55 YEARS OF U-2 DRAGON LADY
S. Air Force issued the following press release:
For the past 55 years U-2 Dragon Lady crews have soared high above the earth collecting intelligence,buy tiffany bangles, surveillance and reconnaissance information to aid in the fight against enemy forces. Throughout the years, even with the advances in technology, the mission remained the same.
Over time, several changes in the aircraft and protective equipment have evolved to help the U-2 and its pilots better perform their mission. Training to become a U-2 pilot has also evolved from "learn on the fly" to a detailed training course requiring approximately nine months to complete.
In the late 1950s, when the first U-2 pilot trainees were becoming familiar with the aircraft, there were no instructors, no two-seater trainer aircraft, no ejection seats, no full pressure suits, no full-scale base at which to train and no technical manuals or history for reference.
In 1957, there was simply a dried up lake in Nevada called Groom Lake with a bare-bones training ground the pilots referred to as "The Ranch".
The U-2 had no operational testing done by the Air Force before its pilots graced the cockpit. The pilots tested the aircraft while learning its movements and capabilities. The shiny, silver, short-nosed structure far differed from the flat, black, long-nosed platform of today. Pilots also wore a silver, skin-tight partial pressure suit to protect them at high altitudes, which was also new to the Air Force.
The U-2 was a low-budget aircraft even for the 1950s,Bead bracelet, said retired Lt. Col. Tony Bevacqua, one of the first U-2 pilots. The plane wasn't given the best instruments or equipment available at the time, and it wasn't until later in the program that the cockpit was upgraded to give U-2 pilots what they need to perform the mission as easily as possible.
The aircraft was flown to Groom Lake in pieces and then assembled and flown by a Lockheed test pilot. Upon the Lockheed pilot's approval of the assembly, the aircraft was handed over to the Air Force and training began.
Colonel Bevacqua recalled his time at Groom Lake and how he was completely focused on learning a brand new style of flying.
"There wasn't anything to do except fly and get the training," Colonel Bevacqua said. "It was pretty boring really, unless we were learning the new system."
The beginning of the U-2's history was highly classified. Pilots were interviewed by members of the Central Intelligence Agency and when accepted were off on an adventure they knew little to nothing about.
"All I knew was that I was going to Connecticut for a pressure suit fitting and then to Wright-Patterson (Air Force Base, Ohio,) for altitude chamber training and a further fitting," Colonel Bevacqua said. "I was told I would be flying to March AFB (Calif.,) and meet a guy there who would take me the rest of the way."
Upon arrival at Groom Lake, they were thrust into training and performed numerous touch and go flights as they adjusted to the handling characteristics of the U-2. Within a week of training, pilots performed their first high-flights in the partial pressure suit.
"The partial suit was fitted and acted like a girdle," Colonel Bevacqua said. "It was skin tight throughout and when you lost pressurization, the external hoses would enlarge and tighten the suit more. It did its job by preventing your blood from boiling,earrings, but it was very uncomfortable."
The first pilots arrived at Groom Lake and completed their entire training in less than three weeks. They flew to Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas where they became operational pilots and instructor pilots for the second class.
"Everything back then was pushing the envelope to get somewhere where human beings weren't designed to go," said Maj. Mark Ferstl, a U-2 student pilot at the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron. "They didn't have a lot to go on, but in some ways the lack of knowledge and experience may have been a motivator."
In today's training, pilots are interviewed first, which includes several interview flights at low altitude to see how a pilot handles the aircraft. Once accepted into the program, they fly T-38 Talons for three months and learn survival skills before even sitting in a U-2 cockpit again.
Part of their survival training includes several training sessions in the high-altitude flight chamber at the 9th Physiological Support Squadron.
Major Ferstl said it's a big confidence booster once the training is complete and pilots are comfortable in the suit.
"The full pressure suit has not failed anybody at altitude," he said. "The people at suit training want to prove to you that the suit is going to save your life, and they do that. They take you up to altitude in the chamber, and it's a great confidence builder."
Major Ferstl said it was hard to imagine how the first pilots went through training not knowing if the pressure suit was going to save them.
