President's Column

• Beginning in this issue of the Newsletter, we have a health related column, “To Your Health”, kindly provided to us by Atlantic Health System (AHS). We are indeed grateful to Maureen Boulanger, Manager, Marketing, AHS, who has worked with us to bring this new column to our Newsletter.
• The winter is roughly half over, the seed catalogs have come, beginning to arrive on Jan. 2. We’re beginning to peruse the travel brochures and the political campaigns are in high gear. After 14 months of the political chess game, some of us are sick of it. Then there are the political “junkies” (like me) who can’t get enough of it. Now, hanging over it all, is the Mayan, Dec. 21 “end of the world” threat which no one takes seriously. We survived Y2K and the several 2011 forecast end dates, so why worry?
  Rather than make predictions for 2012 (I’ve been notoriously wrong in the past) here are some of the things I would like to see happen this year. The Sunni’s and Shia’s acknowledge how dumb it is to keep killing each other and will establish a stable government, thereby capitalizing on the Iraqi’s intelligence, industriousness and availability of plentiful natural resources to become a peaceful and wealthy nation. Donald Trump will give most of his money to charity, shave his head and enter a monastery. North Korea’s new Supreme Leader, Kim Jong Un, will initiate reunification talks with South Korea. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  will be ousted in Iran. Charlie Sheen will M.C. a new reality show called “America’s Humblest”. Congressmen will put America first rather than their next election and increased perks. A visit to the doctor for the treatment of a cold will not result in being prescribed a CAT scan, multiple x-rays, a stress test and a colonoscopy, all to avoid a malpractice suit. Energy and food prices will be included in the cost of living index. Rush Limbaugh will acknowledge that Obama does at least one thing right. The IRS tax code will be completely rewritten. Protesters will boycott TV shows and movies which continue to coarsen our national culture and our grandchildren. There will be no disastrous hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, floods, forest fires, airplane crashes and oil spills. Rex Ryan will not project in August that the Jets will win the Super Bowl. Blight will hit crabgrass. The H/AREA Newsletter will win a Pulitzer Prize and we’ll have a full house at the next H/AREA General Meeting. I could go on and on but the editor says enough, already.

P.S. The Editor and I were having a few at a local pub after a trying Board meeting. After several rounds he pointed to a couple of guys sitting across from us and he said, “It’s depressing, in 10 years we’re going to look like those guys.” I took a long sip and replied, “That’s a mirror”.

• Because we believe that it will be of interest to and educational for our members, commencing with this issue and continuing through the Presidential election, your Newsletter will be carrying two political columns expressing opposing viewpoints on individual issues. These will be written by a Democrat and by a Republican, both of whom have been active in the Morris County political arena and both of whom are highly respected by both their former supporters and their opponents. They are Gordon MacInnes, a Democrat, who is a former Assemblyman and a State Senator from Morris County and Rick Watson, a Republican, who is a former Committeeman and Mayor of Morris Township. Look forward to reading their differing opinions on topical issues. In this issue they address the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) situation.

• It’s after Labor Day so it must be Christmas shopping season. I can remember back when the shopping season didn’t even start until the day after Thanksgiving. Now Black Friday is the peak of the season. I can even remember when President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving back a week to give people an extra week of shopping. Then, a number of years later, the department store decorations started to appear the day after Halloween. Now, as soon as the “Back to School” signs are removed, it’s up with holiday decorations, whether Christmas, Hanukah or Kwanza. I go shopping with my wife once a year. It’s a holiday tradition. One component of this annual holiday excursion is that after an hour of shopping there is a verbal exchange that starts with my wife alleging that I’m a pain in one of her body parts. My response is to tell her not to worry, we won’t do this again. (Until next year, that is.) I hate shopping. If I need something, I go to an appropriate store and buy it (either Home Depot or a Sports store) and then go home. I don’t understand shopping. It seems that shoppers don’t need anything but there is a compulsion to spend hard earned money on “something”, anything! The Green and decent thing to do would be to stay home and send the money to your favorite charity. Let me close with a sincere wish to all H/AREA members that they will be able to relax in a worry free atmosphere and have happy and joyous holidays. To do that, do not worry about the January credit card bills, whether all gathered family members will get along, whether everyone likes their gift(s), whether the electricity will fail, whether blizzards will paralyze transportation, whether the recession will deepen, whether the powder keg in the middle east will explode, etc. No, do not worry. Be of good cheer.

