PETER COURTNEY, IT'S TIME TO STEP UP

PERSONAL

I awoke this morning at 5:45am to a 3 after 8 + hours of sleep, and a cloudy cool morning. I took my am pills, and put my flag out and I settled into my Lazy Boy for 2quick massages.

I will start by saying thank you to all those who joined my request for prayers for my two friends who went through surgery yesterday. Brother Marty informed me that friend and brother Jim's stint surgery went well and they expected him to be released last night. Imagine, going through an artery through the heart and placing a stint in one of his veins,or arteries, I don't know which, on Wednesday morning, and he was to be released last night. Wednesday afternoon friend Dianna had her surgery early in the afternoon and Judi was sitting vigil at the hospital with her family and it lasted until after 7pm and the surgeon removed one tumor the size of a loaf of bread. She is still in the hospital and we are all hoping for good results and a speedy recovery. We still need and want the prayers to continue but I am sure they have been a help so far.

I did check the cherry tree as I put my flag out and it did not appear to have any birds attacking it, but I did receive the weirdest phone call as I came in from the deck. It was not a text message, it was a call on my house phone, and when I said hello, no one answered, but I could hear birds chirping in the background. I will have to keep a closer eye on the tree today as I saw a couple of starlings and robins that appeared to be “conspiring” in the front yard after I got the phone call. As I sit here working on my blog I can hear, what sounds like a crow, calling me out.

I called cousin Bobbie and Jim last night, after Judi got home from the hospital, to thank them for their thoughts and prayers. I had to leave Jim a message, but I did speak with Bobbie. She told me that Carol Marie was getting nervous about the attendance at the family reunion next month, so if you are a reader and have not confirmed yet, please do.

That darn crow is really irritating me and Senator Specter is on C-span2, I'm not sure which is more irritating. Senator Specter is talking about televising the Supreme Court and it is going to be one of his questions for Judge Sotomayor. I think I'll tape Spector and go check on the crow. The crow's warning gave me enough time to call Marty to see if it was him or his chickens that made the call at 7? He said he didn't and he did not loan any of his chickens his phone. After returning to my fodder checking it did not appear I missed anything in the Senate and I switched to the House and in a whole 30 minutes the republicans did not move to adjourn. Apparently some of the older republicans knee's went out yesterday.

Again, today my format changes may continue. My permanent “Hero's” box is not up yet, but I am still not sure how to keep it up and add the other Hero's yet and the “pay pal” box for direct connections to MY charities of choice is not complete yet, so you will have to go directly to their link. If “pay pal” works the way I want, a donation there goes to me for distribution to one of the many I list in my “Community Organizers” section. I will try to keep a running tally. I will also try to keep posting the direct links for those charities.

My “Prayer Chain” for Dianna and Jim is having good results so far, Thank You, and I would ask everyone to continue that can. As I said in my email, I AM living proof of good results.

I will check for a direct link for, “DADS DAY”, Dollars against Diabetes.

And I will keep up Denise's Walk address just in case you were waiting for your pension or retirement check. I'll also have to see if my on line attempt worked.

POLITICAL

I still don't know what did happen in Astoria? I did get a email from my friend, and sister, Suzanne saying she really liked my letter. However, I don't know if she read it from my blog or if it was published elsewhere.

I did get a mailer from Senator Wyden and before (opp's too late) I give him a bad time I guess I should really read his proposal.

Come on Salem, not much time left to get behind the President, we need that cleaner energy and those good jobs. Buildings, Manufacturing Plants, and an Energy program (see: clean energy and Bradwood Landing). I used to be the field representative for Local 235, which covered pipeline jurisdiction for the whole state. I am hearing that the “big” concern on the Natural Gas Facility is the distribution pipeline that needs to be built. Maybe the Bradwood people should publish a map that showed all the natural gas mains and distribution lines already in the State? The Mainlines have to be marked on the ground after they are buried or you would never know where they were.

I am trying to keep my grade for the President from falling from a B+ to a C, because of Health Care and American Rights at Work and also getting the Oregon Legislature from a D back to a C.

