it on a collision course with a culture steeped in
cost-cutting and financial performance. Somewhat perversely, although Boeing
had acquired McDonnell, it was the latter that took over. McDonnell’s
executives ended up running the company and its culture became ascendant.
Scores of cut-throat managers battle-hardened in the company’s perform-or-die
culture were brought in. A federal mediator once likened the partnership
to <i>“hunter killer assassins meeting boy scouts.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The self-effacing and
introspective Bill Allen, Boeing’s genteel CEO through the post-war era and the
man behind the 707 gamble, described his company’s ethos as <i>“to eat,
breathe, and sleep the world of aeronautics.”</i> But a new generation of
leaders was emerging who brought new priorities and a new vocabulary. It was no
longer about making great airplanes; it was about <i>“moving up the value
chain.”</i> What it was really about was maximizing shareholder value.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now looming like a
colossus over Boeing was the figure of Harry Stonecipher, McDonnell’s CEO. The
blunt, hard-nosed son of a coal miner, Stonecipher was known for vicious
cost-cutting, emails written in all caps – and for jettisoning executives who
didn’t hit financial targets. But Stonecipher was a ‘winner’: McDonnell’s stock
price had risen fourfold under his tenure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What predictably ensued
was nothing short of a complete transformation of Boeing from being a company
run by engineers to one that prized financial profit over all, and was willing
to cut all manner of corners to reduce costs and boost returns. The quality of
the product was, to put it mildly, severely compromised.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Downstream from these
changes are the spectacular failures we all know about: the outrageous cost
overruns, delays and production issues in making the Boeing 787, which ended up
being temporarily grounded for battery fires that regulators attributed to
flaws in manufacturing, insufficient testing and a poor understanding of an
innovative battery; the abject failure of the jimmy-rigged 737 MAX, which saw
two deadly crashes and, most recently, a harrowing incident in which a
sealed-off emergency exit blew out mid-air in an Alaska Airlines flight,
leaving a gaping hole in the fuselage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is possible to see
Boeing’s merger with McDonnell as simply an unfortunate mistake, and the rise
of the likes of Harry Stonecipher as simply an instance in which the wrong
person found his way to the top; and the outsourcing and cost-cutting as simply
a misbegotten strategy. But this would miss the wider trends at work in the
American corporate landscape at the time. Boeing was hardly alone on this path.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The writer David Foster
Wallace once wrote that “America… is a country of many contradictions, and a
big contradiction for a long time has been between a very aggressive form of
capitalism and consumerism against what might be called a kind of moral or
civic impulse.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What is evident is that
starting roughly in the 1970s, this <i>“aggressive form of capitalism”</i> became
ascendant in the US and for a long time overwhelmed – and is arguably still
overwhelming – the <i>“moral and civic impulse.”</i> However, to view
this as simply a moral failing is to miss the greater economic pressures at
work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The ‘70s were, in the
words of historian Judith Stein, the <i>“pivotal decade”</i> that <i>“sealed
a society-wide transition from industry to finance, factory floor to trading
floor, [and] production to consumption.”</i> America had emerged from
World War II with unquestioned manufacturing supremacy, but within a few short
decades, US companies had begun falling behind. Whereas Japan, Germany, and,
later on, China invested heavily in their industrial bases in the post-war
period, the US came to emphasize innovation at the expense of capital
investment. The 1970s were when nascent industrial powerhouse Japan pulled off
its so-called ‘revolution of quality,’ which went a long way toward putting
American manufacturers on the back foot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bloated and increasingly
uncompetitive American companies needed a way forward – and that way forward
can most succinctly be summed up as a switch in resource-allocation strategies
from value creation to value extraction. Whereas the highly vertically
integrated American companies of old practiced a ‘retain-and-reinvest’
approach, the new regime was one of ‘downsize-and-distribute,’ to use a phrase
coined by economist William Lazonick.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This can be described,
depending on one’s point of view, as either maximizing the value of the company
or asset-stripping it for the benefit of executives and shareholders – with a
corresponding hemorrhaging of the workforce.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The intellectual
underpinning for this change in approach came from economist Milton Friedman’s
Chicago School, whose theory that executives had a <i>“fiduciary duty”</i> to
maximize shareholder returns fell on fertile ground. A company, Friedman
argued, has no social responsibility to the public or society; its only
responsibility is to its shareholders. The idea that a company essentially
exists to maximize value for shareholders has become so engrained in the fabric
of our thinking that we are scarcely aware that it was ever any other way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If, as Stein asserts,
the US went from <i>“factory floor to trading floor,”</i> it
necessarily meant a step up in prominence for Wall Street analysts and a step
down for the factory managers – or, in Boeing’s case, the engineers. So what
did the denizens of Wall Street want? They wanted to see the unwieldy
industrial giants generate a better return on their assets – in finance lingo,
they wanted a higher RONA (return on net assets).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now, a naive observer
might assume that the path to achieving this lies in using one’s assets more
efficiently to generate more money. But there’s another way to increase RONA
that proved a lot easier: generate (roughly) the same amount of money with
fewer assets and lower costs. A constant numerator divided by a lower
denominator gives a higher number. Outsourcing does exactly that: it removes
assets from the balance sheet and that is precisely the path Boeing
and many others went down under the ‘downsize-and-distribute’ model. The
problem in Boeing’s case was that the supply chain for building an airplane is
so complex that it made it practically impossible for the company to maintain
quality standards.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Boeing’s embrace of this
new regime can be described as nothing short of whole-hearted. The figures are
staggering. Over the past decade, it has directed an incredible 92% of its
cashflow back to shareholders in the form of dividends and buybacks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since 1998, the company
has spent a staggering $63.5 billion on share buybacks. This, according to
financial analyst Scott Hamilton, is equivalent to about four wide-body and
five or six narrow-body airplane programs at today’s costs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But Wall Street doesn’t
need airplanes, it needs dividends. Hamilton recounts how at the company’s
annual shareholder meeting in April 2020, CEO David Calhoun gave conflicting
signals about a new airplane program and also about a return to a dividend
policy. The following day, Melius Research gave the quintessential Wall Street
view in a note for clients: <i>“We struggle to see how the business case
for a new airplane closes favorably these days.”</i> It was a vote for
dividends. In other words, today’s profits trump the company’s future.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is perhaps not
surprising that such a system arose in the US given the vastly complex,
interrelated, and often contradictory economic forces pushing and pulling in
the 1970s and extending forward over subsequent decades. We have mentioned
America’s economic competitiveness waning, but the other side of that equation
was that this was happening all while the US continued to wield the world’s
reserve currency at a time of increased financialization.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Historians and
economists will have to parse through the implications of a currency gaining in
stature precisely at a time when a country’s manufacturing base recedes, but
such a circumstance could hardly fail to push the entire system into the arms
of Wall Street.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Harder to comprehend,
meanwhile, is how the generation of leaders exemplified by the likes of Harry
Stonecipher seemed to have completely embraced this transformation of the
American economy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In an interview with the
Chicago Tribune in 2004, he said: <i>“When people say I changed the
culture of Boeing, that was the intent, so that it’s run like a business rather
than a great engineering firm.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What is startling about
this is not so much Stonecipher’s actions at Boeing, but that he felt free to
absolutely lay bare his motives. Had he been out of sync with the zeitgeist of
the time, he may have still pursued the same aims out of whatever personal
motives – such as greed – but, fearing opprobrium, would have done so much more
furtively. That he felt he could unabashedly broadcast the destruction of
Boeing’s finely hewn, decades-old culture says as much about the country as it
does about the man.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-52050556187102655312024-02-29T19:35:00.001-05:002024-02-29T19:47:46.520-05:00Human Interest - HL 358 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #0157ff; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I received this from one of my longtime
pilot buddies. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0157ff; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For me "once upon a time" was during the summer of
1956 when I was 16 after watching John Wayne in the High & The Mighty at a
theater in Newburgh NY. Wow, that went deep into the memory data
bank. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0157ff; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How about you? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0157ff; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #429dda; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tony P <a href="mailto:apapandrea@cfl.rr.com">apapandrea@cfl.rr.com</a>
</span><span style="color: #0157ff; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #429dda; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Life Is Good</span><span style="color: #0157ff; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #429dda; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In God We Trust<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzQklYTvT0Q9eWDrOYVH9DTjT3FkDpPxT3oYeM2QxeTE9usQAvpaCu2VcKQbJy2ETycL1GIqsfznegB8C3B7TpArdRE0v994LfIacEvJ6qt1R1DwFl6Q8bbawbU9IPzi5rznQxEa-SrJ0KwRzMgaWEuj6gT1cD_q4qABfyzCLTZv7XhrITWW5YP0nWr0T/s716/a%20boy%20to%20pilot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="572" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzQklYTvT0Q9eWDrOYVH9DTjT3FkDpPxT3oYeM2QxeTE9usQAvpaCu2VcKQbJy2ETycL1GIqsfznegB8C3B7TpArdRE0v994LfIacEvJ6qt1R1DwFl6Q8bbawbU9IPzi5rznQxEa-SrJ0KwRzMgaWEuj6gT1cD_q4qABfyzCLTZv7XhrITWW5YP0nWr0T/w320-h400/a%20boy%20to%20pilot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #429dda; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span><p></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-56351763599136539482024-02-29T19:32:00.004-05:002024-02-29T19:47:47.105-05:00Misc - HL 358 (2)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 8.3pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Re: PCN - HL 357
Now Published and Available<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Mark,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">thank you</span></u></b><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
for doing this for such a long time. I presume you enjoy or you would not. we
flew together a long time. I must be on the long life list by now : ) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Turned 86 4th of January and still fly
my T-28C </span><a href="http://warbirdregistry.org/t28registry/t28-140461.html"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://warbirdregistry.org/t28registry/t28-140461.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stinger </span><a href="mailto:t28cdkmk@aol.com"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">t28cdkmk@aol.com</span></a><span style="color: #202124; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: .1pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Editor: Thanks Capt Kalember. Great to hear from you and appreciate your
thanks. The T-28 is a cool bird and I’m
sure your’s is a beauty. My niece Darcy
Kaapke has sold a number of rebuilt T-28’s out of Courtesy Aircraft from
Rockford, IL. Here is a T34C-1 that she
currently has listed: </i></b><a href="https://courtesyaircraft.com/aircraft/n234cc-beech-t-34c-1/"><b><i>https://courtesyaircraft.com/aircraft/n234cc-beech-t-34c-1/</i></b></a><b><i>
<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Here is Darcy’s info below:<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 688px;">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="padding: 4.8pt 4.8pt 4.8pt 0in; width: 110.05pt;" valign="bottom" width="220">
<p align="center" style="margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="mailto:darcy@courtesyaircraft.com"><span style="background: rgb(158, 10, 20); border: 1pt solid white; color: white; font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in; text-decoration-line: none;"><br />
</span><span style="background: #9E0A14; border: solid white 1.0pt; color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; padding: 0in;">Send Darcy an E-Mail</span></a><span style="color: #02006f; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="padding: 4.8pt 0in 4.8pt 0in;">
<h5 style="margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; letter-spacing: 1.8pt; text-transform: uppercase;">DARCY KAAPKE –
MARKETING DIRECTOR & AIRCRAFT SALES</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 1.8pt; line-height: 115%; text-transform: uppercase;"><o:p></o:p></span></h5>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #02006f; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Darcy joined </span><a href="https://courtesyaircraft.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Courtesy
Aircraft Sales</span></a><span style="color: #02006f; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> in July 2009 to provide
sales, marketing, and customer service support. Her aircraft sales expertise
range from General Aviation aircraft to Warbirds. In addition to aircraft
sales, she is responsible for aircraft background research, maintaining
photographs, writing and updating specifications on all aircraft Courtesy
Aircraft has for sale. She is also responsible for the design of all sales
and marketing material, as well as the company’s website and its maintenance.