In the mid 60’s, Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian educator, philosopher and scholar wrote “The Medium is the Message”. It quickly became a best seller as it touched a nerve in this country. McLuhan studied media for many years and published a number of books on the topic. His message was that the medium itself, whether it be oratory, newspapers, books, magazines, radio or TV has an influence on our culture irrespective of the words that were presented. Deceased in 1969, how he would be intrigued today to observe the impact on our present culture of the newer media; personal computers and hand held devices. In 2008 the results of politicians’ pleas in the mail for contributions paled compared to pleas made on the internet. The message was the same but the medium was different, confirming McLuhan’s postulate that “the medium is the message”. This led me to think about the current presidential campaign. (It seems everything leads me to think about the current presidential campaign.) To see a person speaking is vastly different from just hearing or reading what he/she has to say. In looking at the debate several months ago Ron Paul delivered the most applause lines but Mit Romney looked more presidential. Madeline Bachman was enthusiastic, lucid and exhibited clear thinking contrary to viewers’ prior perception of her being an extremist and somewhat of a flake. This led me to think about our Founding Fathers. John Adams would have come across as a grump, George Washington as pompous, Thomas Jefferson wouldn’t have said anything, Ben Franklin would remind us of Ron Paul and Alexander Hamilton would look like a kid. In later years, Teddy Roosevelt with a squeaky voice and less than Tom Cruise looks would have turned voters off. Are we influenced too much by the medium’s message and not enough by the candidate’s message? I was horrified that my grandchildren think one candidate is more “cool” than another. (This coming from a definitely “un-cool” writer.) What have we come to? I urge our readers, of whatever persuasion, to look at both MSNBC and Fox, to read conservative columnists and liberal columnists and to familiarize themselves with the past records of the candidates. A flip-flopper? An ideologue? A pragmatist?

BTW (by the way) another example of a medium influencing culture is the phrase contractions used with Twitters. The forced economy of words changes the way Twitter users think and the way they express themselves. LOL should be equivalent to “lots of love” but somehow, it seems to me that LOL is more impersonal, more trite than “lots of love”.

Other miscellaneous comments:

• Mindset is important. Some voters will vote “against” one candidate rather than “for” the other candidate. When you add up the votes, it doesn’t make any difference.
• I believe the Republican candidate will be a “moderate” which will irritate the Tea Party but they have no where else to go and at the same time, such a move would attract a lot of independent voters.
• One of Obama’s advantages is that he is campaigning for presidency now whereas the Republican candidates are campaigning against each other and won’t be able to campaign for presidency until the summer of 2012.
• Having witnessed the debt ceiling debacle, I’m afraid I’ll have to resume my diatribes about Term Limits in the future.

LOL from your BFF (best friend forever)
Lew Bohn
P.S. Having just spent a week at the beach with family, I learned from some of my collegiate grandchildren that “lots of love” is passé. LOL now means “laughing out loud”. That notwithstanding, I leave my signoff unchanged.

• If you are reading this, then the world didn’t come to an end on May 21. You’ll have to wait until Dec. 12, 2012, the date associated with the Mayan calendar. (Be sure to send in your dues for 2013 before that date.) Actually, the end of the world never was predicted for May 21. That is the date when Jesus was predicted to return and meet his “elected” in the air; the event commonly known as the “rapture”. The destruction of the earth is predicted for Oct.21. Jesus is quoted as saying God didn’t reveal to him the date when these events will occur. If that’s the case, how come God revealed these dates to Harold Camping, the source of these predictions? I’ll be interested to learn Manning’s explanation of why this event didn’t occur.

• I was thrilled by Kim Darst’s inspiring talk at our annual meeting (see story elsewhere). A gritty, feisty, wiry young woman overcame towering odds to raise the money ($40K), drive across the country and up the Alcan Highway in an ageing truck with 18 dog cages stacked three high to participate in the Iditarod dog sled race. Overcoming many hazards on the trail, including a blizzard with temperatures of minus 60º, she epitomizes what someone with passion and determination can accomplish.