I have moved the Oregon Legislature down to a D-, right now because I am still watching how, as Peter so eloquently put it, “the Oregon Legislature has Your Back”; to the Oregon National Guard. (Is it easier to cover someones back when you are going in circles?) OK, what did YOU do for the Guard today.

Health Care Now !

My story is posted:
http://stories.barackobama.com/healthcare/stories/update_landing

I still have this question? I seem to remember when growing up, they had a “County Hospital” that was for those that couldn't afford Health Care or did not have insurance. All those County Hospitals got taken over or destroyed in the 1950's and 60's, mostly because we did not want to pay for them through taxes. That was over 30+ years ago. Today some the richest Corporations in the country are “for profit” hospitals and insurance companies.

We have been hearing for years (decades even) that we need to DO SOMETHING about health care. I wonder how many Hospitals could be built, and staffed with the MONEY we are paying for Medicare, Medicaid, Private Insurance, Scholarships to Med School, and Nursing. We could even treat Med School scholarships like joining the National Guard or going to one of the Service Academies. You commit to 4-6 years of saving people for the government in one of these “County” institutions, “paid just enough to get by”, just like the services are now. Wouldn't that be a sure bet for an “All Volunteer” program?

President Obama; I am giving him a B, with his Supreme Court nominee (Yes we Can), and from what I've heard of his Health Care proposals and based on his AMA speech, his Health Care plan does not include taxing fringe benefits otherwise he will for surely fall to a C-. And if he can Sheppard the “Employee Free Choice Act” into law he will definitely earn his A.

Bring our people home!

At the 11th Hour, on the 11th Day, of the 11th Month a cease fire was signed to end the war to end all wars in 1918. How's that worked out so far?

SPORTS

The College World Series was great, and there are some pretty darn good ball players out there.

I still think Felix Hernandez is the Cy Young leader right now in the American league.

I still think Carlos Zambrano is the Cy Young leader in the National league.

I am sure Roberto Clemente is looking down with pride.

I still hope to get to a Beaver game even before the “Building Trades Appreciation Night” and San Diego pulls all the talent up. I am also looking forward to see the kid from Gresham. I checked on the Beavers website and they are offering “flex” packages that really look like good deals.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS

I realized again at Columbia Park, the best place to “start” community organizations are right at the neighborhood level. Isn't Portland the “City of Parks”, it is summer, talk to your neighbors and have a picnic. (Maybe a Community Organization will spring up)

I still plan to get a permanent link for Denise and her walk/run, right now you can get there here:

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=206439510610&h=VyGOF&u=ohEQM&ref=mf

The American Rights at Work ads are getting better all the time.

Are there better Community Organizations than the National Guard or the USO?

OTHER STUFF AND COMMUNICATIONS

Please, I hope everyone can share the American Rights at Work, the MS walk, the March of Dimes walk, The Epilepsy Run/Walk and the Recovery websites; so my taxes and donations can be utilized to their fullest extent.

Whether you attend a church service, a Mosque, G & L gathering, or Synagogue service, please say a prayer that God; yours, mine or ours; keeps our service men and women in the Palm of their hand.
(Dianna too)(Jim also)

I have one zero's list inductee so far, John Boerner, he likes to pronounce it baynor, I like it the other way myself. Again, because my father always told me “If you don't have anything good to say..........so I'll just repeat my reasons for yesterday's hero.

Margurite Loretta Monahan Mehrens, better known as Muggs. One claim to fame, was binging me into this world almost 59 years ago. Another was having the gumption to load up 5 kids in a 1959 Plymouth and move, with Lefty, almost 1,000 miles from her home to make a new home, and have new opportunities for her children. A lot of that “extended family” at the park on Saturday made it possible, thank you. The Monahan Clan has a family reunion scheduled in a few weeks in Anaconda, that, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise (and I get and become proficient with hand controls) we will make the trip. As of right now I am not too optimistic.

However; if you happen to be in the Bay Area (San Francisco – Oakland) anytime in July you are in for a treat. Check out http://www.laborfest.net/2009schedule.htm

Oh, by the way, the 22nd was my newest hero inductee's Birthday.

Mike; My blog is over 2,000, and I am feeling 3+.

Now don't forget to say your prayers. I'll see you next time on my blog.