Darcy also coordinates public relations, newsletters, press releases, direct
mail campaigns, and company sponsored events.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #02006f; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Darcy was first introduced to historic aircraft by her
Grandfather, an accomplished Bristol Beaufighter pilot who served in World
War II. He and her uncle, also a professional pilot, have inspired her to
pursue a life long dream in the aviation field. Darcy started working in the
aviation industry at the age of 16. The choice further strengthened her love
of aviation which led to earning a Private Pilot’s license before graduating
high school and a year later, an Instrument Rating. The path continued to
Lewis University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Aviation
Administration. Darcy has numerous years of experience in General Aviation
airport operations, including airport line service, ground service,
administrative support and customer service.<br />
To-date, she has sold over 120 Civilian and Warbird aircraft with Courtesy
Aircraft Sales. She’s looking forward to teaching her daughter about our
great aviation history and how to fly one day!</span><span style="color: #02006f; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-1557996710292802832024-02-29T19:30:00.005-05:002024-02-29T19:47:45.584-05:00Hangar Flying - HL 358 (1)<div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">75 most
amazing aviation moments caught on camera:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://youtu.be/EnSnBTZFElU?si=XOi4rxkqUobgWWBC">https://youtu.be/EnSnBTZFElU?si=XOi4rxkqUobgWWBC</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-24769708936374746472024-02-29T19:28:00.005-05:002024-02-29T19:47:46.227-05:00Looking For - HL 358 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal"><i>As a reminder to all
who are “looking for someone,” the PCN never shares contact info with
anyone! What we do instead is make an
appeal (either direct or publicly in the newsletter) to a person about a
party’s interest in getting in touch. In
this way the person looked for is in control of the connection. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">RE: <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Trying to find Capt. Timothy Earl Eldredge, Ret.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">From: <strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gibson Howell</span></strong> <<a href="mailto:gibhowell@gmail.com">gibhowell@gmail.com</a>><br />
Date: Tue, Apr 5, 2022, 15:23<br />
Subject: Trying to find Capt. Timothy Earl Eldredge, Ret. - to give him
retirement pics the passengers drew for him<br />
To: <a href="mailto:misc.pcn@gmail.com">misc.pcn@gmail.com</a> <<a href="mailto:misc.pcn@gmail.com">misc.pcn@gmail.com</a>></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Hello,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">My name is Arthur Gibson Howell, current Delta 350 pilot. In Dec
of 2004 I was copilot for Capt Timothy Earl Eldredge’s (Dal Emp # 981771)
retirement flight. I just found a stack of hand drawn airplane pictures
and notes from the passengers to Capt. Eldredge that I asked them to make for
his flight. I would love to get them to him!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">I have been unable to locate him or get a phone number and the # Delta
has on file is not his number anymore. I’m hoping your organization might
have his contact information or be able to post this to see if anyone knows how
to get a hold of him. The last thing I remember is he was moving to
Anchorage, Alaska and possibly fly for Thai Airlines.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Any help in getting his retirement memorabilia to him would be greatly
appreciated.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Thank You, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Arthur Gibson Howell</p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><a href="mailto:gib@mail.com">gib@mail.com</a></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-86996503525139133842024-02-29T19:27:00.001-05:002024-02-29T19:47:48.573-05:00Humor / Sobering / Fun - HL 358 (4)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lucy always has a level head!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JCyMLsLs_zeDgiEOzYBQUWCdOwBcULPVoLX9XxS4CzqyvIr_m2PMNoo0PdtqGXYCHcktFiVFlvOsZZ9EcEZbsfDkbnF5hyphenhyphens24JvwS97eERBQ8PkhF6zmMmjcVzptQBXJqB6JH0zGr7I1fQGsPAHU4P7bbzo9G8AtDVQ7QIYe50bvS_YjzrQhxmCG9c2h/s526/Lucy%20listen%20to%20God.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JCyMLsLs_zeDgiEOzYBQUWCdOwBcULPVoLX9XxS4CzqyvIr_m2PMNoo0PdtqGXYCHcktFiVFlvOsZZ9EcEZbsfDkbnF5hyphenhyphens24JvwS97eERBQ8PkhF6zmMmjcVzptQBXJqB6JH0zGr7I1fQGsPAHU4P7bbzo9G8AtDVQ7QIYe50bvS_YjzrQhxmCG9c2h/s320/Lucy%20listen%20to%20God.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">March Madness</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzfRFlXe3EPXZj89PhDQm8fkdg7KtdWP8gaEFl98lTFInH3F-_3lfDAAi3dVrJ6JmU2gCd_IYQQ_icI5UvA8bcK_a5Y0w0LYbVbT3C7Df8YtQPvQFsSclh4TJYJQDYb1OJbL3sKfrsnFVc9Z_l7MIU9_B3ObKI0oZOBbT7A8pcwcvGmfN_Su0NMLIjKiz/s442/march-madness-cartoon%2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="442" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzfRFlXe3EPXZj89PhDQm8fkdg7KtdWP8gaEFl98lTFInH3F-_3lfDAAi3dVrJ6JmU2gCd_IYQQ_icI5UvA8bcK_a5Y0w0LYbVbT3C7Df8YtQPvQFsSclh4TJYJQDYb1OJbL3sKfrsnFVc9Z_l7MIU9_B3ObKI0oZOBbT7A8pcwcvGmfN_Su0NMLIjKiz/s320/march-madness-cartoon%2001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcaj0MOCKbKjBCIkjOQRyGBQRLdHZ2sePt6ftqp8daoDTX-UKlqQray8C6jVEHzwfeQwjEEVBSLhIj_PGAIyG5jzXvfWYRr5eLflPn8fTA6unM-0CzG8rtb086U3UUecNKnYbb4XXZyWf9sh6TANuVjlSh4HTU_faassICgY7d-eezudCF6IQiizAlgXV/s664/march-madness-cartoon%2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="664" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcaj0MOCKbKjBCIkjOQRyGBQRLdHZ2sePt6ftqp8daoDTX-UKlqQray8C6jVEHzwfeQwjEEVBSLhIj_PGAIyG5jzXvfWYRr5eLflPn8fTA6unM-0CzG8rtb086U3UUecNKnYbb4XXZyWf9sh6TANuVjlSh4HTU_faassICgY7d-eezudCF6IQiizAlgXV/s320/march-madness-cartoon%2002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's LEAP Day, NOT LOVERs LEAP!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUDuEPkqNIuitt2xiGei6HH5aH-84GkQ2hVwHDrVjssvl6KyLq75nfcGnGHawSFNDYjJ_i0SE1idCPSh3_37IWfoKPVUntRZrIR6BxhDDvi2vzSMwEhFN4t2hDjh1piiOjIuXjABGDaIGDvZPjhpAK_OA9XyL9xu19HbM2knGNpkjaPjdUQZOuSzSGNSx/s831/Lovers%20leap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUDuEPkqNIuitt2xiGei6HH5aH-84GkQ2hVwHDrVjssvl6KyLq75nfcGnGHawSFNDYjJ_i0SE1idCPSh3_37IWfoKPVUntRZrIR6BxhDDvi2vzSMwEhFN4t2hDjh1piiOjIuXjABGDaIGDvZPjhpAK_OA9XyL9xu19HbM2knGNpkjaPjdUQZOuSzSGNSx/w241-h400/Lovers%20leap.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlPCN Mischttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14577143382459051081noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-57375239434072220562024-01-28T18:45:00.001-05:002024-01-28T18:48:51.207-05:00Mark's Remarks - HL 357 (2)<div><p align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">High Life 357 | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">PCN Home</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Contact.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Post to PCN</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/PilotCommunicationNet"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">G-Group</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Calendar.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Calendar</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pilotcommunication.net/Ads/"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">PCN Ads</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Sign Up</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/FAQs.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">FAQs</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Back in the High
Life Again -Theme Song: <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adw772km7PQ&ob=av2e"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adw772km7PQ&ob=av2e</span></i></b></a></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Lyrics:</p>
<h2 align="center" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Back in the High Life Again<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=steve+winwood&filters=ufn%3a%22steve+winwood%22+sid%3a%22a6c0380e-3858-4f4c-3391-1aeaffac7117%22&FORM=SNAPST"><span style="color: #1a0dab; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Steve
Winwood</span></a><span style="color: #767676; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">It used to seem to me that my life ran
off too fast<br />
And I had to take it slowly<br />
Just to make the good parts last<br />
But when you're born to run, it's so hard to just slow down<br />
So don't be surprised to see me<br />
Back in the bright part of town<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">I'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
I'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched me once<br />
Will smile and take me in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And I'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
Let the world back into me<br />
I know I'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Girl, you used to be the best<br />
To make life be life to me<br />
And I hope that you're still out there<br />
And you're like you used to be<br />
We'll have ourselves a time<br />
And we'll dance the mornin' sun<br />
And we'll let the good times come in<br />
And we won't stop 'til we're done<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched us once<br />
Will smile and take us in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And we'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
And have the world so easily<br />
Though we'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">High life<br />
High life<br />
In the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched us once<br />
Will smile and take us in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And we'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
And have the world so easily<br />
Though we'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">High life<br />
(Back in the high life)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Oh, we'll be back...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="background: yellow; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-highlight: yellow;">Important: If viewing in Google Drive, PDF
hyperlinks are hot after you highlight them. If you have trouble navigating to
a hyperlink then visit the blog where all links are hot -</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://pcnhighlife.blogspot.com/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">http://pcnhighlife.blogspot.com/</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dear PCN</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">(of over 2600 subscribers),<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sorta in the dog days of winter and not many posts offered by members
this time around. If you have something
to share with the group, I encourage you to forward it out to me and I’ll add
it in next issue. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hope your New Year is looking good so far. Our family Holidays were great and now things
have returned to more normalcy. I have
been tinkering working on home projects and will soon tackle our taxes. But since our Fall Cruise I have not jumped
on a plane and flown anywhere so that will have to be a priority pretty soon. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">NCAA Men’s Basketball is heating up and we follow the MSU Sparties, but
I have to tell you that this year has been a disappointment so far. The NFL playoffs finish today are finishing
up today with the 2 that will play in the Superbowl. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><b><span style="background: yellow; font-size: 14pt;">IMPORTANT SURVIVOR section repeated in INSURANCE section
of High Life 340 and FINANCE section of 336.</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> <span style="background: lime; mso-highlight: lime;">NEW handy 2 page LINK LIST of important documents for the Survivor.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">New PCN subscriber Sign Up:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As you most of you know our PCN is a private subscribed to
online community. We maintain a list of
that virtually eliminates spammers or other online undesirables from joining
with a simple sign up procedure, so the applicant can be screened. I am very happy with how this has worked as
we can be assured that everyone on the 2670 member list is legit. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you know of a pilot who wishes to join our community and
receive our notices they can <b>easily and
painlessly become a subscriber</b> for FREE by simply filling out the </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">SIGN UP</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> form. If a current <b>member vouches for a friend</b> and simply sends in their former Delta
position and email, I have always considered this an appropriate vetting and
added them directly to the list. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks for helping the PCN remain the largest retired Delta
pilot online community and for helping keep our mailing list made up of all
legit subscribers. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">+++++<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">PCN sends out the High Life in 2 ways
via a Blog page and a PDF file. </span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But the PCN <u>also</u>
has a website with helpful information archived. Check out some of the elements of the PCN
Website like:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Home page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About us: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/About.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/About.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Retiree benefit page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/RetPilot.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/RetPilot.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Survivor Info page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/DLSurv.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/DLSurv.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Links page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Links.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Links.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pilot Authors: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Authors.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Authors.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sign Up Form: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Report a Death Form: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Death_Form.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Death_Form.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Archived docs: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Archive.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Archive.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Comprehensive Flown West List page: </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/FlightWest.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/FlightWest.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Seniority lists and Hotel page (password protected): </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks for checking the PCN Web Site
out and please report any page that needs an update<b>!<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-43355564199222763032024-01-28T18:43:00.001-05:002024-01-28T18:48:50.916-05:00Finance - HL 357 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #D9D9D9; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 217;"><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Helpful miscellaneous articles
regarding our retirement plan and planning.
Like you, I review my retirement nestegg and plan from time to
time. Recently, I went though some continued
education for some credentials I maintain and it occurred to me that we all
could use a review about these issues.
So with your help, we will share and post articles and info that may be
helpful and of interest to many of you in this section. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My personal thoughts have turned to taxes and am preparing my 2023
return as we speak but 2024 is shaping up to have a number of changes that will
affect us all so here is an article that highlights those changes for knowledge
and planning. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<h1 style="margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">2024 IRS </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tax Changes</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">: What
You Need to Know<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #8c8c8c;">Published on December 27,
2023</span><span style="color: #8c8c8c; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #8c8c8c;">Written by </span><cite><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mark Henricks</span></cite><span style="color: #8c8c8c;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #8c8c8c;">Edited by </span><cite><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Arturo Conde, CEPF®</span></cite><span style="color: #8c8c8c;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #8c8c8c;">Reviewed by </span><cite><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Michele Cagan, CPA</span></cite><span style="color: #8c8c8c;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="fontsasidetitlerekgn"><span style="color: #8c8c8c; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 115%; text-transform: uppercase;">SHARE</span></span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
new year brings new tax brackets, deductions, and limits that will impact your
2024 federal income tax return. While 2023 did not see major federal tax reform
legislation, the IRS has adjusted ranges for tax brackets, standard deductions,
retirement savings contributions and more to account for inflation. These 2024
IRS tax code tweaks affect taxpayers across income levels and will change how
much you owe or your refund amount. Understanding the latest IRS adjustments
will allow you to update your withholding and take advantage of any new breaks.