• In that the political candidates and agendas aren’t in focus yet and the economy is searching for direction, I won’t write about them in this column. I’m not inclined to write about medical issues either, as did my predecessor, nor will I write about music, sports or theater. So to pick a topic at random I think I will write about places in my home which, I am sure, are similar to places in many of your homes. All of us have least favorite places in our home like the extra bedroom where we place “temporarily” the things that really have no place – like toys for when the grandchildren visit, or the hideous floor lamp we inherited from somewhere or the old 35mm slide projector and boxes of priceless, un-catalogued slides from many years ago. Another least favorite place is the unfinished portion of the basement where the washer and dryer reside together with piles of things we “might need” some time. Then there are the favorite places to be in our home. One of mine is the breakfast table where I get my daily fiber and vitamin input together with that glorious first cup of coffee. But that’s not why it is special. What I like, while eating, is watching the squirrels and birds vying for a place at our small “squirrel proof” bird feeder. The squirrels always win. When the squirrels are finished, the birds come, in all different colors and shapes. There are red, blue, yellow, grey and brown or mixtures of these colors with lots of white thrown in here and there. I have been given a number of bird books but can never remember which is which except for the cardinals and a red-headed woodpecker which must sleep in, as he arrives later. Another favorite place in my home is my (excuse the current expression) “man cave”; a finished portion of my basement complete with easy chair, a big TV for NFL games, golf matches, news, weather and an occasional Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, Also there is the computer, the desk and file cabinets stuffed with files which should have been thrown away decades ago. I have the fear that if I throw anything away, I’ll need it tomorrow. When I was working for a living my “development reviews” always noted my messy desk. Can you imagine what my “boss unencumbered” desk looks like now? As I write this I note a newspaper clipping on my desk with the headline “Presidential Candidates Profiled” It’s dated June, 2008!
  My favorite of all places in my home, however, is the space two feet in front of the refrigerator door. I can’t see the door because it is covered with photos, juvenile crayon drawn pictures, reminders, invitations, loving messages, etc., all of which are held in place by dentist, cleaners, house painter, freebie magnets. I stand there every morning before breakfast, counting my blessings and being immersed in nostalgia. Starting in the upper left hand corner, there is a picture of Nana my favorite and long deceased dog. She was part Lab and part something else. We picked her up as a puppy at the local pound, but that was long ago. Today’s in thing is to search the internet for just the dog you want and no one else has, exchanging credentials (the breeder’s, the dog’s and even yours), awaiting the birth and exchanging photos and finally making the 500 mile trip to pay a fortune and pick up the dog. However you get a dog, though, dog ownership is wonderful. No one has known unconditional love if they haven’t owned a dog. I think of Harry Truman’s oft quoted statement, “if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog”. In the upper right corner of the refrigerator door is a tiny picture of a chemical plant; a reminder of days when I was working for a living. Front and center is an 8X10 of all of our grandkids in beach attire at our annual family gathering. My wife still gets upset when she sees what our older granddaughters wear at the beach. There are pictures of kids in all kinds of athletic uniforms, in prom dresses, graduation photos, various appointment reminders and other standard fare. Speaking of refrigerators reminds me of the time, early in our marriage, when the handle broke off of the refrigerator door (don’t ask how). Being a clever engineer I found out that if I inserted a large screwdriver in the hole and pushed down, the door would open. No problem. Then, several months later, my mother came to visit us. She was horrified and refused to listen to my lucid and gentle instruction on entry to the refrigerator. That was the only time she didn’t help prepare our meals. As I write this, the thought comes to mind that she might have used that as an excuse to avoid – aaugh!!–perish the thought; forgive me, Mom, wherever you are. The pictures and messages on the door are not static; the composition and arrangement depends upon which one of our children is coming to visit us. When they’re all here it takes very careful arranging. I can’t help but think that many readers of this column have refrigerator doors just like mine. Yes, for me, standing in the kitchen, looking at the refrigerator door is the most enjoyable place to be in our home.