"Knowing what I know now, I probably wouldn't fly in a partial pressure suit," he said. "Those guys were the pioneers, pushing the envelope, and they've forged the way for us."
Once they are comfortable in the pressure suit and qualified to fly the T-38, pilots then fly two-seater U-2s at low altitudes with an instructor pilot. By flying in two-seater aircraft, pilots learn the characteristics of the U-2, and instructors can test them on different aspects of flight.
"The instructors are phenomenal," Major Ferstl said. "We've got the best instructor pilots and they are very understanding and professional. They've all been where we are and are amazing pilots and instructors."
Once their low sortie flights are completed, student pilots will take off on a high flight with an instructor. Once the instructors deem them qualified,thanksgiving teacher gifts, students will perform solo flights at low altitudes, then complete several solo high flights before graduating the program. Student pilots will fly 20 U-2 sorties before graduating the program and deploying for the first time.
"The training does a great job giving you a well-rounded experience," Major Ferstl said. "I fully expect what I learned here will get me through my first few deployments, but you can always learn more."
The U-2 training program has evolved during the past five decades. State-of-the-art equipment is now available to student pilots and more time is spent on their training to ensure they're capable of piloting such a unique aircraft.
When the program first started, its secrecy and unfamiliarity provided challenges to pilots like Colonel Bevacqua who paved the way for today's newest U-2 pilots.
With the advancements in technology and a full history book to learn from, today's U-2 pilots, such as Major Ferstl, are trained by experienced instructors, on the best available equipment, to become more capable of delivering high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement,tiffany bracelets on sale, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
The special ministry aims to build confidence, manners
The dangling pinky keeps the Tiffany Rings from tipping as you take a sip.
Cross your ankles as soon as you sit.
Walk with your head up, and please don't slouch.
"Being here," said Daitia Brinson, 17, "you learn the right way of being a lady."
Brinson and friends Markia Harris, 12, and Danielle Dous'e, 16, weren't shy Saturday afternoon about sharing etiquette tips from a banquet table in a hotel on Jacksonville's Northside.
For the last few months, they've been part of a group of about 25 girls taking part in a new organization aimed at polishing their manners, building their self-confidence and teaching abstinence.
Earlier this year, retired Duval County schoolteacher Ellafair Jones-Tiffany Money Clips launched the Christian-based ministry known in short as "The Experience." On Saturday, the former home economics teacher's efforts began to pay off as her young members showcased their society skills while parents joined them for a tea party.
From kindergarten age up to high school students, the members stood to introduce themselves to the crowd by name. They also put in a word or two about their hobbies, which set up some chuckles when a high-school girl said she liked "texting," and 5-year-old Treasure Jones declared this:
"I like to swim, and I like to breakdance."
Club members meet once a month at a city library to learn skills ranging from the Tiffany CuffLinks of conversation, to dressing for occasions, to setting job and personal goals for the future.
"Here they're telling us 'your body's a temple' and out there they're dressing in little clothes and telling us to put it out there," said 16-year-old Arnicia Alexander.
The First Coast High School sophomore said she's seen friends struggle with poor decisions, including one who is trying to recover emotionally after an abortion.
Alexander said the tea party's theme "It's all about me," was a message about self-respect.
"You're your first priority, but you're not better than anybody else," she said.
Before the afternoon event ended, the girls sang, danced and Tiffany Key Rings long-stemmed red roses to their mothers. Each member also got her own tea cup to keep.
Use them and cherish them, Jones-Swain told members.
She left the rest unsaid.
Pinkies up, ladies. Pinkies up.
Prosecutor reveals $1m details of Madoff’s jewellery mailing list
The extent of Bernard Madoff's attempts to transfer his family's valuables was revealed yesterday as prosecutors detailed contents of at least five packages shipped from his Manhattan apartment to relatives and others.
The list reads less like a court document than a catalogue of the trappings of Park Avenue privilege: diamond Cartier and tiffany jewelry watches, a diamond bracelet, four diamond brooches, a jade necklace, a gold watch and other assorted jewellery.
The money manager, who is accused of perpetrating a $50bn (pound(s)33bn) "Ponzi" scheme, sent the items in an apparent violation of a court order and should be jailed pending trial, US prosecutors claimed in a court document made public yesterday.