A </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/find-a-financial-planner?utm_source=smartasset&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=sma__falc_relevant&utm_content=irstaxchanges"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">financial
advisor</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> can help you stay up to date on the latest in tax rules and
regulations.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif";">Tax Change Basics</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
five major 2024 tax changes cover </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/taxes/current-federal-income-tax-brackets"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">income
tax brackets</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">, the </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/taxes/standard-deduction"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">standard deduction</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">, </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/how-much-can-you-save-for-retirement"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">retirement
contribution limits</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">, the </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/estate-planning/gift-tax-explained-2021-exemption-and-rates"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">gift
tax</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> exclusion and phase-out levels for </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/what-is-an-ira"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Individual Retirement
Account (IRA)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> deductions, </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/what-is-a-roth-ira"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Roth
IRAs</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> and the </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/taxes/understanding-savers-tax-credit"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Saver’s
Credit</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">. This annual inflation adjustment ensures that taxpayers aren’t
bumped into higher brackets due to cost-of-living increases rather than pay
raises.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">While
many adjustments are relatively minor, even small tweaks can add up to
substantial savings or higher bills. For example, an upper-middle class couple
could bank over $1,000 more by making the most of increased 401(k)
contributions and shifting IRA deductibility planning.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif";">2024 Tax Changes You Need to Know</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><v:shape alt="A woman estimating her taxes for 2024." id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 205pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 307pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
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</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Here
are brief descriptions of the major 2024 tax updates affecting taxpayers:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="background: white;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">Income Tax Bracket</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">There
income brackets for marginal tax rates were adjusted to reflect inflation for
2024 returns. Here’s how they shake out:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">37% for individual taxpayers
with incomes over $609,350, and $731,200 for married couples filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">35% for individual taxpayer
incomes over $243,725, and $487,450 for married couples filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">32% for individual taxpayer
incomes over $191,950, and $383,900 for married couples filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">24% for individual taxpayer
incomes over $100,525, and $201,050 for married couples filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">22% for individual taxpayer
incomes over $47,150, and $94,300 for married couples filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">12% for individual taxpayer incomes
over $11,600, and $23,200 for married couples filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">10% for individual taxpayer
incomes of $11,600 or less, and $23,200 or less for married couples filing
jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="background: white;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">Standard Tax Deduction</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
standard deduction rose $1,500 from 2023 to $29,200 for married couples filing
jointly. Single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately can take a
standard deduction of $14,600, an increase of $750. Heads of households get a
$21,900 standard deduction, up $1,100.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="background: white;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">Contribution Limits for Retirement Plans</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
most an employee can contribute to a 401(k) plan in 2024 will be $23,000, a
$500 increase from 2023. This limit also applies to 403(b) and most 457 plans,
as well as the Thrift Savings plan for federal employees. For people with
Individual Retirement Accounts, the limit was raised to $7,000 from $6,500. The
IRA catch-up contribution limits to retirement plans for people aged 50 and
over were not changed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="background: white;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">Gift Tax Limit</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
amount of the annual exclusion for gifts rises $1,000 for 2024, from $17,000 to
$18,000.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="background: white;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">Tax Credit and Deduction Changes</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">In
2024, mostly higher income ranges will be used to determine a taxpayer’s
eligibility to deduct IRA contributions, contribute to Roth IRAs and claim the
Saver’s Credit. Here are details:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Ranges
for phasing out IRA contribution deductibility apply based on filing status and
whether the taxpayer or a spouse is covered by a workplace retirement plan as
follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 680px;">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Filing status and coverage<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Phase-out Range<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Change<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Single taxpayer covered by workplace retirement plan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$77,000 and $87,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $73,000 and $83,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Married people filing jointly covered by workplace retirement
plans<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$123,000 and $143,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $116,000 and $136,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Single taxpayer not covered by workplace retirement plan but
married to someone who is covered<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$230,000 and $240,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $218,000 and $228,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Married filing separately not covered by a plan<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$0 and $10,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">No change<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">Roth
IRA contributions are also subject to income-based phase-outs and most of those
ranges increased in 2024 as well. Phase-out ranges vary based on filing status
as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 680px;">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Filing status<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Phase-out
Range <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Change<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Single and head of household<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$146,000 and $161,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $138,000 and $153,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Married filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$230,000 and $240,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $218,000 and $228,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Married filing separately<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$0 and $1,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">No change.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
income limit for the Saver’s Credit is based on based on filing status and is
adjusted as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 680px;">
<tbody><tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Filing status<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Income limit<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Change<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Single and married filing separately<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$38,250<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $36,500<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Married filing jointly<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$76,500<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $73,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Head of household<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">$57,375<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
<td style="background: #DCF2FF; padding: 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt 7.3pt;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 7.3pt; margin-bottom: 18.25pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Up from $54,750<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif";">Bottom Line</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><v:shape alt="A tax payer researches tax changes for 2024." id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 215pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 322pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="A tax payer researches tax changes for 2024" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">The
2024 tax adjustments made by the IRS to income tax brackets, the standard
deduction, retirement savings limits, and phase-outs will collectively impact
taxpayers across income levels. While many of the specific changes are
relatively small inflation adjustments, they add up to real impacts on your tax
bill or refund. As with every tax year, it pays to be aware of any changes that
are relevant to your specific tax scenario.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif";">Tax Planning Tips</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">Meeting with a </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/find-a-financial-planner?utm_source=smartasset&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=sma__falc_relevant&utm_content=irstaxchanges"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">financial advisor</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;"> can
help you apply the new 2024 IRS tax rules to your personal finance and tax
planning picture. <a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/find-a-financial-planner?utm_source=smartasset&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=sma__falc_relevant&utm_content=irstaxchanges"><span style="color: #20a7e2; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">SmartAsset’s free tool</span></a> matches
you with up to three vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you
can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide
which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can
help you achieve your financial goals, </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/retirement/find-a-financial-planner?utm_source=smartasset&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=sma__falc_relevant&utm_content=irstaxchanges"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">get started now</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.1pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">SmartAsset’s Federal </span><a href="https://smartasset.com/taxes/income-taxes"><span style="color: #20a7e2; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;">income tax
calculator</span></a><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 200%;"> is updated with each year’s changes
in time for you to file your next return.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i> (As with any of these informative articles,
anyone who needs someone to talk to about <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">this very subject </span></i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="mailto:mark@pilotcommunication.net"><i>contact
me</i></a><i> and I can direct you to a
knowledgeable advisor).</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-18716067835567029402024-01-28T18:41:00.002-05:002024-01-28T18:48:50.048-05:00Insurance - HL 357 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">IMPORTANT SURVIVOR information in many former
HL issues but INSURANCE section of High Life 340 and FINANCE section of 336 a
good resource to keep.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">CORRECTION to language I used in HL 350 for
the D & S Plan TRUST<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">All Archived High Lifes issues: </span></i><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BzB_SBDmSd9AMzViODQ3MDQtODhjYy00YzkwLThiMzktM2FhMDEzMDZhYjA0?resourcekey=0-sovghKhA1zNRWP5SUxjUqA&usp=sharing"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BzB_SBDmSd9AMzViODQ3MDQtODhjYy00YzkwLThiMzktM2FhMDEzMDZhYjA0?resourcekey=0-sovghKhA1zNRWP5SUxjUqA&usp=sharing</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-highlight: yellow;">I
previously used the word ‘unfunding’ or ‘defunding’ the Trust but I believe that is in error and
can cause unnecessary misunderstanding.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The Company is not defunding the Trust but rather
funding it ‘monthly’ as opposed to carrying a long term balance. There IS a tax advantage for both Company and
Beneficiary from the Section 501(c)(9) nature of the Trust so, one would expect
to see the Company continue to keep the Trust even though the funding is not executed
well in advance. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-3759275005397364802024-01-28T18:39:00.005-05:002024-01-28T18:48:49.471-05:00Good Read - HL 357 (1)<div><h1 style="margin-bottom: 1.8pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.65pt; mso-line-height-alt: 17.5pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 20.0pt;">I was a pilot at Delta for 30 years — and captained
everything from the Boeing 727 to the Airbus A350. These were the best and
hardest moments of my career.<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
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<v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f">
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</o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape alt="Retired Delta captain Mark Stephens in front of an A350." id="Picture_x0020_7" o:spid="_x0000_i1031" style="height: 188pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 251pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Retired Delta captain Mark Stephens in front of an A350" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="image-source-caption">Mark Stephens, a retired
Delta Air Lines pilot, flew for the airline for about 30 years, ending his
career as an Airbus A350 captain. </span><span class="image-source"><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">Courtesy of Mark Stephens</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="image-source"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YDn27QEOdlHN3mrNYfF5k629z6y20ZoXZTBDK1Q8G0JV0zpSAftt5JwQzOMvfiToNPjCoCnWuZa9-iA1M8WXTBiWIk4U4pZFtj1DoN_WTfueYvEbJ3QmIB56X-z-SHIUV_9DBBnSJFhevElyd1nbdOahp_LbuebiSOgSqasYa91CkSxbMUEjzWfhrjj3/s339/Stevens%2001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="339" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YDn27QEOdlHN3mrNYfF5k629z6y20ZoXZTBDK1Q8G0JV0zpSAftt5JwQzOMvfiToNPjCoCnWuZa9-iA1M8WXTBiWIk4U4pZFtj1DoN_WTfueYvEbJ3QmIB56X-z-SHIUV_9DBBnSJFhevElyd1nbdOahp_LbuebiSOgSqasYa91CkSxbMUEjzWfhrjj3/w400-h301/Stevens%2001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Mark Stephens, a retired pilot, was hired by </span></b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/how-to-get-priority-boarding-delta-amex" target="_blank"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Delta Air Lines</span></a><b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> in 1989 and captained five aircraft.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">He said there were ups and downs, just like in any
career, but the joy of flying trumped everything.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">By the time he retired from Delta, he was earning
$500,000 a year as an international captain.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><em><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">This
as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mark Stephens, a 67-year-old
retired Delta Air Lines pilot who completed his career as an Airbus A350
captain in November 2021. It has been edited for length and clarity.</span></em><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">I was hired by
Delta Air Lines in 1989 as a flight engineer on the </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-evolution-of-transatlantic-flying-in-photos-2021-10" target="_blank"><span style="color: #111111;">Lockheed L-1011</span></a><span style="color: #111111;"> — a plane Delta doesn't fly anymore — and went on
to captain five different aircraft across my 20 years in the left seat.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">But my
aviation career has two parts. I didn't go the </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-regional-pilots-getting-massive-pay-raise-envoy-piedmont-2022-6" target="_blank"><span style="color: #111111;">regional route like many young
aviators are</span></a><span style="color: #111111;"> today, flying smaller
planes before jumping to the majors by the time they're 26.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">Instead, the
best route for me as a young person living in lower Alabama in the 1970s was to
join the military. I handled $30-to-$40 million jets, which was a significant
part of my experience and growth as a pilot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">Moving from
the military to commercial aviation was an amazing leap forward for me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">When I
captained the Boeing 727 for Delta, I could hand-fly the aircraft down to 100
feet during a CAT II approach, which means landing in very low-visibility
conditions. That was lower than anything I ever did in the military.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Plus, I was moving people
worldwide, helping them get where they wanted to go. Interacting with
passengers and letting kids sit in the cockpit were some of the best moments of
my career.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yvelTdNjJl7XMqI_EbgwLQbpP6x1yZ_YTvAryJWhNWuUxXqcUjAqmv8uJCeTwho9i5z2ugRbWqlZEtZ4_utjVG8eCkfcpyDQTI-AXJ8NwzXx_gegYwSkUksXYmXJGoV9K409wVPrI6aZtl5wzmqdyWk67F5UX3xCE1NFobjTvggC4ioeN2II9DDAf6PC/s532/Stevens%2002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="532" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0yvelTdNjJl7XMqI_EbgwLQbpP6x1yZ_YTvAryJWhNWuUxXqcUjAqmv8uJCeTwho9i5z2ugRbWqlZEtZ4_utjVG8eCkfcpyDQTI-AXJ8NwzXx_gegYwSkUksXYmXJGoV9K409wVPrI6aZtl5wzmqdyWk67F5UX3xCE1NFobjTvggC4ioeN2II9DDAf6PC/w400-h301/Stevens%2002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Retired Delta captain Mark Stephens in the cockpit a of an A350." id="Picture_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_i1030" style="height: 296.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 396pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Retired Delta captain Mark Stephens in the cockpit a of an A350" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="image-source-caption"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Mark Stephens, a retired Delta Air Lines pilot, captained five
different aircraft during his time at the airline. </span></span><span class="image-source"><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Courtesy
of Mark Stephens</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There were some new
things I had to learn, such as pushing an aircraft back from the gate, knowing
who to call, and adjusting to a cockpit that was much higher off the ground
compared to the fighter jets I'd flown.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">I had to learn
and adapt, and I valued my time as a first officer because it helped me
transition from one world to another. Once I got enough experience, I moved up
to captain.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">That was
another big adjustment. When you upgrade to captain, you think you have all
this experience, but you will still make mistakes, whether it be a wrong taxi
instruction or a misunderstood radio call.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">I started
seeing aviation as always correcting my last mistake. It was something a friend
told me when I first started at Delta, and it's a mentality I kept my entire
career.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">Aside from the 727, I also </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-retires-md-80-series-aircraft-send-off-in-atlanta-2020-6" target="_blank"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">captained
the MD-88</span></a><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">, the Boeing 717, the Boeing 737, and the </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-airbus-a350-arrive-2017-8" target="_blank"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">Airbus
A350</span></a><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"> before
retiring in November 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKl5NS-n89E093QySYH8j0Ol4psoVT7-TQWtdwM7nUH88rhE6-xRZp7gQBYUxFok8R3SST9LQ9SW11DZk7b5tjz6T6aDTy4fQY83rxFZmCxdH7EpQqV0FoAdsuCAOMC8ldtv7lTZjHBiLHkU1Sim9zKVo52Fdi4_5gRrvwbthA1il3S-OgIgcdmSKm9Rj/s545/Stevens%2003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="409" data-original-width="545" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKl5NS-n89E093QySYH8j0Ol4psoVT7-TQWtdwM7nUH88rhE6-xRZp7gQBYUxFok8R3SST9LQ9SW11DZk7b5tjz6T6aDTy4fQY83rxFZmCxdH7EpQqV0FoAdsuCAOMC8ldtv7lTZjHBiLHkU1Sim9zKVo52Fdi4_5gRrvwbthA1il3S-OgIgcdmSKm9Rj/w400-h300/Stevens%2003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Landing the Boeing 717 in Jamaica." id="Picture_x0020_11" o:spid="_x0000_i1029" style="height: 304pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 406pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Landing the Boeing 717 in Jamaica" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="image-source-caption"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Landing during a flight into Jamaica in the Boeing 717 in
2014. </span></span><span class="image-source"><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Courtesy of Mark Stephens</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Overall, I spent two
decades as a captain for Delta, but pilots can rise through the ranks much
younger these days. They could fly as a captain for 35 or even 40 years by the
time they have to retire at 65, which was almost unheard of in my time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">The industry
has changed significantly since I started. Before 9/11, the cockpit doors
weren't reinforced, and no TSA existed.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">I was also
hired before strong fatigue regulations, so I would spend 12 hours in the plane
flying seven takeoffs and landings in one day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">And the
technology on aircraft wasn't nearly as advanced. As a captain on the Boeing
727, I used charts to get us across the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">On the MD-11,
we'd manually program each leg of a flight between, say, Los Angeles and Tokyo.
