IS IT YOU?: OK, so how did you do on Monday’s “annoying
co-worker” quiz?

According to a Labor Day story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
annoying workers drain millions of dollars of productivity each
year from the economy. Our quiz yesterday was intended to reveal if
you yourself might be in that “annoying” category.

Here’s how to score it: “If you counted only one or two, not to
worry – you can quickly make changes before you’re labeled a pest.
If your actions match three to five of these statements, take heed.
You are on your way to becoming the source of many an eye
roll.”

“If you do six or more of these on a regular basis, chances are
you are already on the office watch list and have been anointed by
your co-workers as annoying. It’s time to do a reality check and
make some changes.”

The story also discussed the possibility that co-workers may not
necessarily becoming more annoying – but that workers are becoming
more easily annoyed.

“In the end, what it comes down to is patience and flexibility.
Sometimes you just have to buck up,” said Rosemary Droney, an
account manager at Mount Lebanon Office Equipment.

PRICE CHANGE: The Bradford Era of Sept. 13, 1905, reported the
market price of Penn grade crude was $1.33 a barrel.

GOOD NEWS: Mrs. Pat Ross of Bradford called The Era Thursday
night to let the community know she’s just heard from her brother
and sister-in-law in Natchez, Miss., who had been incommunicado
since Hurricane Katrina.

Don and Marilyn Gallagher, formerly of the Bradford area who
both worked at Witco while they were here, were helping to care for
about 100 refugees from the storm.

“They were taking care of 126 people,” Mrs. Ross said, and “now
they’re down to 97 people.”

The Gallaghers, who left Bradford 28 years ago, were assisting
with their church which had been taking care of evacuees since the
Sunday before the hurricane.

There are seven churches in Natchez -ðwhich is right on the
Mississippi River -ðand all the churches were full of refugees from
the storm.

“After three days, the Red Cross brought food,” Mrs. Ross tells
us.

Mrs. Ross said that while listening to her brother’s story about
the goings-on there in Natchez, she thought to ask what the
gasoline prices were like down there.

“It $2.65 a gallon,” the Gallaghers reported.