One package contained about 13 watches, one diamond necklace, an emerald ring and two sets of cufflinks and could exceed $1m. At least two packages were sent by Mr Madoff and his wife to his brother and an unidentified couple in Florida.
Mr Madoff's lawyers said last night he should remain free because he "simply did not realise that [the asset freeze] necklaces to these personal items". They added "the value of these items was purely sentimental".
Mr Madoff's sons alerted prosecutors last week that they had received jewellery in the post from their father. Mr Madoff's alleged fraud came to light last month when his sons turned him in. Ira Sorkin, Mr Madoff's defence attorney, had said that the packages contained heirlooms innocently sent to Mr Madoff's children and brother, Peter.
Under a $10m bail agreement struck by prosecutors and his lawyers following the charge of security fraud, Mr Madoff is under 24-hour house arrest in his Manhattan flat. White-collar defendants are rarely jailed pending trial.
But his continued release presented "a danger to the community of additional economic harm and further obstruction of justice", wrote Marc Litt, the assistant US attorney. There was no practical way "to prevent the dissipation" of Madoff's assets, and asset transfers made it more difficult, "if not impossible", to recover all available assets to recompense victims.
Mr Madoff's lawyers said there was little risk of flight and the bail conditions are "more than adequate". silver bangles may submit additional papers today and a federal magistrate judge is expected to rule by tomorrow.
Comment, Page 11 Madoff scandal, Page 23
LIMA CRASH INJURES MOTORISTS, DAMAGES JEWELERY STORE
A handwritten sign saying "closed due to accident" could be seen on the front entrance of Dunkin's Diamonds only minutes after a car came smashing into the building.
Two people were seriously injured around 12:40 p.m. Tuesday following a two-vehicle collision at tiffany the intersection of North Cable and Elida roads.
Patrolman Rick Mays, of the American Township Police Department, said Anton Arnett, 21, of Lima, was driving his red Ford Thunderbird LX at a high rate of speed north on North Cable Road when he ran the red light at Elida Road and struck a car driven by Linda Clay, 62, of Lima, who was traveling east on Elida Road.
Mays said Clay's blue Chevrolet HHR finally came to a stop in the intersection after a 90-degree turn.
Chief Tom Hadding, of the American Township Fire Department, reported one person was in critical necklaces condition and another was in stable condition Tuesday afternoon at St. Rita's Medical Center.
Shards from both cars covered the street and snowy grass bordering Dunkin's Diamonds.
Capt. Joel Wills, of the American Township Fire Department, said the display room within Dunkin's Diamonds sustained heavy damage. The wall into which the car drove was made of stucco and cinder blocks.
A witness said as she was traveling south on North Cable Road she saw smoke from the accident.
"I saw a great bunch of smoke in the sky that covered the area and I thought there was a car silver bangles on fire," she said. "Then I saw the car in the middle of the road. It was very sad."
The manager of Dunkin's Diamonds declined to comment.
Arnett was cited for a red light violation.
VOA NEWS: MORE AMERICAN JEWELRY STORES BANNING BURMESE GEMS
The sale of Burmese gems has become the target of a growing boycott following the violent crackdown of pro-democracy protesters in Burma in September. While Burma's ruling military government holds another gem auction, the market for those precious stones is getting smaller. As VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports from New York, more and more jewelry retailers in America are refusing to sell Burmese gems. The people who mine them call the coloring of these precious stones "pigeon-blood" red.
Thomas Moses, who works for the Gemological Institute of America, or GIA, knows the value and uniqueness of these gems, which come from only one place in the world. "Historically, Burma rubies were one of the most sought after gems in the gem and mineral kingdom," he tells us.
Throughout the years, Moses says, Burma was generally not a major exporter of the precious rubies. That changed in 1991 when a new deposit was discovered in the eastern part of the country. "Burma today is probably the largest producer of commercial quality rubies that are in the marketplace."