What we hear from our members:
Doug Hodge (Lakeland, FL) and his wife, Marilyn, have been happily retired in Lakeland for five years now. Doug enjoys golf, church work and volunteer work. His son is in Germany after his third tour in war zones. One grandson is in Rockaway, NJ and the other in Schweinfurt, Germany. Dan Wyczalek provided us with the address of The Chesapeake Region Retiree Group as follows: Daniel Wyczalek, Retiree Representative, Chesapeake Region Retiree Group, Baltimore, MD 21128. Fred Wagner (Barnegat, NJ) and his wife, Edith, spent the winter in Holiday, FL playing shuffleboard and golf and enjoying local concerts. They saw the Discovery take off for the last time from their driveway on the west coast. Andrew Doessinger (College Point, NY) went to Germany last year to visit the “October Fest” and then went to visit the “Eagles Nest” in southern Bavaria. Paul Appenzeller (Elkins Park, PA) is a snowbird who is a volunteer dispatcher for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) Civilian Observer Patrol (COP). During his shift, he is the key safety backup for the entire volunteer field organization. Dispatchers track and provide guidance to patrol units, control radio communications and provide incident handling assistance for all of Palm Beach, FL. The COP units patrol local residential and commercial areas and the many county parks. They act as additional eyes and ears for the PBSO and provide direct assistance to motorists and others. Dr. Sheldon Kavesh (Whippany, NJ) is working as a patent agent these days. Sherman Davis (Baltimore, MD) is founder and CEO of Futech, Inc. which is a certified minority-owned small disadvantaged business which plans to bring back jobs, especially to African Americans. Headquartered in Baltimore, MD, Futech boasts of three core competences: Information Technology, Engineering Technology and Business Consulting. Among the company’s biggest successes came with working for a few Fortune 500 firms. The company continues to grow and expand. Futech has satellite offices in North Carolina, Virginia and Texas. Sherman is seeking Board members and willing investors. He can be contacted at info@futech-eng.com .

• This seems to be as good a time as any to break my New Year’s resolution and dive back into current events and politics. I told some of my grandchildren to keep up to date on the unfolding events in the Middle East as their own children would be reading about them in their history books in years to come. My grandchildren could say, “I watched it happen”. As they were unable to raise their heads from their iPhones, I don’t know whether they registered my comments or not. Nevertheless, I do believe these are momentous times. Were these events all sparked by just a street vendor in a city square in Tunisia who immolated himself in protest of an authoritarian and corrupt government and who was the victim of police brutality? Or were they inspired by the example of a prosperous Indonesia, a predominantly Muslim nation, standing as a shining example of what a free and democratic society can accomplish as contrasted to a Muslim Caliphate form of government under Sharia laws? Or could it have been that some seeds of the current foment were planted when the U.S. invaded Iraq and replaced Sadam’s oppressive dictatorship with a fledgling and currently struggling democracy. Will George W. Bush ultimately come out smelling like a rose or just smelling? Only time will tell. The gigantic power struggles are leaving enormous power vacuums in their wake and will result in Mideastern instability for years to come and when stability arrives, what will it be like? I often wonder what the average Muslim thinks. I would think that there are liberals, conservatives and moderates as we have. Would most Muslims wish to be free of Sharia? I think the women would, at least.

• In this country’s Christian and Jewish communities, the intense interest in professional and kids’ sports, the appeal of the entertainment industry and, most of all, the siren’s call of retail business have won out over the concept of “keeping the Sabbath Holy”. This is an offshoot of doing what feels good and “looking out for number one”. Perhaps, and I’m saying this facetiously, if the CIA could sow the seeds of the “looking out for number one” philosophy in the Middle East, democracy could win out, though at the expense of the “religious”. It worked out that way in Europe and appears to be going that way in the U.S. Fortunately; democracy protects the religious even though it doesn’t support them.