We'd also have to input the winds and altitude at each waypoint. It was
difficult and tedious, but it was a different time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">Now,
technology has improved so much that on the Airbus A350, I simply downloaded
the flight plan and verified it. The human error of manually programming
everything was gone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">But I still warn pilots today that things being more automated
does not relieve their responsibility in the cockpit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="background: white; line-height: 17.1pt;"><strong><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">My years as a captain prepared me for emergencies</span></strong><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Retired captain Mark Stephens in front of Delta A350 engine." id="Picture_x0020_12" o:spid="_x0000_i1028" style="height: 223pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 297pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Retired captain Mark Stephens in front of Delta A350 engine" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image004.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="image-source-caption"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Retired Delta captain Mark Stevens. </span></span><span class="image-source"><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Courtesy
of Mark Stephens</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="image-source"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnhrK6keLkPYmgXPq7hc7Dps-gdnzEFbysdcFRUH6-EPkXZOVdr-N3Y43lnfYTDMNIDl_t243XqbIUQUxHPb4Yn8pWJMa5KOb3qwzEHJTCC_BF9AFpot5z32IOc6LYaTqmXxIVRU1IWxuQTOcri3sUpj8wmX5E_CkRjCFCxiMfcnE6UIzlZFfBVyCe7EJ/s400/Stevens%2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="400" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnhrK6keLkPYmgXPq7hc7Dps-gdnzEFbysdcFRUH6-EPkXZOVdr-N3Y43lnfYTDMNIDl_t243XqbIUQUxHPb4Yn8pWJMa5KOb3qwzEHJTCC_BF9AFpot5z32IOc6LYaTqmXxIVRU1IWxuQTOcri3sUpj8wmX5E_CkRjCFCxiMfcnE6UIzlZFfBVyCe7EJ/w400-h301/Stevens%2004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As an airline pilot,
I faced some emergencies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">On one flight,
when I was a captain on the MD-88, my engine went out at 5,000 feet during
takeoff.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVHJEeFrw9bXeAn1HMHqgcG_q4-iEhOMDuf-5mry6Ed_rpvgj3Pu87ElWuHgBhB-Irtbvgy0oOc5cdYX_B0ZvwjfTfB8J4thWAfpu8f13ZWCubChJOBe1Fa98ZvMW3QFiiznginlROo4oEfOZTNUZaYm86kJFNZ3M5qX8rP9SWn8ONKFI9q3FHRlzlcCR/s499/Stevens%2005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="499" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVHJEeFrw9bXeAn1HMHqgcG_q4-iEhOMDuf-5mry6Ed_rpvgj3Pu87ElWuHgBhB-Irtbvgy0oOc5cdYX_B0ZvwjfTfB8J4thWAfpu8f13ZWCubChJOBe1Fa98ZvMW3QFiiznginlROo4oEfOZTNUZaYm86kJFNZ3M5qX8rP9SWn8ONKFI9q3FHRlzlcCR/w400-h268/Stevens%2005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">With fire
coming from the engine, passengers on board knew something was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">So, I went on
the intercom to explain what happened and the plan to land safely, just trying
to keep everyone calm while simultaneously going through emergency checklists
and turning the engine off.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">As pilots, this is something my first officer and I trained for,
and we landed without any injuries or further issues. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Delta MD-88." id="Picture_x0020_13" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" style="height: 246.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 371.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Delta MD-88" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="image-source-caption"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Delta no longer flies the pictured MD-88 aircraft, nor does it
fly the three-engine Boeing 727 that Stephens also captained. </span></span><span class="image-source"><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">CarterAerial/Shutterstock</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">There were other
times I managed to catch potential failures before takeoff in relation to
brakes and hydraulics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">Some of the issues could have turned into bigger ones had we
taken off, and they are good examples of what experience and training do for
you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="background: white; line-height: 17.1pt;"><strong><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">I started out making little money but retired
with a $500,000 salary</span></strong><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";"><o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">When I was hired as a
flight engineer on the L-1011, I made little money and had to use up all my
savings in the first year to get by. Some of my colleagues were on food stamps.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzaQx5CRlkxhrY4iB69jpCdlAtEhIzqZixPy_eVhN8EihAWKMkzm2Il6oGmkOfqkB5OcErbTzmHh-cw6VsI2Al9a9sInV2RT4zBL6qa3kHJhGpdNi5Vr1d_EAw8QeQGkbtVZBMjX4xYdc0sEpVM0TdVvUMbIJO7653J1pgJRxuuuIbSn5GMb09foCE9rg/s474/Stevens%2006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="474" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzaQx5CRlkxhrY4iB69jpCdlAtEhIzqZixPy_eVhN8EihAWKMkzm2Il6oGmkOfqkB5OcErbTzmHh-cw6VsI2Al9a9sInV2RT4zBL6qa3kHJhGpdNi5Vr1d_EAw8QeQGkbtVZBMjX4xYdc0sEpVM0TdVvUMbIJO7653J1pgJRxuuuIbSn5GMb09foCE9rg/w400-h265/Stevens%2006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="A Delta Lockheed L-1011 in Los Angeles in 2001." id="Picture_x0020_14" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 232.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 352.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="A Delta Lockheed L-1011 in Los Angeles in 2001" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image006.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="image-source-caption"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">A Delta Lockheed L-1011 trijet, similar to the one Stephens flew
back in the 1990s. </span></span><span class="image-source"><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Etienne De Malglaive/Gamma-Rapho
via Getty Images</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">As I moved up to the
first-officer position, the pay got better. Once I became captain in 2000, I
got a 30% hourly raise and started making over $100,000.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">I also gained
seniority, which made being a single parent easier because I could be home more
nights and attend more of my kids' events.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">This was nice
because I could combine a high salary with a good work-life balance — you can
have both as an airline pilot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">This is especially true now with the pay increases across the
industry. I was making $500,000 in my last year with Delta. As an international
captain, I got to fly worldwide to places such as Amsterdam, Sydney, and Seoul.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykwmwq1QlO5idDUurxAf9tcWQ8TOVb68q8QF6JIAMocUsiGCtIMVGIK0Wbn7RFgFNBSLLtPwSTUm5-ZLOUcQxa37igXLEaHztCuWPG3PuKCmuHixQ4wvzTt4kCy2HlA6JfR6jLmEZqO-5xKffVA65V1alHQyNea7gnma9PAuoPsfUnUetB4GUuGwcT-jN/s510/Stevens%2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="510" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykwmwq1QlO5idDUurxAf9tcWQ8TOVb68q8QF6JIAMocUsiGCtIMVGIK0Wbn7RFgFNBSLLtPwSTUm5-ZLOUcQxa37igXLEaHztCuWPG3PuKCmuHixQ4wvzTt4kCy2HlA6JfR6jLmEZqO-5xKffVA65V1alHQyNea7gnma9PAuoPsfUnUetB4GUuGwcT-jN/w400-h300/Stevens%2007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F8F8F8;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-no-proof: yes;"><v:shape alt="Flying over the Arctic Ocean in June 2019." id="Picture_x0020_15" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 284pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 379.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Flying over the Arctic Ocean in June 2019" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image007.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="image-source-caption"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Flying over the Arctic Ocean during an international flight in
June 2019. </span></span><span class="image-source"><span style="color: #6d787a; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Courtesy of Mark Stephens</span></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="p1" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">I typically had at
least 24 hours in each place, so I loved embracing new cultures and seeing some
sights before turning around and flying home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">I did have to
get used to being alone often — but that's part of the gig, and there were the
ups and downs of any job.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #111111;">But, overall,
flying is who I am, and I don't regret one second of my career. It was a truly
enjoyable life.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-87354486708842923612024-01-28T18:22:00.005-05:002024-01-28T18:48:51.498-05:00Human Interest - HL 357 - (2)<div><h1 style="background: white; margin-bottom: 11.4pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #101010; font-size: 18.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Former Delta co-pilot indicted for threatening to shoot captain
during commercial flight, officials say</span><span style="color: #f2f2f2; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="contentmeta" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">A
former Delta co-pilot was federally indicted earlier this month, accused of
threatening to shoot the captain of a commercial flight last year if he
diverted the plane because a passenger on board may have been suffering a
medical emergency, authorities confirmed Tuesday.<span style="color: #f2f2f2; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 11.4pt;">According to court documents obtained by CBS News,
on Oct. 18 a Utah grand jury indicted Jonathan Dunn on one count of
interference with a flight crew.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 11.4pt;">The alleged incident occurred on an Aug. 22, 2022,
flight, the Department of Transportation's inspector general's office said in a
news release Tuesday, but did not specify the airline where the flight
originated from, or its destination. However, a Delta Air Lines spokesperson
confirmed to CBS News that Dunn was working for Delta as a Delta first officer
at the time of the incident. </p>
<p style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"> Read More: <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-delta-pilot-jonathan-dunn-federal-indictment-threaten-shoot-captain-commercial-flight/">https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-delta-pilot-jonathan-dunn-federal-indictment-threaten-shoot-captain-commercial-flight/</a>
</p>
<p style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"><i><b>Up to date news about
Jonathan Dunn:</b></i></p>
<h1 style="background: white;"><span class="field-formatter--string"><span style="color: #162e51; font-size: 18.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Former Airline Pilot
Accused of Threatening to Shoot Delta Captain During Flight is Scheduled to
Appear in Federal Court</span></span><span style="color: #162e51; font-size: 18.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Wednesday,
January 3, 2024<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F6F6F2;"><strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">For
Immediate Release</span></strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F6F6F2;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Utah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">SALT LAKE CITY – A former pilot accused of threatening to shoot
his co-pilot is scheduled to appear at a Salt Lake City Federal District Court
Thursday. The pilot was serving on active duty with the U.S. military overseas
at the time he was indicted in October 2023. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif";">According to court documents, Jonathan J. Dunn, 42, of Rapid
City, North Dakota, and a former Delta Airlines First Officer, threatened to
shoot the flight’s captain during a flight from Atlanta to Salt Lake City on
Aug. 22, 2022. Dunn, a former Federal Flight Deck Officer, was a pilot
authorized by TSA to carry a firearm on the flight deck for security. During
the flight, a passenger had a medical issue and the flight’s captain advised
Dunn the flight could be diverted to Grand Junction, Colorado, if the
passenger’s condition worsened. Dunn objected to the contingency plan and
described in substantial detail how he would shoot the captain multiple times
for “going crazy” and he would later explain he had to shoot all the rounds he
possessed because the captain was “still twitching.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="line-height: 12.65pt; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">Read More: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/former-airline-pilot-accused-threatening-shoot-delta-captain-during-flight-scheduled">https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/former-airline-pilot-accused-threatening-shoot-delta-captain-during-flight-scheduled</a>
</p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-26121069607201266822024-01-28T18:19:00.003-05:002024-01-28T18:48:50.337-05:00Misc - HL 357 - (5)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif";"><a href="https://apnews.com/business"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">BUSINESS</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<h1 style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--headlineColor); font-size: var(--headlineFont); font-stretch: semi-condensed; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); margin-bottom: var(--headlineMarginBottom); margin-top: 0in; max-width: 980px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -.25pt;">Delta
posts a $2 billion quarterly profit, but shares dip as airline trims forecast
of 2024 earnings</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; text-transform: uppercase;">BY <span class="link"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);">DAVID KOENIG</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%;"><bsp-timestamp data-recent-thresholdinhours="1" data-timestamp="1705102416000" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);"><span data-date="" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);">Updated
6:33 PM EST, January 12, 2024</span><o:p></o:p></bsp-timestamp></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><bsp-page-actions class="Page-actions" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); place-self: flex-end; position: relative;"><button class="Page-actions-trigger" data-action-clicked="clickShareIcon" data-collapse-element="" data-collapse-toggle="{"collapsed":true,"selGroup":false,"active":true,"state":"collapsed"}" style="align-items: center; appearance: button; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-radius: 5px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.4rem; font-stretch: semi-condensed; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; height: 30px; justify-content: center; line-height: 1.14; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; overflow: visible; padding: 7px; touch-action: manipulation;">Delta
Air Lines earned $2 billion in the fourth quarter, posted record full-year
revenue, and says it is buying more planes to boost its international flying.<o:p></o:p></button></bsp-page-actions></span></p><p></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The airline’s shares fell 9% Friday,
however, as the company pulled back on its profit forecast for 2024.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Delta said full-year earnings will be
$6 to $7 a share — down from an earlier prediction of more than $7 a share.