A 2003 law bans the sale of Burmese gems in America. But a loophole in the law has kept those gems in the marketplace says Peggy Jo Donahue of the Jewelers of America. "As long as a gem is cut in Thailand, for example, or in India, it is not considered a product anymore of Burma. Technically I guess you could say Burmese gems legally could be here if they were cut and polished in a different place," she says.
The Jewelers of America felt that the loophole did not follow the spirit of the legislation, designed to keep money from the sale of those gems out of the hands of the Burmese military government. They also discovered many jewelers knew little about the ban.
"I spoke to jewelers who never knew of a Burmese ban of any kind," says Donahue. "Our consciousness was raised as an industry by the events that we saw taking place in August and September, and then the sense that we had that gemstones that we knew came from Burma, therefore we needed to do something about it."
The Jewelers of America now educates its members, encouraging them to support the ban by not selling the gems in their stores.
Tiffany and Company as well as Cartier are two of several major jewelers that have signed on to the effort. First lady Laura Bush, an outspoken critic of the Burmese government, issued a statement last week applauding companies who support the ban.
As more jewelers sign on, demand increases to identify the origin of rubies in the marketplace. It's a service Donna Beaton with the GIA helps provide to customers. "There's a hierarchy of value that has been established in the trade already, so people want to know where it comes from hoping it comes from a premiere source. So in the case of rubies, Burma is a premiere source," says Beaton.
Since the need to verify the origin now goes beyond just the value of the gem, GIA uses the latest technology to leave little doubt as to where a ruby in question comes from.
Wuyi Wang is a Research Project Manager with GIA. He uses high-powered lasers to cut microscopic pieces of a gem, which is then used to determine its chemistry. "You will see some difference between Burmese rubies and rubies from other locations, like from Vietnam for example," he explains. "There are quite systematic differences, either gemological features including color, inclusions, as well as their chemistry."
GIA expects an even greater demand for its services if further legislation banning the import of gems, regardless of where they were cut or polished, becomes law. That legislation is currently under consideration in the U.S. Congress.
Textile heiress’s treasures up for bid
Want to buy some 19th-century sofas and tables?
How about documents signed by George Washington or Andrew Jackson?
Treasures from one of the state's most storied families will go up for public auction Saturday during the sale of Mariam Cannon Hayes' estate.
There's even a 19th-century Conestoga wagon among the 600 or so items in the auction.
Hayes, a philanthropist, Cannon Mills textile heiress and mother of U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, died last year at 91.
The quality, number and variety of items in her estate make this sale special, say officials with Iron Horse Auction Co. of Rockingham and Leland Little Auction and Estate Sales of Hillsborough.
"We sell fine things all the time. Having them together under one roof is what's exciting," auction house president Leland Little said.
Tom McInnis, managing partner with Iron Horse, agreed: "There's more sterling silver here than 10 houses would have."
While some lots could sell for five-figure prices, they said, others are more affordable, in the $50-to-$300 range, such as a glass vase, a sterling silver brush set and some afghans.
Little and McInnis said they expect the priciest item to be the oil painting of Venice by Elliott Daingerfield, who worked in North Carolina and New York. Hayes' parents, Charles and Ruth Cannon, bought the painting.
Auction proceeds will go to Hayes' family and to local causes she supported, said Robin Hayes.
He said his mother had many items squirreled away around her Concord house, and it took quite some time to catalog them after family members claimed what they wanted. The Washington document, for instance, was perched with little fanfare in a corner of the den.
Washington's signature adorns the 1783 document honorably discharging a private from the N.Y. infantry. Jackson's autograph sits on an 1833 letter to the Secretary of War.
Elsewhere in the collection is a book signed by Lady Bird Johnson and an autographed picture from Dwight Eisenhower to Charles Cannon.
You could lie down on history with a bid on a Southern plantation tester bed from the 1840s. Cannon family history says it is from the Phifer home in Charlotte, where Jefferson Davis presided over the Confederate Cabinet's last meeting April 26, 1865.
Maybe you want a postcard used by the rich and famous, or a mounted sable antelope head.
Heck, people can even bid on a stone birdbath "with a whimsical gnome seated on a mushroom at the base."
And who wouldn't look good in an art deco sapphire-and-diamond ring? Its estimated replacement value is $20,945.