• As I learned in the corporate world, the first thing you do when something goes wrong is to look where to place the blame. Our country’s economy is fouled up. So, as a responsible citizen, I decided to seek where to place the blame. Bear with me. (Maybe you should turn on the TV and read this later when you want to go to sleep.) It came to me in tiers (yes, that’s spelled right). The first tier is greed, which, according to Gordon Gekko, is good. Greed is defined here as the efforts of banks, Wall St., unions, minorities, corporations, the AARP and other similar self interest groups, to maximize the income of the individual members of that group. That is their job. That is what they get paid for. They are pretty good at it. The second tier is the government, including the president and the rest of the executive branch which includes all of the regulatory agencies, departments and commissions. Included, also, are the congress, the judicial branch, the state and local governments, school boards, etc. Their job is to make the rules by which we all must live and, also, to enforce them. The rules must be written to promote the efforts of the greedy while, at the same time, protect and promote the best interests of the citizens. That’s their job. That’s what they get paid for. In some aspects of their jobs, they do very well. In other aspects, such as the economy, they have done a lousy job because, as I have said before ad nauseum, their highest calling is to get re-elected. The third tier is the electorate; you and I. We have the responsibility to vote for those who best represent our belief in what is best for our country. That is where the system is a total failure. This may sound cynical, but, I believe, in general, our individual position is, “what’s in it for me”. The growing ranks of the elderly with no kids at home vote down the school budget and want to preserve Social Security and Medicare. Home owners favor the property tax rebate. The wealthy want to reduce the capital gains tax. The poor want higher welfare payments. I could go on for pages. What we need is a well defined national purpose which inspires the electorate. It must be made clear that this nation faces collapse, that our children and grandchildren face an unbearable economic burden and to avoid calamity all of us must suffer for a time and the suffering must be distributed equitably; clearly an impossible task. But, we can try. If it could be sold to the electorate, this country could emerge as Reagan’s “shining city on a hill”. I’m sure my readers must think I’m incredibly naive to imagine such a national unity of vision. I saw it once! I really did. I was a high school student during World War II. I worked on farms, as a mail boy in a corporate office, as a truck loader and I even delivered telegrams by bicycle in the slums of Camden, NJ (which, at the time, was non-threatening). Sadly, most of the telegrams were from the U.S. govt. saying, “We regret to inform you...”. Everywhere I went and with whomever I dealt there was a clear and present and transcending purpose; win the war. Everyone willingly paid some price, whether it was contending with rationing or making medical dressings to be sent to our military or whatever. This feeling never came again, not during the Korean War, certainly not during the Vietnam War and not now during the Middle Eastern wars. I don’t know of any charismatic leader out there who can convince us all that we face disaster if we don’t face reality and react to it (the name Winston Churchill comes to mind), but I can always hope that one will emerge.
  (Ed. note: Lew is obviously writing with the intent to elicit reader response.)