Analysts had already trimmed their expectations to $6.50 a year, but the update
from Delta was enough to spook investors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Delta is the first U.S. airline to post
fourth-quarter results, and its report sent shares of American, United,
Southwest, Alaska and JetBlue down between 4% and 11%.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><a id="more-section-display-name" name="more-section-display-name" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--color-link-text); line-height: calc(1em + 4px); pointer-events: none; scroll-margin-top: calc(var(--headerHeight) + var(--hatHeight) + 20px); touch-action: manipulation; visibility: hidden;"></a><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><bsp-list-loadmore class="PageListStandardB" data-gtm-modulestyle="List B" data-gtm-region="Other news" data-gtm-topic="No Value" data-list-loadmore="" data-main-module-number="1" data-module-number="1" data-module="" style="--borderdisplay: none; background-color: var(--color-module-background); background-repeat: no-repeat; border-color: var(--color-module-border); box-sizing: border-box; display: grid; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><bsp-custom-headline custom-headline="div" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);">Delta
said Friday that it will buy 20 Airbus A350s and take options to buy 20 more of
the long-range jetliners. Delta expects to get the first ones in 2026.<o:p></o:p></bsp-custom-headline></bsp-list-loadmore></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--color-primary-text); font-stretch: semi-condensed; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><a id="html-embed-module-e30000" name="html-embed-module-e30000" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--color-link-text); line-height: calc(1em + 4px); pointer-events: none; scroll-margin-top: calc(var(--headerHeight) + var(--hatHeight) + 20px); touch-action: manipulation; visibility: hidden;"></a><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
A350s will have more premium seating than the planes they replace, which will
play into Delta’s strategy of pursuing high-end travelers who are more
insulated from ups and downs in the economy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Airlines were helped in 2023 by strong
demand for travel from people who had spent most of the pandemic cooped up at
home. Delta passengers flew 19% more miles last year than they did in 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">CEO Ed Bastian said he expects that
trend to continue.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“We actually saw the highest cash sales
day in our history on Tuesday,” Bastian said in an interview. “So our consumer
is healthy (financially), our consumer wants to travel. That tells us it’s
going to be a very good year, 2024.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bastian said, however, he was concerned
about higher maintenance costs, which he blamed on supply-chain disruptions,
and an inability to receive new planes on schedule because of disruptions at
engine and aircraft makers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Delta posted fourth-quarter net income
of $2.04 billion, more than doubling the profit of $828 million in the same
period the year before.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Excluding special items, its adjusted
earnings were $1.28 per share. That beat analysts’ average forecast of $1.16
per share, according to a survey by FactSet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Revenue rose 6% to $14.22 billion.
Passenger revenue increased 12%, and spending on premium services — like
sitting in business class instead of the main cabin — surged 15%.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">However, Delta’s refinery in
Pennsylvania brought in $579 million less revenue than a year earlier, a 51%
drop.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On the cost side, spending for labor
soared 23% — a reflection of higher wages, especially from a contract that <span class="linkenhancement"><a data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/delta-pilots-pay-raise-labor-79eeb155c495d5c50522d0eb29342e03" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);">union pilots ratified</span></a></span></span> in
March of last year.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For the full year, Delta’s revenue rose
15% to more than $58 billion. Net income more than tripled, to $4.61 billion,
up from $1.32 billion in 2022.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The full-year profit fell short of
pre-pandemic 2019, when Atlanta-based Delta earned $4.77 billion, but it was
enough to buy more planes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Delta has a mix of Airbus and Boeing
planes in its fleet of more than 900 planes, not counting its regional
affiliates. It already had 28 A350s at the end of September with commitments to
buy another 16. Friday’s order could push the total of A350s to more than 80 if
the options are used.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The A350 competes with Boeing’s 787.
Both have fuselages and wings made of carbon-fiber-reinforced composites. Delta
doesn’t use the 787, although it has other Boeing jets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bastian said Boeing’s current problems,
including a government <span class="linkenhancement"><a data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-boeing-door-blowout-investigation-alaska-airlines-5c378e8080ae1bf1e3d3f7e68d498d5c" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px);">investigation into parts on its 737 Max 9
jet</span></a></span></span>, were not a factor in Friday’s order. He said the
company wanted continuity with the A350.<o:p></o:p></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Delta doesn’t have any Max jets, but it
has committed to buy 100 of the larger Boeing 737 Max 10, a plane that has not
yet been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: var(--body-1); font-stretch: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 9.1pt;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“We
need Boeing to do well,” he said. “It’s a great company. It’s an important
company to our country and our industry.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i> </i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><h1 style="background: white;"><span style="color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Most
on-time airline in North America: Delta wins Cirium Platinum Award<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="ppad-top" id="artPubDate" style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">Published Date</span> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif";">1/4/2024
10:45 AM</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="ppad-top" style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; float: right;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 5.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A testament to Delta's
commitment to punctuality and operational excellence, the airline has earned
Cirium's Platinum Award for the third year in a row. This award, which is given
to airlines that show exemplary on-time performance while navigating complex
operations – all while limiting the impact of disruption to its customers – is
made possible by the care and dedication of Delta people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"When
Delta people put us at the top of the industry for on-time performance, we
unlock many of our <a href="https://deltaairlines.sharepoint.com/sites/Deltanet/SitePages/Flight-Plan.aspx" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased !important; box-sizing: border-box; outline: none 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility !important; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.004) 1px 1px 1px;"><span style="color: #0253a4; text-decoration-line: none;">strategic goals</span></a> that
position us to fully deliver the welcoming, elevated and caring service our
brand is known for," said COO Mike Spanos. "Safe, clean, on-time with
bags is how we remain the airline of choice for our customers and earn a
premium from our customers. That customer loyalty is, in turn, how we
strengthen our financial position and invest in our people with things like
profit sharing. Thanks to all 100,000 strong for the outstanding performance in
2023 and for carrying it forward into the new year."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Operational
performance was very strong throughout the final quarter of 2023 and the
holiday period. Network system Completion Factor (measuring rate of
cancellations), On-time arrivals (A0), On-time Departures (D0) and DOT
Mishandled Bag Rate (MBR) all hit record performance as the best fourth quarter
in Delta's history*. During Q4, Delta ranked No. 1 among our reporting
competitors in network system Completion, A0 and D0. Three of four possible
Shared Rewards were achieved in December, and there were 7 Brand Days with zero
cancellations systemwide as well as 15 days with zero Mainline cancellations.
Holiday performance from Dec. 21 – 26 was the best we've seen post-pandemic for
reliability metrics. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">*excluding 2020 while the middle
seat block was in place</em><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition
to winning the Cirium Platinum Award, Delta topped the rankings for being the
most on-time airline in North America. In 2023, Cirium tracked 1,635,486 Delta
flights, 84.72% of which arrived on time, which is up from 83.63% the previous
year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Delta's
on-time performance far exceeded North American industry benchmarks. Of the
more than 8 million flights tracked by Cirium in 2023, 74.45% arrived on time.
Delta's on-time arrival percentage was 2.47% higher than its nearest North
American competitor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Additionally,
Delta came in above global benchmarks, with 83.67% on-time arrivals across
nearly 6 million tracked flights from all global top performers. Cirium defines
an on-time flight as one that arrives within 15 minutes of its scheduled gate
arrival.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"It's
incredible to witness Delta Air Lines winning its third consecutive Platinum
Award and topping the North American Category," said Cirium CEO Jeremy
Bown. "Their relentless pursuit of efficiency and punctuality is
commendable as we venture into 2024, a year brimming with promise for the
aviation sector."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hiring
is UP and “Qualifications” have changed!
The following two articles in the news may make you a little ill or
maybe a lot glad, you are retired!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><h1 style="background: white; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "poppins","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">“We Have
Committed That 50% of The Class Will Be Women and People of Color” – United
Airlines CEO Admits to DEI Quota Because There are too Many White Men Flying
Airplanes<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span class="byline"><span style="font-family: "poppins","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By </span></span><a href="https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/author/jordanc/" title="View all posts by Jordan Conradson"><span class="author-name"><span style="color: blue; font-family: poppins, "serif"; font-size: 8pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration-line: none;">Jordan Conradson</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "poppins","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
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</v:imagedata></v:shape><strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "poppins","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Meritocracy is dead.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrFt-8iXMmLQEGisf8fev9dxcGsjJCaS9vuPDu39occx4lkyvo7PEQTX8e1iMrOFF8V5b-SHRqYZ8nMzv3WfmLzZShUQslHDXOGqEEVgA4t-ULxYTMxMrnTo5Vj5lobuEoXMhtpaqTN6XtxI5JiEVldKd-Agd4FJyACKdKzq-lIf6ENrlt0r9WfiqZ6OF/s604/UAL%20CEO%20Scott%20Kirby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="604" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrFt-8iXMmLQEGisf8fev9dxcGsjJCaS9vuPDu39occx4lkyvo7PEQTX8e1iMrOFF8V5b-SHRqYZ8nMzv3WfmLzZShUQslHDXOGqEEVgA4t-ULxYTMxMrnTo5Vj5lobuEoXMhtpaqTN6XtxI5JiEVldKd-Agd4FJyACKdKzq-lIf6ENrlt0r9WfiqZ6OF/w640-h310/UAL%20CEO%20Scott%20Kirby.jpg" width="640" /></a></strong></div><strong><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></strong><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">United Airlines CEO
Scott Kirby, in a recent interview, admitted that they are no longer seeking
the most qualified candidates to safely transport their passengers on
commercial flights.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Instead, Kirby says, “We have
committed that 50% of the classes will be women or people of color,” instead of
the most qualified individuals they can find.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What could go wrong with putting
one’s skin color or gender over safety and competency?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Anti-whiteness appears to be
evolving into a trend in the airline industry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a href="https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/12/2-6-2/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">New Deals At The Gateway Pundit MyPillow Discounts Page – Plus
Free Shipping With Promo Code TGP!</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As The Gateway Pundit reported
earlier, a source from Delta Airlines has revealed that the company, in a
leaked memo, is asking its employees to capitalize the words “Black” and
“Brown” but not “White” when describing one’s race.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is unclear whether or not
United follows this writing format, but the United CEO boasts their
discriminatory hiring practices.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To add some irony to this story,
Mark Cuban, in an unhinged, </span><a href="https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/update-here-it-is-james-okeefe-triggers-woke/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">explicative-filled
rant</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> on James O’Keefe, said, “DEI has nothing to do
with quotas, and only a f*cking moron thinks DEI has to do with quotas.” Watch
O’Keefe’s full interview with far-left, Trump-hater Mark Cuban </span><a href="https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/update-here-it-is-james-okeefe-triggers-woke/"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">here</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Despite Mark Cuban’s delusions,
John Kirby, without using the word “quota,” said his DEI quota for women and
people of color is 50%.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Via Libs of TikTok:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">INTERVIEWER:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> How is diversity and diversity targets working into the
Aviator Academy?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">KIRBY:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> We have committed that 50% of the classes will be women or
people of color. Today, only 19% of our pilots at United Airlines are women or
people of color. And by the way, from all the data I’ve seen, that’s the
highest of any airline in the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">INTERVIEWER:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> White males don’t just dominate in the cockpit. It’s also in
the C suite at United Airlines.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">KIRBY:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Well, look, at United, I’m proud of the diversity that we
actually have in our C suite. I think if you look around corporate America…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">INTERVIEWER:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> So this is just based off your website, the people you list
as executives, but out of 11 people, three are women, I believe one is a person
of color.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">KIRBY:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Um… That’s correct. But, you know, in corporate America, I
think, you know…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">INTERVIEWER:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> That’s a low bar. How do you raise your own bar?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">KIRBY:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Well, a lot of this is, you know, focusing on it. We have
programs to one of the things we do is for every job when we’re doing an
interview, we require women and people of color to be involved in the interview
process, bringing people in early in their careers, as well, and giving them
those opportunities and creating a stronger bench.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></p><h1 style="line-height: 16.4pt; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">Following
article and many like it have hit the MSM with a splash. I</span></i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;"> </span><i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";">will include it in the HL without editorial
comment for you to see what is spreading around.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></h1><h1 style="line-height: 16.4pt; margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"> </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></h1><h1 style="margin-bottom: 4.55pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 16.4pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 18pt;">Delta Airlines faces backlash after alleged ‘white’ racism claims<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="authorby"><span style="color: #424242; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">By </span></span><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/author/prapti-upadhayay-101658311678301"><span style="color: #424242; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Prapti
Upadhayay</span></a><span style="color: #424242; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 8.2pt;"><span style="color: #757575; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 6.5pt;">Jan 13, 2024 06:06 PM IST<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style="line-height: 14.6pt; margin-bottom: 7.3pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #424242; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;">Delta Airlines faces backlash over alleged
racial sensitivity note.<o:p></o:p></span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujlG19-H1nrocu1ebwefmUpoBus4gndoG5JutqSksOwpe3u9idixgp0oEUdJJ6MhdzA1MYQBpe34I11icx9S_a7kLhTLVtoqb_X31seSnB9U28_M45arlf8ivaOdOCZ77daa5AKEoWSJQ-bILTtGniPjAQeAtzK376rPWm9s3hgSIUUfylMKG9QveSbm8/s900/Racism%20at%20Delta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="744" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujlG19-H1nrocu1ebwefmUpoBus4gndoG5JutqSksOwpe3u9idixgp0oEUdJJ6MhdzA1MYQBpe34I11icx9S_a7kLhTLVtoqb_X31seSnB9U28_M45arlf8ivaOdOCZ77daa5AKEoWSJQ-bILTtGniPjAQeAtzK376rPWm9s3hgSIUUfylMKG9QveSbm8/w530-h640/Racism%20at%20Delta.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #424242; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #424242; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Delta Airlines finds
itself in hot water after an alleged note from their DEI department went viral
on social media. The note supposedly addresses racial sensitivity but has
sparked accusations of bias.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"><v:shape alt="Racism at Delta.jpg" id="Picture_x0020_25" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 450pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 372pt;" type="#_x0000_t75">
<v:imagedata o:title="Racism at Delta" src="file:///C:\Users\marks\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style="background: white; line-height: 11.85pt; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #2f2f2f; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Accusations
on social media:<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p style="background: white; line-height: 14.6pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #424242; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Social media erupted
with claims that Delta's DEI department instructed employees to capitalize
"Black" and "Brown" but use lowercase for
"white." Critics voiced their concerns, branding the airline as
racist.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><i><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Capt Roberts oldest
living list. Faithfully, David produces this plus other list of archived those
pilots who are associated with our massive company who have Flown West. When I receive them I update our website and
publish online. Because this list is of
“Living Pilots” I password protect the page and only share with the private
members who receive this newsletter on our member list. The <b>access
password is: pcnpilot<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><i><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Following David’s letter
of explanation is the link to his latest spreadsheets.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; text-align: center;"><u><span style="color: navy; font-family: Algerian; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DELTA'S OLDEST LIVING PILOTS 2023</span></u><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;">My Delta Friends,<br />
<br />
Each year I compile a list of <b><i>Delta's Oldest Living Pilots</i></b>, which
includes <b>ALL </b>living pilots from <b>ANY</b> airline that is now shown on <b>Delta's
Family Tree</b> <b>schematic </b>(attached below).<br />
<br />
This is the FINAL list for <b>2023 </b>and is attached below in MS Excel format
and is current as of <b>TODAY, December 31, 2023 -- only</b>...!!! <br />
<br />
This list is created from various sources that provide each pilot's date of
birth. The age of each person increases by one year on <b><i><u>their day
of birth</u></i></b> using a spreadsheet formula --- <b>so the December 31 list
is correct for today only...!!!! <br />
<br />
</b>There are two lists of the same information below; first: the <b>NAMES
</b>list, is sorted alphabetically, and the second, the <b>AGE</b> List, is
sorted by Date of Birth. Each list includes, at the beginning, the 61
names of the Oldest Pilots of 2023 who died during 2023. <br />
<br />
Due to privacy concerns I will NOT PUBLISH the pilot's Date of Birth, only the
month of birth and the pilot's age - as of the particular <b>DATE</b> of this
report -- which is stated at the top of the report. But to compile this
report accurately I need each pilot's exact Date of Birth in the data
base. There are 854 names on this years list but 61 of these passed away
during 2023, slightly over 7 %. Their names are highlighted in Yellow and
are listed at the beginning of each report. The 2022 Oldest Pilot list
had 647 names! Thus the 2024 Oldest Pilot List may hold more than
1000 names if this growth continues. <br />
<br />
If you know Spouse names for any of those not shown, please click Reply and
send me that information. If any pilot shown passes away during 2024 they
will be highlighted in Yellow with their date of death shown in next year's
report.<br />
<br />
I arbitrarily determined several years ago that a good age for inclusion on
this list was the calendar year the pilot reached the age of <b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">86</span></b> and the 2023 list is now as
complete as I can make it. For the year 2023 any living pilot from
any of the companies now on Delta's Family Tree with a date of birth of <b><span style="color: blue; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1937
</span></b>or earlier
should be included. The list is a work-in-progress so help me make it
grow, in size and accuracy.<br />
<br />
If you know of a pilot whose name is missing and should be included, please
send me that pilot's FULL name, Spouse's name, the pilot's Date of Birth and
Date of Hire and the pilot's ORIGINAL airline company --- or as much of this as
you know. If the spouse is deceased, please include that information with
the spouse's name.<br />
<br />
Let's celebrate Delta's Oldest Living Pilots again-and-again. Send them a
Birthday Card or an email at the beginning of their month of birth.
