March 1, 2009 - Email
Message - Mary Ellen.
Hi. No worries. Actually we plan to spend the next couple weeks finishing up
many projects too. This past week we were able to get rid of the car and set up
a lot of our financial stuff. We also made a lot of progress on finally
finishing up the English site. Akiko is working on the tech stuff for the new
sites now. Anyway, yeah meet in a couple weeks when you get caught up on your
work. Communicate through email from now until then. Talk to you again.
Howie.
March 3, 2009 - Email
Message - Dudes.
Hi. I wanted to give you a bit of an update. Akiko now has a messed up tooth. We
are without insurance because Kaiser turned Akiko down because she is pregnant.
Seems like discrimination. Seems like things were gonna really suck but then
this.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 contains a COBRA provision
which means the previous company needs to pay most of the cost for the
continuation of our benefits. Yippee.
On another note, was reading stuff about the economy. Seems like the shit will
really hit the fan in the next few months. Geeez.
Finished up an incredibly time consuming project on the English site. Changed
250 pages in the Travel America and Travel Abroad sections.
Anyway, this is a long time for all of us not to meet. Sure will be nice to get
together when you return. Hopefully we can make it up to your place for the
weekend as you offered. Will depend on her tooth, otherwise looks good. Send
email when you can.
Howie.
March 3, 2009 - Email
Message -
Meenakshi.
Hi. I am not going to be able to make it with Akiko for dinner this weekend.
Kind of a mess now. We are between insurance carriers and now Akiko is not
feeling good because of a messed up tooth. Hopefully things will settle a bit
over the next few weeks. Will keep you updated. Send email when you can.
Howie.
March 4, 2009 - Email
Message - Michael.
Hi. I want to apologize but we need to cancel our appointment for tomorrow. Some
new developments changed things a bit. We applied for benefits this week and
were declined. We decided to go with COBRA to extend the benefits Akiko had when
she was working even though the cost is incredibly expensive. We needed some
forms and called the human resources department of her company and were told of
news regarding COBRA.
Apparently President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009 which contains a provision in which the government will force companies to
pay for most of the COBRA costs of employees who were recently laid off.
The main reason for us wanting to take action against the company was because we
felt it was wrong for them to lay off Akiko and put her in the position of
costly benefits even while pregnant. Now with the benefits being much more
affordable, Akiko is reluctant to take action against the company as she feels
the main problem has been resolved. She wants more time to think about things.
This brings us to a few questions.
With these new developments, how good do you think our case is?
What is the statute of limitations on a case like this and will waiting make the
case weaker?
She was offered $500 to sign a long release stating she would not ever take
action against the company which was not signed.
Is there a time limit for this release?
Anyway, please send email with your thoughts when you can. Talk to you again.
Sincerely,
Howie and Akiko.
March 5, 2009 - Email
Message -
Howie.
As you probably know, Japanese are not confrontational or litigious. If Akiko is
reluctant at this time (so close to the event) then it leads me to believe she
thinks her termination was not discriminatory. Regardless, I'll answer your
questions:
With these new developments, how good do you think our case is?
Without the meeting and production of documents as set forth in my previous
email, I'm unable to give you an opinion.
What is the statute of limitations on a case like this and will waiting make the
case weaker?
One year statute of limitations is what I would use. With respect to the events,
people's memories dissipate as time goes by, documents get altered, lost, or
destroyed; so to some degree waiting makes the case weaker.
As for a release, I cannot give you an opinion unless I actually meet with Akiko
and view the document.
Sincerely,
Michael E. Moore.
March 5, 2009 - Email
Message - Michael.
Hi. The fact I am American though allows me to understand your thinking. I
really do understand very well about Japanese not being confrontational after
living and working in Japan many times.
These are the main points now. Because of the developments with COBRA, now Akiko
is losing only a few thousand dollars and can stay home during her pregnancy. We
think it would be difficult to prove her situation is difficult as our home is
paid off and we still receive income from the state and generous benefit
subsidies from the company.
We talked about this for awhile this morning and aside from things seeming
better from a money perspective, Akiko does feel there was discrimination.
This was a very emotional week for us and at one point we were thinking about
going back to Japan. Then the situation with the benefits changed and we decided
to continue on with the original plan and stay in this country. The conclusion
is, to at least take the weekend to think about everything and make a more
rational and unemotional decision next week.
We will think about this over the weekend and maybe into next week a bit and
then send you email with our decision. Enjoy your weekend and talk to you next
week. Until then.
Howie and Akiko.
March 11, 2009 - Email
Message - Michael.
Hi. I wanted to get back to you again about our situation. Akiko and I received
email from her manager today and the company laid off three more employees.
Another friend, who works for the company, comes over often for dinner and keeps
us in touch with the happenings at the company. It seems like the company is
pretty much getting ready to close. It might be very difficult to prove
discrimination at this point with many employees being laid off. A travel
company, in this economy, is going to be really hit as people view travel as a
luxury item. In any event, we are going to keep records of everything as there
is still a chance we could move forward with the case if other things come up or
if we find out others in the company experienced discrimination. Now we are
thinking about moving to Japan towards the end of the year. Anyway, please send
email with any questions. Thanks.
Howie and Akiko
March 11, 2009 - Email
Message - Mary Ellen.
Hi. I was really busy cleaning up the site and could not seem to find the time
to send email. Anyway, we might be able to meet this weekend on Saturday morning
but not sure. Recently Akiko really wants to sleep in. Hopefully you all enjoyed
the new activities on the site. Now adding tons of new stuff and working on a
new community. Anyway, send email when you guys plan to go to the bagel shop and
we can try to meet. Talk to you again.