This story is reprinted from today's Cabarrus Neighbors.
Want to bid?
The auction will start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Embassy Suites Hotel Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort and Spa, 5400 John Q. Hammons Blvd., Concord, off Exit 49 of Interstate 85. People may bid online through eBay Live Auctions at www.ebayliveauctions.com; or they can prearrange phone or absentee bidding by calling 919-644-1243 by 5 p.m. today.Previews will be at Hayes' home, 52 Spring St. N.W., Concord, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Friday.
Up for auction
--An 8 1/2-by-12-foot Persian rug from the 1930s.
--A Tiffany sterling silver trumpet vase from about 1931.
--An antique shoeshine kit.
--A Chippendale-style arm chair, late 19th century.
--A Philip Moose watercolor of a Lincolnton scene.
--A UNC Charlotte autographed baseball.
--A crystal chandelier.
--A 1932 Davidson College yearbook.
--A first-edition copy of John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men."
--A vintage mink coat.
Adam Bell
“Take 5″-Tiffany and Company’s Take on Financial Wellness
The recent economic downturn underscores the importance of making good decisions when it comes to finances. Numerous studies indicate that many people in the United States lack basic financial knowledge, such as how credit cards work, which accounts the FDIC insures in which financial institutions or how compound interest works. Even more significant, during the years leading up to the current financial crisis, millions of Americans took mortgages and loans that they could not afford. In short, many people simply do not have the skills to meet financial challenges. And although lots of resources are available, such as TV talk shows, magazines and self-help books, people often don't know where to start.
According to the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, founded in 2008 under the auspices of the U.S. Treasury Department, "The need for improved financial literacy within the workforce is irrefutable," and employers are uniquely positioned to fill the financial literacy void.1
Unfortunately, financial education programs in the workplace are relatively rare, even though financial wellness offers important benefits for both employers and employees.
* For employers, a robust financial education program is a real differentiator in recruiting and retaining top talent. And research by the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy found that "employees who are financially healthy are more productive." They simply have fewer distractions from their jobs.
* For employees, learning to make sound financial decisions can have a positive effect on the person's life, both on and off the job.
While financial education programs can offer tangible benefits to employers and employees alike, there is one caveat: Employers must strike a delicate balance. As Tiffany's senior vice president of global human resources Vicky Berger-Gross points out, "Although employers are uniquely positioned to offer practical financial tools at times of major life decisions, they need to refrain from seeming to endorse decisions that may overextend an employee's financial risk." In short, an employer cannot appear to be giving financial advice.
TIFFANY AND COMPANY'S TAKE 5 CAMPAIGN
Recognizing the importance of providing financial tools and resources to its employees, Tiffany launched the Take 5 campaign in 2008. According to Naomi Seckler, vice president of human resources at Tiffany, "We saw a real need to talk more comprehensively to employees about financial matters. At the same time, we wanted to showcase the full complement of financial benefits that Tiffany offers."
The company's strategy was to position the campaign within the context of overall wellness. "Because health and wellness have always been an important part of Tiffany's benefit strategy and culture, financial wellness was a natural extension of that focus. We saw an opportunity to leverage our success in presenting health and wellness concepts to our employees," said Sidnie Wilder, Tiffany's group director, workforce, policies programs and services. The company wants employees to understand that people who are physically healthy often take time to eat right, exercise, get annual physicals, etc. Similarly, being financially healthy requires time and planning, so the campaign asked all employees to take a few minutes to consider important financial issues.
Building on the concept of 401(k) Day observed at many companies each September, the benefits department wanted to promote Tiffany's 401 (k) plan but recognized that financial education takes more than a day. So the department decided to offer something more comprehensive. "We expanded 401 (k) Day to the entire month and broadened the concept to include other aspects of financial wellness," said Sol Klein, benefits director at Tiffany.
In addition, the company used this opportunity to promote existing programs - such as flexible spending accounts and commuter benefits - that can maximize an employee's take-home pay by using tax-free dollars to pay eligible expenses. These programs had been available - and, too often, underutilized - for years. Such programs are even more valuable in today's economy.