That's close enough to their birthday for us old folks.<br />
<br />
As you can see this list has grown tremendously with all the original company
pilots included. For 2023 there were over 240 just original Delta pilots
who were added to the list plus all the others now on Delta's Family
Tree. Look for a much longer list early in 2024. But this is the
list you want to be on before getting on that Other List we see so often..!!<br />
<br />
Please <b>FORWARD </b>this email with the attachments to <b><i>all of your
Delta friends</i></b> as I only have a limited number of email addresses.
Let us insure that everyone <b><i>ON</i></b> this list receives a copy <b><i>OF</i></b>
this list..!!!<br />
<br />
Thank you for your help.<br />
<br />
Stay safe out there.<br />
<br />
<b>Dave<br />
<br />
</b>David L. Roberts<br />
Captain, MD-11, ATL (Ret.)<br />
12080 Brookfield Club Drive<br />
Roswell, GA 30075-1259<br />
Email: <a href="mailto:robertsDL@mindspring.com">robertsDL@mindspring.com</a><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">CLICK
HERE to access David’s latest list: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 9.1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "var(--font-1)", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><bsp-page-actions class="Page-actions" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: calc(1em + 4px); place-self: flex-end; position: relative;"><button class="Page-actions-trigger" data-action-clicked="clickShareIcon" data-collapse-element="" data-collapse-toggle="{"collapsed":true,"selGroup":false,"active":true,"state":"collapsed"}" style="align-items: center; appearance: button; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-radius: 5px; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.4rem; font-stretch: semi-condensed; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700; height: 30px; justify-content: center; line-height: 1.14; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; overflow: visible; padding: 7px; touch-action: manipulation;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://pcn.homestead.com/Archived_Oldest_Liv.html"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://pcn.homestead.com/Archived_Oldest_Liv.html</span></a></span></button></bsp-page-actions></span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-11270644667701849662024-01-28T18:13:00.002-05:002024-01-28T18:48:49.761-05:00Hangar Flying - HL 357 (1)<div><h1 style="margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";">The One Man Air Force - The True Story of American Pilot James
Howard - Historical WWII Recreation</span><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 24pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.2pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 10.2pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #131313; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is the true story of American fighter pilot James (Jim) Howard. This hero of
the second world war took on an estimated 30 Germans in his P-51 Mustang by
himself in an intense battle over the skies of Europe. This was made using the
World War II flight simulator IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles series. Hope you
enjoy! Please like, comment, and subscribe. Historical notes - First, Howard
used one of the earlier P-51 models in this mission, however I only had access
to the P-51D in this mission, so that is what I used. Also, four of Howards
kills in Japan were grounded aircraft, so some sources only credit him with
2.33 kills over China.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h4><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nd-5RZ8HFM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nd-5RZ8HFM</a>
</h4></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-1164576399383329292024-01-28T18:11:00.005-05:002024-01-28T18:48:49.123-05:00Looking For - HL 357 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal"><i>As a reminder to all
who are “looking for someone,” the PCN never shares contact info with
anyone! What we do instead is make an
appeal (either direct or publicly in the newsletter) to a person about a
party’s interest in getting in touch. In
this way the person looked for is in control of the connection. <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color: red; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’ll run this “Looking For” again, as I’m not sure there
was any resolution. If you know
something please email Ron at address included:<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Capt Ron
Matson is looking for Vietnam friend Albert J Gardner<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hi Mark,</span></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> A Delta buddy of mine, Ron Mattson, just called me to see if
I knew any way to reach another Delta pilot that he use used to fly with back
in Vietnam. His name is <b><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;">Albert J. Gardner</span></b> and
he would be about 83 or 84.</span></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ron Mattson & I flew together out of MSY. </span></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">If Albert is in your PCN group, maybe you could send him Ron's
contact info which is:</span></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ron Mattson</span></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><a href="mailto:chvrnmat@yahoo.com"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">chvrnmat@yahoo.com </span></a></p>
<p class="yiv0508469331msonormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">502-262-7668</span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-40628432469519897792024-01-28T18:09:00.004-05:002024-01-28T18:48:50.628-05:00Humor / Sobering / Fun - HL 357 (2)<br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eM-9T04o46hMghyX8dTFrLUrFUzNjXNmEnIx1HMJ1Tt5CDTkn4jeajkyn9rdJ6wTnSkiCz4SqC3SwMw8buKyBvMIEkfpIDwoxcvIT6ItFuLa1TXNKExCnaKMu3DrXfvTFGlPh9CZLvHWVeyEdjATjhJJfufv60ApjTe1qkKqnchYCulJoPrBkg7cOl4x/s735/b69e4b13e30316b8fb880c0b4ed8d767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="735" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eM-9T04o46hMghyX8dTFrLUrFUzNjXNmEnIx1HMJ1Tt5CDTkn4jeajkyn9rdJ6wTnSkiCz4SqC3SwMw8buKyBvMIEkfpIDwoxcvIT6ItFuLa1TXNKExCnaKMu3DrXfvTFGlPh9CZLvHWVeyEdjATjhJJfufv60ApjTe1qkKqnchYCulJoPrBkg7cOl4x/w400-h256/b69e4b13e30316b8fb880c0b4ed8d767.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7QU4x2qu42n5hz9FHCOi0zNot64ZYOBGkj7Xsy3dsfS-9LzyDzTTkV6kH2LX1IjkLMxWdpQSAF9rsIuuR7sV9S2gmEoRWM_wn0e7W8w2n9pdrpBzv8_FR0hHR74cr35HXUyYbpgeSr_v8ePIyFLACurjil0BKjAsB15bzQJFXVNFtDwdkeuWBFmDgr5B/s966/d96c14de8173b3034a2022a8f0a8cbef%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="966" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7QU4x2qu42n5hz9FHCOi0zNot64ZYOBGkj7Xsy3dsfS-9LzyDzTTkV6kH2LX1IjkLMxWdpQSAF9rsIuuR7sV9S2gmEoRWM_wn0e7W8w2n9pdrpBzv8_FR0hHR74cr35HXUyYbpgeSr_v8ePIyFLACurjil0BKjAsB15bzQJFXVNFtDwdkeuWBFmDgr5B/w400-h313/d96c14de8173b3034a2022a8f0a8cbef%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-63509019321835781582023-12-24T23:01:00.002-05:002023-12-24T23:03:04.385-05:00Marks Remarks - HL 356 (1)<div><p align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">High Life 356 | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">PCN Home</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Contact.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Post to PCN</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://groups.google.com/group/PilotCommunicationNet"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">G-Group</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Calendar.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Calendar</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pilotcommunication.net/Ads/"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">PCN Ads</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/SignUP.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">Sign Up</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"> | </span><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/FAQs.html"><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;">FAQs</span></a><span style="color: #0f243e; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Back in the High
Life Again -Theme Song:</span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adw772km7PQ&ob=av2e"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adw772km7PQ&ob=av2e</span></i></b></a></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Lyrics:</p>
<h2 align="center" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Back in the High Life Again<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=steve+winwood&filters=ufn%3a%22steve+winwood%22+sid%3a%22a6c0380e-3858-4f4c-3391-1aeaffac7117%22&FORM=SNAPST"><span style="color: #1a0dab; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Steve
Winwood</span></a><span style="color: #767676; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">It used to seem to me that my life ran
off too fast<br />
And I had to take it slowly<br />
Just to make the good parts last<br />
But when you're born to run, it's so hard to just slow down<br />
So don't be surprised to see me<br />
Back in the bright part of town<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">I'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
I'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched me once<br />
Will smile and take me in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And I'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
Let the world back into me<br />
I know I'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Girl, you used to be the best<br />
To make life be life to me<br />
And I hope that you're still out there<br />
And you're like you used to be<br />
We'll have ourselves a time<br />
And we'll dance the mornin' sun<br />
And we'll let the good times come in<br />
And we won't stop 'til we're done<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched us once<br />
Will smile and take us in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And we'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
And have the world so easily<br />
Though we'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">High life<br />
High life<br />
In the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All the doors I closed one time<br />
Will open up again<br />
We'll be back in the high life again<br />
All thee eyes that watched us once<br />
Will smile and take us in<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">And we'll drink and dance with one hand
free<br />
And have the world so easily<br />
Though we'll be a sight to see<br />
Back in the high life again<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">High life<br />
(Back in the high life)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="bparactl" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.0pt;">Oh, we'll be back...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="background: yellow; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-highlight: yellow;">Important: If viewing in Google Drive, PDF hyperlinks
are hot after you highlight them. If you have trouble navigating to a hyperlink
then visit the blog where all links are hot -</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://pcnhighlife.blogspot.com/"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">http://pcnhighlife.blogspot.com/</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dear PCN</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">(of over 2600 subscribers),<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 18.0pt;">Merry Christmas and Happy
Hanukkah<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 18.0pt;">AND have a very Happy New
Year!!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 18.0pt;">You are personally invited to
view our family <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 18.0pt;">Christmas Greeting Card at:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: 18.0pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 236.95pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://markbarb.homestead.com/ChristmasCard2023.html"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">https://markbarb.homestead.com/ChristmasCard2023.html</span></a><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzyB1XVYeH-xn4ukNB6JCA77Am9uq4ciqEF05nqSQ6HrZW_JNQ-E17lXMwGjAwRY-fTtBBPc_Vjbb8-mZhe7PG8SWALQRjHjHVlGdnw3ARL664jmojxlR_WMUqWKNbqFN-UA2Yw-qfW5jm2MW5efHuBGkgJTxCXIDWlY1HjwuEZDjKplhaJLVNtoB8FiN/s3565/2023%20fam%20crop%20md%20w%20David.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2825" data-original-width="3565" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzyB1XVYeH-xn4ukNB6JCA77Am9uq4ciqEF05nqSQ6HrZW_JNQ-E17lXMwGjAwRY-fTtBBPc_Vjbb8-mZhe7PG8SWALQRjHjHVlGdnw3ARL664jmojxlR_WMUqWKNbqFN-UA2Yw-qfW5jm2MW5efHuBGkgJTxCXIDWlY1HjwuEZDjKplhaJLVNtoB8FiN/w640-h508/2023%20fam%20crop%20md%20w%20David.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 236.95pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">Barb and Mark, 3 boys and DIYs, and 12
Gkids.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;">B & W of David cuz he’s at
College</span></p></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-85318504346329322782023-12-24T22:58:00.000-05:002023-12-24T23:03:05.237-05:00Finance - HL 356 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #D9D9D9; mso-background-themecolor: background1; mso-background-themeshade: 217;"><i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Helpful miscellaneous articles
regarding our retirement plan and planning.
Like you, I review my retirement nestegg and plan from time to
time. Recently, I went though some
continued education for some credentials I maintain and it occurred to me that
we all could use a review about these issues.