Howie.
March 11, 2009 - Email
Message - Miho.
Hi. I was happy to get your email. Yeah, many people getting laid off these
days. You can see it all over SD with all the vacant stores.
Anyway, we would like to get together with you if you can find the time. Akiko
and I made no set decision on moving to Japan at this point and we are still
interested in the baby stuff if the offer still stands.
If not too much of an imposition, maybe we could do a potluck and come up to
your place for dinner one night. Please send email and let me know what you
think when you can. Thanks.
Howie.
March 15, 2009 - Email
Message - Mary Ellen.
Hi. Akiko and I went to the bagel shop anyway on Saturday in the event you guys
were able to make it. Getting really crowded because of the coupons.
As much as we want to, we cannot meet on Monday. We installed new Google
technology on the English site this weekend and need to spend the next few days
working out the bugs. Kind of difficult to explain. This was a Google beta
release last year which was finalized on the 12th of this month. Basically you
install script and can turn your site into an online community. This will
eventually connect most of the famous sites together. It is called Friend
Connect.
http://funeasyenglish.com/fun-easy-english-community-group-google-friend-connect.htm
This is something we wanted to do on the English site for years but the
technology was not available.
Anyway, now with the script installed, we need to focus on getting this promoted
immediately. Probably going to be up very late tonight and I told Akiko we can
sleep in tomorrow.
Any site news on your end?
We really want to get together again soon. Next weekend sounds possible.
Definitely agree about being too long. Tell the kids, both of them, to hang in
there a bit more. Talk to you again.
Howie.
March 16, 2009 - Email
Message - Mary Ellen.
Hi. Akiko and I planned to put a few sites online but ran into some problems
deciding on community scripts and hosting companies which would support them.
Really disappointed because the plan was to put these online this week.
Now with Google Friend Connect, it changed our thinking about the new sites.
Instead of being stuck with an entire script on the site, Google is making it
possible to add modules to get your site to do what you want. The problem is the
technology if new and there is not enough modules now.
Anyway, yeah we are busy but only because of our thinking. We both are feeling a
push to get the sites at least online before Akiko delivers this summer. We
barely go out now except for shopping and walking. We set this month to get
everything online at least and then work on it a little at a time.
We need to begin thinking about the move to Japan too. Anyway, things should
settle and then we can all get together.
Wondering if you made any progress on the site stuff.
Talk to you again.
Howie.
March 19, 2009 - Email
Message - Mary Ellen.
Hi. I think you probably already figured out we are not able to come up this
weekend. This was a long week for us with most of it spent on the computer from
early morning until the evening. We only went out to go shopping this week.
We had set a goal to get all of our sites online this week. Now there is a total
of eight sites we are working on. All of mine are typical htm sites and do not
require any special scripts. The site Akiko is working on is the recipe site and
she already installed about 8000 files and then ran into problems with the
hosting company server possibly not supporting the files.
In any event she is frustrated and there is no way I can pull her away from the
computer until this is resolved. We already sent in a support ticket to the
hosting company and now waiting for their answer.
Either way we should be good for the bagel store next week, probably more
towards the end of the week. We could really use some time out with friends.
Send email when you can.
Howie.
March 25, 2009 - Email
Message - Jim and Linda.
Hi. Akiko and I would like to offer our condolences during this difficult time.
Let us know if you need anything. We are doing good and extremely busy with four
new sites online. We are spending the next few weeks trying to get as much done
as possible. Practically not even checking email these days. Anyway, let us know
when you return and we can get together. Talk to you again.
Howie and Akiko.
March 25, 2009 - Email
Message - Mary Ellen.
Hi. I am reading your email now. Akiko and I continue to work like crazy setting
up the sites. I already made almost 200 pages on the home education site and
this is only a small section of the site outline. The site should be close to
3000 pages when finished. Akiko uploaded about 8000 files to the host server and
now was able to get the program to work. We talked about going out and Akiko
wants to work until next week but definitely the week after next is perfect. Now
we only go out for shopping and our afternoon walk. Everything is else is work.
Kinda sucks but we really want to enjoy the summer and finish all the boring
site stuff now. Still waiting for news on your site stuff. Anyway, tell the kids
to hang in there a bit more. We will come out of hibernation soon. Send email
when you can.
Howie.
March 26, 2009 - Email
Message - Jim.
Hi. Akiko and I plan to get the taxes done next week. Gonna be busy preparing
until then. The following weekend we are going to a party. Then we can meet when
convenient. Talk to you again.
Howie.
March 26, 2009 - Email
Message -
Hi. Akiko and I plan to be at the bagel shop tomorrow. Hopefully you can hang
out for awhile. We needed to do tons of shopping and planned to go today put
postponed until tomorrow after receiving your email. Sure will be nice to be out
for a bit and relax.
For Bjorn.
study, study, study, study.
http://iteslj.org/v/in/
For Rigel.
Put your thinking cap on. Gonna need some ideas for the new education site.
Anyway, see you tomorrow.
Howie and Akiko.
March 27, 2009 - Email
Message - Jim.
Hi. Welcome back. Akiko and I made an appointment for Tuesday to get the taxes
done. Kind of went back and forth on this. The woman works at HR Block and is
Japanese. This is good because Akiko can learn about the process. In addition,
this year there is a lot of little stuff like being married, self employment and
other things. Probably not that difficult to do but the woman is going to charge
250 dollars. Pretty ridiculous. Anyway, still not sure what to do. Really not
wanting to bother you with it. Send email with your thoughts when you can.
Howie. |
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