March 2003

Volume 2 Issue 5

 

SeaLab

The Newsletter For FOA Employees on the Sea and In the Lab
Important Links

FOA Home Page

Provantage Software

SeaLab February 2003

SeaLab January 2003

SeaLab December 2002

SeaLab November 2002

Happy March everyone.  Winter is almost over and Spring is on the horizon.  Before we welcome the arrival of Spring there are some "housekeeping" issues that need to be address.

Travel

In exchange for offering the government rate, hotels are beginning to charge extra fees.  "Early Departure Fee" is one of the newest fees hotels have started charging recently.  If you leave before your scheduled departure date you will be charged for one additional full day.  In addition, hotels are requiring that cancellations are made 24 hours in advance.  If you attempt to cancel your reservation on the scheduled day of your arrival, regardless of time of day, you will be charged for a full day.   So, please make sure your travel plans are firm when you request travel arrangements. If you should have to make changes, please give us as much notice as possible.

Overtime

Only a few FOA employees are authorized to work overtime.  Those that are authorized to work overtime are limited in the amount of overtime hours that they can work.  We will keep you informed as to your overtime status, eligibility and the amount of  overtime hours available.  You cannot exceed your allotted overtime hours. If you are unsure of your status, or you have question about your overtime status, please contact me.

Gene

It's Oscar Time.  The following films have been nominated for the Academy's "Best Picture"  Vote on the movie you think should win the Oscar.

"Chicago"    "Gangs of New York"

"The Hours"  "The Pianist"

"The Lord of The Rings: Two Towers"

Mariner Expectations Low 

Last month we asked everyone to predict how well the Mariners will perform in 2003.

If our poll is any indication of how all Mariner Fans feel, then first year Mariner Manager, Bob Melvin should have a good year.  Expectations are low of what the Mariners will achieve this season. Most of the people who responded to our poll believe that the Mariners will have a winning season, but miss the playoffs.

 

 

  Upcoming Important Dates  
February 28 Timesheets Due  
March 4 Happy Birthday! Gene Gordon
March 5 Payday  
March 9 Happy Birthday Pat Garcia
March 17 St. Patrick's Day Who was St. Patrick?  St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland.  He is credited with starting Christianity in Ireland.  And contrary to popular opinion he did not run the snakes out of Ireland.
March 17 Timesheets Due  
March 18 Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary, Scott & Doris Nodtvedt!  
March 20 Payday  
March 21 First Day of Spring  
March 25 The true first day of Spring for some. Mariners Open their 2003 Season vs. The A's
April 1 April Fool's Day "April Fool's Day" is believed to have began around 1582 when  Pope Gregory XII ordered the new Georgian calendar to replace the old Julian calendar.  Under the Julian Calendar, New Years day was celebrated on April 1.   When the Georgian Calendar was first implemented many French and British citizens insisted on still celebrating New Years Day on April 1.  As a result they were called April Fools for celebrating New Years on the wrong date.  This continued until 1752 when the British Adopted the Georgian calendar.
April 1 Timesheets Due Definitely not an April Fool's joke!
April 4 Pay Day  
April 15 Tax Day.  Tax Returns due to IRS The 16th Amendment to the Constitution gave the federal government the authority to tax personal income.  But, it wasn't until World War II that pay roll deductions would start.  Prior to World War II you had to pay your entire year's taxes in one chunk.
April 16 Timesheets Due  
April 20 Easter Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon that appears after the Vernal Equinox.  Easter can come as early as March 22 , or as late as April 25.
April 21 Pay Day  
April 30 Timesheets Due  
May 4 Happy Birthday! Barbrina Dunmire
May 5 Pay Day  
May 11 Mother's Day The first Mother's Day was celebrated in 1907.  Ana Jarvis of Philadelphia, persuaded her mother's church to celebrate a day to honor mothers, on the anniversary of her mother's death; the second Sunday  in May.  In 1914 President Wilson signed the bill that made Mother's Day a national holiday.
May 15 Time Sheets Due