So with your help, we will share and post articles and info that may be
helpful and of interest to many of you in this section. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif";"> </span></p>
<div style="border-bottom: solid white 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 10.0pt 0in;">
<h1 style="border: none; line-height: 29.15pt; margin-bottom: 10.95pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 15.05pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid white .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 10.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">9 tips for your New Year's money resolutions<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 13.65pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Reach your 2024 money
goals with these easy steps.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 7.3pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Fidelity Viewpoints<o:p></o:p></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif";">Key takeaways<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif";">Financial
resolutions may be among the best New Year's resolutions for 2024—as many
people are still feeling the sting of high prices and rising housing costs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif";">Fidelity's
annual New Year's Resolutions Survey has found that paying down debt, saving
more, and spending less are the top money goals for those setting them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif";">Our
holistic approach to your entire financial picture can help you set yourself up
for success no matter what your goal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 7.3pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif";">A new year can bring a new sense of
optimism—particularly when the page is turning on a year like 2023. Though 35%
of Americans say they're in a worse financial situation compared to this time
last year, 2 in 3 people believe they'll be better off in 2024, according to
Fidelity's 2024 <a name="Link_1702932476949"></a><a href="https://newsroom.fidelity.com/pressreleases/fidelity-s-15th-annual-resolutions-study--americans-ready-for-new-chapters-in-2024--with-2-in-3-conf/s/36714147-930e-4c2b-8730-a48f3dc470f1" title="New Year"><span style="color: black;">New Year's Financial Resolutions Study</span></a>.<sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">1</span></sup><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif";">A positive attitude can go a long way. And
setting yourself up for a prosperous year ahead with some savvy planning can
help ensure your success.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">What are the best New Year's resolution ideas for 2024?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">From stubbornly high
prices to rising housing costs to steep interest rates, it's been a year of
relentless financial strain for many.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">And yet, two-thirds of
Americans (66%) are choosing to focus on financial resolutions in the new year.
Saving more, paying down debt, and spending less topped the resolutions list in
Fidelity's survey.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">If those are among your
goals, here are 9 ways to make progress in the new year. If you're overwhelmed
and don't know where to start or what to do, consider starting with number 1
and going on from there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Working through even a
few of these ideas can help strengthen your financial foundation and make it
easier to pay down debt, spend less, and save more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">1. Inventory your finances: Review your income, expenses, debt
balances, and the interest rates you're paying<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The first step to achieving
any kind of financial goal is getting organized and finding out where you stand
now and where you want to be. So set aside 30 minutes to an hour to take
inventory of your financial life. This can help you prioritize your goals and
understand how much money you may be able to put toward them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Here's what to look for:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">What is your monthly take-home pay?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">How much do you pay for essential expenses, like food, health
insurance and housing?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">How much do you typically spend on nonessential expenses, like
entertainment and shopping?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;">And if you have debt, what are your balances, interest rates, and
minimum payments? Payments on debt should be considered part of your essential
expenses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Being able to see all of
these facts and figures in one place will allow you to map out your approach,
whether the goal is to reduce your expenses or pay off debt—both of which have
the benefit of freeing up more of your income to save and invest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Track your financial
information in one place, for free: <a name="Link_1703083366739"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/go/monitoring-your-financial-portfolio" title="Full View"><span style="color: black;">Full View</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">2. Review your budget to make room for future priorities<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">A budget isn't etched in
stone. It's meant to be fluid and change as your lifestyle and needs evolve.
Setting some guardrails can help you stay in control and aware of where your
money is going. Take saving for retirement, for example: Without a budget or a
plan, long-term savings may not get as much attention as they could.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Your budget may look
different from the last few years if you're a student loan borrower, since
payments resumed in the fall. Or perhaps your rent payment is set to increase
at the beginning of the year. Stubbornly high costs and rising expenses that
are out of your control can throw your finances out of whack but planning
ahead—if you aren't already doing it—can help you stay on track and making
progress.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">On Fidelity.com you can
easily create a budget to categorize expenses and help reach your savings
goals: <a name="Link_1702926480760"></a><a href="http://myguidance.fidelity.com/ftgw/pna/customer/planning/budgeting/summary" title="Help me budget (Log In Required)"><span style="color: black;">Help me budget<span class="off-screen"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Log In Required</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">If you need help keeping
day-to-day spending and saving on track, check out a money-management app
like <a name="Link_1702926582283"></a><a href="http://www.fidelity.com/mobile/bloom" title="Fidelity Bloom®"><span style="color: black;">Fidelity
Bloom®</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">3. Protect your wallet from the unexpected by maintaining at least
minimum insurance coverage<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It is not easy to build
up your financial foundation, so it makes sense to protect what you've worked
hard for. One of the best ways to do this: maintain at least minimum insurance
coverage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Many employers provide
health, life, and disability insurance coverage for employees. The cost is
generally lower than buying coverage for yourself so taking advantage of the
benefits offered by your employer can be an easy way to cover all your bases.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Insurance is like the
umbrella you don't think you'll need. It may turn out to be the only thing that
protects you from the storm. Having insurance for unlikely but potentially expensive
events can help make sure your daily life can continue smoothly while
continuing to move forward toward your goals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Estimate how much life
insurance coverage you may need to replace your income and find out how much it
may cost: <a name="Link_1703083550090"></a><a href="https://digital.fidelity.com/prgw/digital/termquote/" title="Term life insurance quote"><span style="color: black;">Term life insurance quote</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">4. Save for future health care expenses with an HSA or FSA<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">A health savings account,
or HSA, is available to you if you're enrolled in a high-deductible health
plan. If you have health insurance through an employer, it may offer an HSA.
Plus some employers may offer to make contributions to your HSA (which count
toward the annual HSA limit.) If you have a health plan from the Affordable
Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace or state exchanges, consider opening a
Fidelity <a name="Link_1702926680438"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/go/hsa/why-hsa" title="HSA"><span style="color: black;">HSA</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">You can think of an HSA
like a hybrid savings account. The money you contribute is earmarked for
medical expenses and has no expiration date. Once you reach a certain balance,
you can invest some of the funds for more growth potential.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The best part is that
HSAs offer a triple tax benefit: you don't pay taxes on money you contribute,
any part of the balance that's invested has tax-free growth potential, and
money you take out is tax-free when you spend it on qualified medical expenses.</span><sup><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Read <em>Viewpoints</em> on
Fidelity.com: <a name="Link_1702926753829"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/hsa-healthy-habits" title="3 healthy habits for health savings accounts"><span style="color: black;">3 healthy habits for health
savings accounts</span></a> or consider opening a
Fidelity <a name="Link_1703083667857"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/go/hsa/why-hsa" title="HSA"><span style="color: black;">HSA</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">If you don't have an
HSA-eligible health plan but do have access to a flexible spending account
(FSA) through your employer, it can be worth considering. Like an HSA, the FSA
lets you set aside money before it's been taxed to pay for health care costs.
Any withdrawals are also tax-free, provided you use them to cover qualified medical
expenses.</span><sup><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">An FSA can help increase
the money you have available to pay for medical bills. But it's important to
know that funds saved in an FSA generally must be used in the same year as the
contribution. This means that when the new benefit year begins, you may forfeit
whatever funds remain in the account from the prior year. Some employers may
allow you to carry forward a small amount of your unused balance or can offer a
grace period (normally up to 2.5 months). Check with yours to see if you can carry
over a portion of your FSA at year end.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Read <em>Smart Money</em></span><em><sup><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; padding: 0in;">SM</span></sup></em><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> on Fidelity.com:<a name="Link_1702928703930"></a><a href="http://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/hsa-vs-fsa" title="HSA vs. FSA: Which is right for you?"><span style="color: black;">HSA vs. FSA: Which is right for you?</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">5. Set aside cash to cover emergencies like car repairs, medical bills,
or job loss<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">After a trying and
unpredictable few years, nearly 8 in 10 Americans plan to boost their emergency
savings in 2024.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Maintaining an emergency
fund can help you avoid going into debt to pay for an unexpected one-time
expense, like a car repair or medical bill, or a long-term misfortune like
losing your job. Having cash on hand and accessible in a savings account or
money-market fund means an unforeseen event is less threatening to your financial
well-being and your goals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">A fully funded emergency
fund may sound like it could take a long time so setting a smaller goal could
make it easier to achieve. It can be a good idea to start strong with a target
of $1,000 or 1 months' worth of expenses. Keep contributing to your emergency
fund until you feel well prepared.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Consider investing your
cash in a money market fund or CD, which currently offer higher rates than most
savings accounts: <a name="Link_1703084438075"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/go/manage-cash-rising-costs" title="Help your cash work harder"><span style="color: black;">Help your cash work harder</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">6. Try to get the full 401(k) match from your employer (if you have
one)—it's like free money<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">As you're getting
everything in order for the near term, long-term goals might get put on the
back burner. Since retirement is such a big goal and time is so important to
reaching it, saving what you can spare now makes good sense—particularly if
your employer offers a 401(k) match. The match is like free money so try to
save at least enough to capture the entire amount.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Let's say your employer
matches 100% of your contributions, up to $3,000 a year. That means you need to
contribute $3,000 to boost your 401(k) by $6,000.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">As with any investment
account, be sure to review your asset allocation—that is, how your money is
divided among stocks, bonds, and cash. Make sure it aligns with your appetite
for risk and your financial goals, and is appropriately diversified.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Read <em>Viewpoints</em> on
Fidelity.com: <a name="Link_1702926999144"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/how-to-build-wealth" title="6 ways busy people can help build their wealth"><span style="color: black;">6 ways busy people can help build
their wealth</span></a> and <a name="Link_1702927042919"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/risk-tolerance-time-horizon" title="3 keys to choosing investments"><span style="color: black;">3 keys to choosing investments</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">7. Keep more of your money for yourself by paying down high-interest
credit card debt<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">High-interest credit card
debt can be a drain on your finances. Rather than saving and investing for your
future goals, money goes to pay off past purchases.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Get a clear sense of your
debt and tips for paying it off: <a name="Link_1703020649771"></a><a href="https://myguidance.fidelity.com/ftgw/pna/customer/planning/debt/" title="Debt dashboard"><span style="color: black;">Debt dashboard<span class="off-screen"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Log In Required</span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Paying more than your
monthly minimum payments can speed up your debt repayment and reduce your
interest charges. If you have multiple balances to pay down, consider
concentrating all your efforts on the card charging the highest interest rate
for the most efficient paydown strategy (but continue making minimum payments
on all cards) to eliminate that balance as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Another strategy, called
the snowball method, suggests starting with the smallest balance first and then
rolling those payments into the next smallest balance once the first is out of
the way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Read <em>Viewpoints</em> on
Fidelity.com: <a name="Link_1702927285422"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.comlearning-center/personal-finance/avalanche-snowball-debt" title="The debt snowball method vs. the debt avalanche method"><span style="color: black;">The debt
snowball method vs. the debt avalanche method</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The sooner you stamp out
high-interest debt, the sooner you can reroute the income toward the future.
For Fidelity's take on navigating saving while paying off debt, read <em>Viewpoints</em> on
Fidelity.com: <a name="Link_1702927502356"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/how-to-pay-off-debt" title="How to balance debt, saving, and investing"><span style="color: black;">How to balance debt, saving, and
investing</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">8. Prepare for serious emergencies with a fully funded emergency fund<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Once you have a strong
foundation, try to build a more robust emergency fund that could provide a
strong defense against an ongoing emergency like a job loss. Fidelity suggests
setting aside 3 to 6 months' worth of essential expenses for your emergency
fund. For example, if you spend $5,000 a month on rent, food, and insurance
premiums, you should aim to have $15,000 in a safe, no-risk account.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Exactly how much you need
depends on your personal financial situation. One thing to consider: The fewer
earners there are in your household, the more money you could consider saving.
Read <em>Viewpoints</em> on
Fidelity.com: <a name="Link_1702927653473"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/personal-finance/save-for-an-emergency" title="How much to save for emergencies"><span style="color: black;">How much to save for emergencies</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 20.5pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">9. Pay down debt with an interest rate above 6%<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">At this point, you may
have already paid off any high-interest credit card debt. But you may have
other debts with relatively lower interest rates, like a car loan for instance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Fidelity suggests that if
the interest rate on your debt is 6% or greater, you should generally pay down
debt before investing additional dollars toward retirement. Read <em>Viewpoints</em>: <a name="Link_1702927842351"></a><a href="https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/pay-down-debt-vs-invest" title="Should you pay down debt or invest?"><span style="color: black;">Should you pay down debt or invest?</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "Fidelity Sans", "serif";"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i> (As with any of these informative articles,
anyone who needs someone to talk to about <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i>this
very subject </i><a href="mailto:mark@pilotcommunication.net"><i>contact me</i></a><i> and I can direct you to a knowledgeable advisor).<o:p></o:p></i></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-31664634987276198262023-12-24T22:56:00.004-05:002023-12-24T23:03:03.214-05:00Insurance - HL 356 (1)<div><b><span style="background: yellow; color: #3b3b3b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">IMPORTANT SURVIVOR information in many former
HL issues but INSURANCE section of High Life 340 and FINANCE section of 336 a
good resource to keep.</span></b></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">CORRECTION to language I used in HL 350 for
the D & S Plan TRUST<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">All Archived High Lifes issues: </span></i><a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BzB_SBDmSd9AMzViODQ3MDQtODhjYy00YzkwLThiMzktM2FhMDEzMDZhYjA0?resourcekey=0-sovghKhA1zNRWP5SUxjUqA&usp=sharing"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BzB_SBDmSd9AMzViODQ3MDQtODhjYy00YzkwLThiMzktM2FhMDEzMDZhYjA0?resourcekey=0-sovghKhA1zNRWP5SUxjUqA&usp=sharing</span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="background: yellow; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-highlight: yellow;">I
previously used the word ‘unfunding’ or ‘defunding’ the Trust but I believe that is in error and
can cause unnecessary misunderstanding.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> The Company is not defunding the Trust but
rather funding it ‘monthly’ as opposed to carrying a long term balance. There IS a tax advantage for both Company and
Beneficiary from the Section 501(c)(9) nature of the Trust so, one would expect
to see the Company continue to keep the Trust even though the funding is not executed
well in advance. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-32358058537833095712023-12-24T22:55:00.003-05:002023-12-24T23:03:03.505-05:00Travel / Non Revving - HL 356 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Note: About </span></i></b><b><i><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">layover hotels</span></u></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> (List Now Updated as
of Nov 2021) </span></i></b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Lists are<b> </b></span></i><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">no longer accessible on the DeltaNet. The page is password protected for our PCN
group ONLY. Please use the password of </span></i></b><b><i><span style="background: yellow; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">pcnpilot</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><i><span style="background: yellow; color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-highlight: yellow; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">To
access the 2021 listing of layover hotels click here:</span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span></i></b><a href="http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">http://pcn.homestead.com/Seniority.html</span></i></b></a><b><i><span style="color: #365f91; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reasons for Never
Sharing Your Boarding Pass With Anyone: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Capt.