The campaign culminated with a personalized total compensation annual statement for each employee. The statement, which shows the value of all the programs the company offers, can serve as a key resource in helping employees plan for the future. By distributing statements as part of the Take 5 campaign, Tiffany was able to showcase the statement's importance and, at the same time, furnish each employee with actual data to help with financial planning efforts.
As it turned out, the timing for the financial wellness initiative was exceptional. During that month, the U.S. and world financial markets crashed, and the information that Tiffany was providing became even more relevant.
CAMPAIGN COMPONENTS
The campaign consisted of a series of seminars with written and online support materials. A key imperative was to keep messages and materials as simple as possible. Says Klein, "We didn't want employees to feel overwhelmed by too much information. Consistent with our theme, we wanted employees to be able to review the program in five minutes or less, knowing how little time everyone has these days for such things."
Webinars and live seminars held throughout the month covered topics such as investing in a down market, 401(k) basics, budgeting, Medicare, Tiffany's retirement plans, credit reports, identity theft, mortgages and refinancing. Tiffany's 401 (k) and employee assistance program (EAP) vendors, a Social Security representative and in-house experts ran these seminars, so there was no cost to the company. (Note that many financial planners also offer seminars free of charge.)
To reinforce seminar messages and to position seminar topics within a larger context, Tiffany teamed with Buck Consultants to create a pocketsize Take 5 resource guide, organized around important life events such as starting a family, paying for college, buying a house and everyday responsibilities like managing day-to-day finances. The guide was short - about 100 words on a page - so the information would not be intimidating.
The discussion of each life event included tips for proactively responding to the related financial challenges while highlighting relevant company programs that provide support. For example, the discussion about buying a home listed some common issues to consider when evaluating mortgage options, as well as a reminder of the loan feature in the company's 401 (k) plan.
Tiffany also wanted to emphasize the steps each individual should take to protect against loss. So the guide included reminders about the importance of homeowners', renters' and auto insurance to protect an individual's property and the importance of life insurance, wills, beneficiary designations and estate planning to provide financial security for an individual's survivors in the event of his or her death.
Finally, a portion of the guide focused on preparing for retirement. It included an outline of company retirement plans, as well as vehicles such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and annuities that individuals can fund independently.
CAMPAIGN PLANNING
As with any communication campaign, a financial education campaign requires careful planning. Here are some steps to follow.
* Make the business case to senior managers and get their support. At Tiff any, because physical wellness was already an integral part of the culture, getting buy-in on extending the focus to financial wellness seemed natural. Be sure to update senior managers, human resource reps and others, as applicable, as you develop the campaign.
* Create a brand, theme or tagline so that people can readily identify the campaign. Tiffany chose the Take 5 theme based on a program offered by one of its vendors. The company modified the theme to fit the campaign, and Buck created the graphic treatment to illustrate it, consistent with Tiffany's distinctive business branding.
* Articulate key messages. What messages will the campaign deliver? In Tiffany's case, the company wanted to help employees connect how taking steps to be physically well extends to taking steps to be financially well.
* Determine campaign timing. Tiffany scheduled its campaign to coincide with 401 (k) Day and the distribution of total compensation statements in September. You may choose a different time, such as April, which is Financial Literacy Month. Be sure to time the campaign so it doesn't conflict with other events - such as annual enrollment - so employees can focus on your message.
* Allow enough planning time. Allow at least three months to determine your topics, invite speakers, set up logistics - such as meeting rooms and Webinars - and create support materials.
* Provide for the different ways people learn. Plan to deliver your messages through various media - print, electronic and live.
* Define success measures. How will you know if the campaign is a success? Eliciting feedback from employees will help you assess the campaign's effectiveness and determine future topics and media.
ONGOING EDUCATION
To ensure that employees truly understand and apply the financial concepts they learn, it's important to reinforce those concepts and continue to provide information and education. Here are some ideas to keep the momentum going.
Consider a regular financial education newsletter, delivered electronically or in hard copy for employees without computer access. Focus on a different financial topic in each issue. Also, time the information. For example, create a tax-planning issue at year-end to help employees maximize deductions for an upcoming tax season.