What we hear from our members:
The influx of annual dues brings with it comments from many members. We love it. We read them all and print most of them. Being a family friendly publication, we can’t print them all. We’re happily surprised at the geographical diversity of our members; from border to border and sea to shining sea. Norm Walker (Wilmington, DE) is enjoying retirement and looking forward to his 90th birthday. He retired from Allied Chemical in 1973 after 26 years of service. He continued his engineering career in the Congoleum Corp. for another 18 tears. Audrey Kelly (Berkeley Hts. NJ) likes getting in touch with former co-workers through this NEWSLETTER. Jim Higgins (Langhorne, PA), who is a trustee of GESU School and a trustee of “Welcome the Stranger”, was invited recently as a guest speaker for Holy Family University’s alumni, faculty, trustees and donors. His topic: “The Search for Truth”. Nick Cameron, (Vero Beach, FL) has decided to test a “real retirement” by living winters in Vero Beach and summers in Old Lyme, CT. One wonders what Nick does for spring and fall. George Siegel (Lake Worth, FL), who is still active on the H/AREA Board, is serving on Condo boards in FL. He misses his friends in NJ but doesn’t miss the snow. We miss you, George. Al Spaak (New Port Richey, FL), in 2004, was elected to the “Plastics Hall of Fame”. To see article, Google: Plastics Academy/Plastics Hall of Fame/Al Spaak. Doris Parker (Florham Park, NJ) recently became a grandma for the first time. Doris stays busy with real estate, recently joining Coccia Realty in Madison, NJ. Sam Shamsey (Williamsburg, VA) is looking forward to visiting Naples, FL and hopes to see Ernie Linneman who spent time at Allied in Morristown during the late 80’s/early 90’s. George Forsythe (Landenberg, PA) was just recovering from the “over 65 medical insurance nightmare” when it started snowing. Per your request, George, we’ll try to keep you abreast of the Honeywell site development plans. Cheer up, spring is coming. Charlie Haitmanek (Cockeysville, MD) decided to retire and is taking nature pictures and looking for old friends. Pam Omelian (Syracuse, NY) and her husband, Tony, were spending most of their time shoveling snow. It had snowed 105 inches when she sent in her dues in January. With their remaining time they were both active in the church making and selling perogies, stuffed cabbage rolls and other Ukrainian foods. Pam sends her regards and best wishes to everyone. Harold Sager (Warren, NJ) and his wife were in San Francisco since Oct. 20 to help out their daughter who had twins. They hoped to return to NJ at the end of Feb. or when it stopped snowing. We hope all went well, Harold, and you got home safely. Luis Riesco (Wall, NJ) is chair of the IEEE Aerospace Electronic Systems/Technical Management chapter. He invites anyone interested to help with the NJ Coast Section programs. Leslie McCoy (Orwell, OH) is moving to Ohio with his daughter after the passing of his wife, Carol. He asks us to keep them in our prayers. You have our sympathy, Leslie, and we’ll do what we can. John Valentine (Eau Claire, WI) reports that Selexol is very active these days (UOP). That kindles a lot of memories. John, can you straighten out the crazy politics out there? Maybe Jesse Ventura should come back or Al Franken put his oar in. Ira Soller (Bayside, NY) suggests lifetime memberships for H/AREA. Sorry, Ira, we just don’t have the book keeping depth to handle that. Our total salary budget is $0 and we depend on a few dedicated volunteers. Charles Hansen (Ocean, NJ) informs us that the old Bendix/AlliedSignal plant is now a Lowes. He often goes in to visit whoever is sitting at his old desk. Hyman Hauser (Beaver Creek, OH) is an 84 year old widower who lives with his son and family. Hyman helps with the house. His son has been unemployed for over a year and Hyman is extremely grateful for his Honeywell pension. Hyman, unemployment is one of the most critical problems this country faces now and we fervently hope the job market returns soon. We wish the best for your son and his family. Vincent Pica (Greenwich, CT) says he is interested in corporate and employee current events. Vince, we’ll do what we can. Don Anderson (Easton, CT) received top flight awards for restoration of 1962 and 1969 Corvettes. Johannes Homburg (Yucca Valley, CA) passed 90 in December. He still maintains his sense of humor despite arthritis. He keeps writing and finished an illustrated children’s book, a Fairy Tale. Tom Mercier (Knoxville, TN) tells us that the NEWSLETTER is the only ongoing contact he has with former Honeywell employees. Both he and his wife worked for Honeywell Controls (Minneapolis,MN). Sarah Norris (Houston, TX) had back surgery last April. Though she had a good recovery, there are other issues. Sarah is building her strength and doing everything in moderation. Keep at it, Sarah. Mark Kamilow (New Hartford, NY) is currently working part time as an environmental consultant for Environ Corp and also, he is teaching an Environmental Remediation class at the local community college. Al Gesler (Hertford, NC) commented about the hassle related to getting new medical insurance. Vincent Crisafi (Paramus, NJ) completed installation this past year of an 1800 watt solar system on his summer home on Long Beach Island, NJ. Fred Loozen ran his 8th marathon last October, in Atlantic City, which is not bad for a 70 plus guy. Running has been his hobby for 30 years and he has logged over 32,000 miles. Fred is still doing 20-35 miles a week (on a treadmill in snowy NJ). He says “Hi” to those who remember him including Bernie Oechsli and his engineering buddies.