David Skjerven<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> Reasons to never share a photo of your
airline boarding pass. It’s not uncommon for travelers to excitedly post photos
before flying off on an adventure. Sometimes, these snaps include a picture of
their boarding pass – an innocent but shockingly risky move. Boarding passes
are a necessary part of air travel, and while they might seem innocuous, the
barcode or QR code on your boarding pass holds a treasure trove of personal
information. Many travelers, including Australia’s former Prime Minister Tony
Abbott, share photos of their boarding passes on social media platforms without
realizing the potential risks. Here are five compelling reasons why you should
never share a picture of your boarding pass online. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">1 Personal information exposure Anyone can
access your data with just a few clicks Your boarding pass contains sensitive
personal data, including your full name, flight number, and booking reference
or PNR (Passenger Name Record) – an alphanumeric code that is unique to your
booking – and a barcode or QR code. This information might seem harmless at
first glance, but all it takes is your boarding pass photo to fall into the
wrong hands (like those of a cybercriminal) for things to take a dangerous
turn. The barcode or QR code on your boarding pass holds a significant amount
of encrypted data. Anyone with free online software and ill intentions can
unlock this goldmine of information. Speaking to the Condé Nast Traveler,
privacy researcher Bill Fitzgerald revealed:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">2 Security risks and identity theft They’ve
accessed your data using the barcode – what next? Remember those details you
put in when booking your flight? All that can potentially be accessed by
hackers simply by using the data retrieved via your boarding pass barcode or QR
code. This information, when decoded, can reveal details about your travel
plans, personal identification, and, in some cases, your passport or driver’s
license details.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">3 Frequent flyer vulnerability You could be
robbed of your hard-earned points Many boarding passes display the traveler’s
frequent flyer number. Malicious prowlers can use this information to access
your loyalty program accounts, potentially redeeming your hardearned miles,
which don’t necessarily have to be used to book another flight; they can
sometimes be traded for gift cards and other purchases.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">4 Location, travel schedule disclosure, and
changes It gets creepier than a dangerous stranger knowing your whereabouts If
you’ve ever tried changing your flight – and are not a frequent flyer with a
password-protected account – you would know that in order to access your
booking details, all you need to do is enter your PNR or booking reference
number and last name. With these details in plain sight on your boarding pass,
almost anyone can change your flight schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">5 Social engineering attacks Access to
primary data can lead cybercriminals to more information Cybercriminals can use
the information from your boarding pass for social engineering attacks. They
might impersonate airline staff or customer service representatives armed with
the details obtained from your boarding pass and attempt to deceive you into
providing additional sensitive information or manipulating you into
compromising situations<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I had hear of this before so I never throw my
boarding pass into the trash at the airport or the hotel we are vacationing
at. I tear them up into little pieces. Happy Holidays, David W.
Skjerven<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2654511822369427072.post-12067815323432641812023-12-24T22:53:00.002-05:002023-12-24T23:03:02.908-05:00Good Read - HL 356 (1)<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.5pt; letter-spacing: -0.5pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Christmas miracle’: All 154 passengers survive as
American Airlines Flight 331 crashes in Jamaica<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC06wssB0LMMTj01lspgElX2oo8pAAiKnhLIeC1VES4nlSzBD0sK_xDgs-JM8EzClW5-GyTE-0eYBSVzAZI3ZgxUqg5Vz6GC83W_rEOvGGgmjTI-Liy-aduhY79Da4z2sQojXICdqSN4jZWz_t1S1CWXlZHA3kzkkiYIia81HmyyoX6-hUszTlqbQ2Hdt/s485/AA%20331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="485" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVC06wssB0LMMTj01lspgElX2oo8pAAiKnhLIeC1VES4nlSzBD0sK_xDgs-JM8EzClW5-GyTE-0eYBSVzAZI3ZgxUqg5Vz6GC83W_rEOvGGgmjTI-Liy-aduhY79Da4z2sQojXICdqSN4jZWz_t1S1CWXlZHA3kzkkiYIia81HmyyoX6-hUszTlqbQ2Hdt/w640-h347/AA%20331.jpg" width="640" /></a></b></div><b><br /><span style="background: rgb(251, 251, 251); font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; font-size: 16.5pt; letter-spacing: -0.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b><p></p>
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<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Kingston+(Jamaica)" title="Kingston (Jamaica)"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">KINGSTON, Jamaica</span></a> –
Passengers on American Airlines Flight 331 had endured the crowded airports and
delays of holiday travel, and were moments from their <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Caribbean" title="Caribbean"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Caribbean</span></a> destination. Suddenly, everything seemed
to spin out of control.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Touching down Tuesday night in a fierce rain, the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Boeing+737" title="Boeing 737"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Boeing 737-800</span></a> slammed into the runway of
Kingston’s <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Norman+Manley+International+Airport" title="Norman Manley International Airport"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Norman Manley International
Airport</span></a>. The aircraft skidded to a halt at the edge of the sea,
leaving battered and bruised passengers screaming in panic as the smell of jet
fuel spread through the darkened cabin, which had cracked open in places.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“I just wanted to get the hell out of there, as far as I
could, because I could smell the fumes, and I knew that if it blew, it could be
a pretty big fireball,” said <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Gary+Wehrwein" title="Gary Wehrwein"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Gary Wehrwein</span></a>, 67, who was traveling with his
wife, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Pilar+Abaurrea" title="Pilar Abaurrea"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Pilar Abaurrea</span></a>, from <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Keene+(New+Hampshire)" title="Keene (New Hampshire)"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Keene, New Hampshire</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">All 154 people aboard survived, with 92 taken to
hospitals and 13 admitted, but none of the injuries was considered to be
life-threatening, said <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Daryl+Vaz" title="Daryl Vaz"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz</span></a>. One woman had
surgery for a broken nose and cuts to her face.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/U.S.+Department+of+State" title="U.S. Department of State"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">State Department</span></a> spokesman <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/P.J.+Crowley" title="P.J. Crowley"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">P.J. Crowley</span></a> said 76 of the passengers were
Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">The plane came to a stop on the sandy edge of an airport
access road, and <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Mike+Henry" title="Mike Henry"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Transport Minister Mike Henry</span></a> described
it as a “Christmas miracle.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“If the plane was going faster, it would have
gone into the sea,” Henry said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">In daylight Wednesday, as soldiers stood
around the wrecked jet, the damage was clear: The fuselage was cracked open,
its left main landing gear had collapsed, and its nose was crushed and pointing
off toward the sea.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Members of the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/U.S.+National+Transportation+Safety+Board" title="U.S. National Transportation Safety Board"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">U.S. National Transportation
Safety Board</span></a> were assisting an investigation led by <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Jamaica" title="Jamaica"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Jamaica</span></a>‘s government, but there was no immediate
explanation for what caused the plane to overshoot the runway. The “black box”
flight data recorder from the plane was retrieved and will be taken to the NTSB
laboratory in <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Washington" title="Washington"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Washington</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Some aviation experts speculated the pilot
was descending too fast for the conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Investigators were expected to analyze, among other
things, whether the plane should have been landing in such bad weather, said
American spokesman <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Tim+Smith" title="Tim Smith"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Tim Smith</span></a> in <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Fort+Worth" title="Fort Worth"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Fort Worth</span></a>, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Texas" title="Texas"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Texas</span></a>, although he added that other planes had landed
safely in the heavy rain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“At this point, it’s now going to be in the hands of the
NTSB and the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Federal+Aviation+Administration" title="Federal Aviation Administration"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">FAA</span></a>, plus any
Jamaican government authorities that may be involved, and to start and sort of
backtrack and see what happened and how it can be prevented from happening
again,” Smith said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Sam+Mayer" title="Sam Mayer"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Sam Mayer</span></a>, a spokesman for
the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Allied+Pilots+Association" title="Allied Pilots Association"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Allied Pilots Association</span></a>,
which represents pilots at <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/American+Airlines+Inc." title="American Airlines Inc."><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">American Airlines</span></a>,
said the pilot and first officer were “pretty beat up” but were released after
being treated for injuries. The pair had already flown from <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Miami" title="Miami"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Miami</span></a> to <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Baltimore-Washington+International+Airport" title="Baltimore-Washington International Airport"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Baltimore-Washington
International Airport</span></a> and back before the Jamaica flight, he
said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">For the passengers, the most startling thing
of all seemed to be how a bumpy but otherwise ordinary trip descended so
quickly into chaos.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Flight 331 took off from <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Miami+International+Airport" title="Miami International Airport"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Miami International Airport</span></a> at
8:52 p.m. – about an hour late – and arrived at Norman Manley International
Airport at 10:22 p.m. It originated at <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Ronald+Reagan+Washington+National+Airport" title="Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Reagan National Airport</span></a> in
Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">The jet had a crew of six and 148 passengers,
many of them Jamaicans coming home for Christmas, officials said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Passengers said the in-flight turbulence
forced the crew to halt the beverage service three times before finally giving
up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Before descending, the pilot warned of more turbulence
but said it likely wouldn’t be much worse, Abaurrea told <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/The+Associated+Press" title="The Associated Press"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">The Associated Press</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“All of a sudden, when it hit the ground, the
plane was kind of bouncing. Someone said the plane was skidding and there was
panic,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Wehrwein said there was no time to feel
afraid. Immediately after impact, he was hit in the back by a panel that fell
from the interior ceiling and then the jet came to an abrupt halt, he recalled.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“I wasn’t thinking I was going to die. I
said, ‘Oh my God, we crashed,’ then I got hit,” Wehrwein said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">He and his wife recalled a hissing sound in
the darkness, perhaps from the release of oxygen, people crying out and the
smell of fumes, and a mad scramble to get out of the rear emergency exit with
the help of the shouting flight crew.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“To me, it’s a miracle to be alive,” Wehrwein
said. “So, I’m just grateful for that.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Passenger Paul Williamson, visiting his native Jamaica
from his home in <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Toronto" title="Toronto"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Toronto</span></a>, said he was frightened when he noticed the
plane’s wheels didn’t seem to touch down right away. He said he crouched into a
crash position in his seat near the front of the plane.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“Next thing I know, I hear a crashing sound, then the
sound of twisting metal. It all happened so fast, but when the plane came to
rest, that’s when the screaming and the carrying on started,” <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Passenger+Paul+Williamson" title="Passenger Paul Williamson"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Williamson</span></a>, a
37-year-old opera singer, told the AP.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Passenger <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Natalie+Morales" title="Natalie Morales"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Natalie Morales</span></a> Hendricks told <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/NBC+Universal+Inc." title="NBC Universal Inc."><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">NBC</span></a>‘s “Today” the
plane began to skid and “before I knew it, everything was black and we were
crashing.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“Everybody’s overhead baggage started to
fall. Literally, it was like being in a car accident. People were screaming, I
was screaming,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“There was smoke and debris everywhere,”
after the plane halted, she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Williamson praised the flight crew for ably
assisting the passengers. “It really could have been much, much worse,” he
said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Wehrwein remembers coming out to sheets of torrential,
“hurricane-type” rain as they walked along the sand to a bus to take them to
the terminal, where they encountered airport staff unprepared to handle the
situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Dazed passengers waited an hour before
straggling out of the airport, many with bruises and cuts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">“It was chaos. Nobody knew what to do with
us,” Wehrwein said by phone from his stepson’s home in Kingston.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">The couple said they were relieved to escape
with just some soreness and that no one was killed. “I’m a little bit shook up
but OK,” Abaurrea said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">Henry defended the response of the airport
staff, saying the emergency services acted professionally and in accordance
with international guidelines by getting to the scene and tending to the
injured in 5-1/2 minutes. He said nine ambulances responded and were able to
get the injured to hospital in due time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: #FBFBFB; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, "sans-serif"; letter-spacing: -0.1pt;">While flights have resumed from the airport, bigger
carriers such as Virgin and <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/British+Airways+plc" title="British Airways plc"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">British Airways</span></a> will
be diverted to the Donald <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Sangster+International+Airport" title="Sangster International Airport"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Sangster airport</span></a> in <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Montego+Bay" title="Montego Bay"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Montego Bay</span></a>. He said everything should be back to
normal by Thursday.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Full post disclaimer in left column. PCN Home Page is located at: http://pcn.homestead.com/home01.htmlMark Sztanyohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13918437782212970676noreply@blogger.com0