Just for your reference:
I sent out my application on 11/24/03, it reached st. louis office on 11/26/03. I called visa office today to check status, they told me that my application was not entered to the computer so far. As what I was told, it now will take 1 month for them to enter the data into computer, and another 3~3.5 months to process the application.
I am very sad