I hope my few remaining readers have a Happy New Year. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to get off of my perpetual political kick. No longer will I complain about our hopelessly partisan congress. No more forecasts about Sarah Palin. No more projections of actions by congress. No more term limits advocacy. No more complaints about how they calculate the Consumer’s Price Index (CPI). From now on it will just be homey comments about life in general which I’m sure will bring back my absent readers. I’ll start with the question, “What comes after the golden years?” I don’t know but I am sure I am in it. I am a “glass is half full” kind of a guy so I’m looking forward to the challenges. For example, I consider a trip to the local Walmart an exciting adventure. First, can I back out of the garage without causing one of my rear view mirrors to flip forward as it hits the side of the doorway? I have to paint both sides of the doorway every year to cover up the times I don’t make it. The right side requires more paint. The road to the Walmart seems to get narrower every year and the car seems to get wider. I become easily distracted and depend on the guy in back of me to blow his horn when the light turns green. I always forget where I parked, though only once have I reported to the police that my car had been stolen. It seems someone must have entered my car and (without the key) moved it to somewhere else in the parking lot. In the store, those darn shopping carts are wider than the spaces around the mid-aisle displays. Fortunately I travel so slowly it’s only piles of little things I knock over. Whatever they are, they are always rounded and roll a lot. The stacks of microwaves or air conditioners are pretty stable. I have learned that if I have a bewildered look (which I have perfected) and my remaining hair looks windblown and I stagger a bit, some pretty lady will usually come up to me and help me pick up all of those rolling things. That’s always nice. For some reason, check out is usually a problem. For example, if the bill is something and 77¢, I’ll say I have the change. After spending an inordinate time searching in my pocket, I can find only a comb, a few screws, an expired coupon and 76¢. Then I use the bewildered look again and the cashier will say, “That’s alright, sir” and with either a condescending or irritated look, depending upon in which stage of her shift she is, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a penny. Then out to the parking lot. Not being able to find my car, I make the car horn blow with my key which has little buttons on it. As I am deaf in one ear, I can’t tell from which direction the sound is coming. When at last I find the car, I’m usually surprised to find the trunk open (those darn buttons). Finally, arriving safely at home, I find the garage door even smaller than when I left. My wife asks how the trip was. “No problem, honey”, I reply.

What we hear from our readers:
George Yearwood reports he played 303 rounds of golf in 2010. Carl Mueller wants more earnings info in the NEWSLETTER. Good thought, Carl. We’ll try. Tony Ciavatta is still running a senior softball league for men 50 and over with 30 teams, for men 60 and over with 10 teams and is trying to start one for men 70 and over so he can play. We received a wonderful letter from Frank Bresnahan who is 95. He lives at home by himself with no assistance. He reports that he is still young at heart but is older in other places. Frank says he still stares at girls but forgot why. He would like to go out with women his age but there aren’t many. He fondly recalls the 1937 Newark Bears baseball team, the minor league team of the century. He is in good health, loves life, writes a great letter and sends his regards to all. Frank, keep in touch. James Donahue, a first generation Irish American, says his mother said that Irishmen like to blow their own horn so he sent us a copy of a New Jersey General Assembly resolution citing him for receiving the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal last September. This honor was granted for his service in combat as a Signalman Third Class during World War II. Janet Farrand was awarded Women Legends of Morris County by the Morris County Chamber of Commerce last November. Janet also received the Volunteer of the Year for the Eastern Region award. Janet is president of the Foster Adoptive Family Services Foundation. Roy Kesting has written two books: “The Market Value System” and “Strategic Golf”. Joseph Moore Jr. is still active in the National Ski Patrol as instructor of ski and toboggan and is involved in fund raising events for the Wounded Warrior Project. He writes, “Present day technology is a result of all of the H/AREA employees of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s whose efforts laid the foundation. No other time in the history of man’s quest for flight/rapid transit has so much happened in such a small window of time. I am proud to have been a part of this era.” Bernie Oechsli is still singing in a Barbershop group, the Jacksonville, Florida Symphony and the church choir. He golfs twice a week and enjoys his 9 kids and 19 grand kids. He and his wife of 54 years are in reasonably good health but he worries about what the politicians are doing to our country. He stays in touch with old Allied/Signal friends Art Murphy, Bernie Meyers, Craig Young, Morey Lewis and Frank Young.

What we hear from our readers
H/AREA member Gerry Pelant sent us a hello from his home in Ridgecrest, Calif. He was with Bendix Field Engineering starting in 1961. He enjoyed Bendix people both in the field and at the office near Baltimore. His field trips included Germany, Spain, Greece, North Africa, Italy, France, Belgium and Iceland. He noted that in the 60’s “most people respected and befriended Americans in those days”.

H/AREA members, don’t forget to tell us about yourself the next time you send in your dues, for that matter, any time you feel so inclined. We really enjoy hearing from you.