Dedicate a portion of your intranet as a library for financial literacy resources. Consider online learning modules (podcasts or streaming videos), modeling tools and interactive games on different financial topics. Refresh the site often.
CONCLUSION
The Take 5 campaign met Tiffany's goal of providing information under the premise that less is more. And the resource guide received honorable mention in the 2008 MarCom awards competition, an international creative competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communication professionals.
Moreover, the response to the campaign was overwhelmingly positive from employees at all levels and even from outside vendors. Says Seckler, "We will look for future opportunities to promote financial wellness." By doing so, Tiffany will continue to deliver a valuable, practical and timely service to employees. As one employee summed up, "This has been very valuable to me. The information I learned will help me manage finances in my everyday life."
Potomac Eagle Plans Christmas Train Trips
The Potomac Eagle has planned Christmas-themed train rides this holiday season with silver jewellery departures from the communities of Moorefield, Petersburg and Romney.
Santa's North Pole Express will have departure times at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. from Moorefield on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5. Tickets are $12 for passengers age 13 and older and $6 for those between the ages of 2 and 12.
The Snowflake Express will depart Southside pepot in Petersburg at 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. for a half-hour round trip to the holiday lighting display at Welton Park. Tickets are $7 per person. For details, call 304) 257-9264.
The Polar Express will depart from Romney at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, and at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19. Tickets are $13 for passengers 13 and older and $5 for children ages 3 to 12.
Santa is scheduled to visit with the children and read stories. Refreshments include hot silver earrings chocolate and cookies.
Information is available at www.potomaceagle.info or by calling (304) 822-7464.
impressive Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
the award-winning East Coast resort will launch its festivities with an impressive Christmas silver jewelry Tree Lighting Ceremony, complemented bya custom-baked and decorated Ginger Bread House. Families can enjoy thesefestive displays while everyone's favourite holiday carols are playing to awakenthe giving spirit in guests, and sparkling beverages and culinary delights willbe passed around in the Tea and Dates Lounge.
" Le Mridien Al Aqah is keen to help our guests have a relaxing and lavishholiday season, pairing our beachside setting with the traditional delights ofthe holidays, and this year we have added a few new and special touches forfamily and friends to enjoy," said Patrick Antaki, General Manager, Le MridienAl Aqah.
Recognizing that the holidays bring out the child in all of us, on December 18ththere will be a children's holiday carnival on Le Mridien Al Aqah's PenguinClub lawn. The Penguin Club will provide all-day entertainment for AED 70 perchild inclusive of snacks, games, and fun-filled activities. Children canparticipate in carol singing, and a silver earrings special gentleman from the North Pole willvisit, enabling guests of all ages to have their photographs taken with him.
On December 24 and 25, guests and visitors can enjoy a magnificent Christmas Evebuffet dinner and Christmas day buffet lunch in the atmospheric surroundings ofViews restaurant for AED 299 per person. There will be a surprise gift for kidskept hidden in stockings.
Also not to be missed is the resorts's luxurious New Year's Eve gala dinners atHajar Ballroom, Views and Sapore restaurants for AED 1099, offering a range ofdining options and atmospheres accompanied by lively entertainment. Atmidnight, there will be a celebratory toast and stunning fireworks display onthe beach, followed by a New Year's silver key rings Eve disco party at Le Mridien Al Aqah's Tea& Dates Lounge with an entry fee of AED 350 for non-residents inclusive of twodrinks.
On New Year's Day, the resort will also serve a special New Year's Day brunch atViews Brasserie for AED 299 per person to provide a fresh start to the yearahead.
Christmas items for sale at holiday bazaar
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1801 Skylyn Drive, will hold its Christmas tiffany and co bazaar from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.
Christmas decorations, handmade items and baskets, canned and baked goods, and some vintage items will be sold. The church also will serve a lunch of homemade vegetable soup and corn bread. Takeout will be available.
The church is just beyond Mary Black Hospital. Call 583-6463.
Call, e-mail or mail Kim Kimzey at silver earrings:
-- 864-562-7264
-- kim.kimzey@shj.com
-- In the Pews, Herald-Journal, P.O. silver key rings Box 1657, Spartanburg, SC 29304