TOM HARKIN IS A STAR ! ! !

PERSONAL:

I awoke this morning at 7am to a 3+ after 8 hours of good sleep after sleeping back in my turned bed. I checked the south deck and it was 24 degrees, and a beautiful sunrise. I took my am pills, including my stop smoking one but did not put out my flag because of the wind. I got some help from Judi late yesterday on my bird table and I believe it is ready to set out on the deck. I hope the sun stays out and the wind dies down. I didn't make the CPBT E-board or the beginning of the Legislative session. I did get Kate's phone number at BOLI and told her I did intend to spend some time in Salem this session, I will now make another pitch for support for my election to our International's National Convention. I do want to keep my record intact of making every National Convention I have been eligible for since I joined the United Association. I still need to email all the City Council on the AOH resolution, but being the arrival of Rita O'Hare is delayed until March but we will be having an official swearing in at the meeting on the 15th so I definitely have time. I do have my first draft of my Kaiser leaflet made, as I have decided to leaflet Kaiser instead of picket. I did hear from the trust attorney and he is checking to see if it will be needed. I will keep the prayer to Saint Jude but I will change the dedications to those that have passed recently and I will try to wish Happy Birthday to all whose Birthday is that month and maybe I wont forget so many; Happy Birthday sister-in-law Peg, niece Brenda, Dad, brother Marty; and I would ask everyone to let me know who I may have missed. I will post my thoughts again on negotiations in the “OTHER STUFF” section. And please don't forget to register at the M.S. Walk Oregon for “WALLY'S WALKERS”, THANK YOU NORTHWEST OREGON LABOR COUNCIL FOR YOUR VERY GENEROUS DONATION, and I sure hope Julie can convince Joe to walk.

Good friend Bob Shiprack is up for an appointment to Metro and he would make a GREAT counselor. (JOBS, JOBS, JOBS) The Labor Press had a very good article in their last edition. It appears the Trimet drivers are going to do another informational picket at the next Trimet board meeting and it sounds like the Trimet office is not too far from Kaisers main office, so maybe I can help them and if needed my leaflets would be ready by then and they may help me. I want to remind everyone about the (I.L.W.U.) Longshore Workers and every worker in Oregon and Washington that the Workers Compensation system NEEDS a little revamping.

Don't forget to say THANK YOU, to all those servicemen and women who have served or are serving. Christopher is back in Afghanistan and I understand nephew Rhyon is heading back there in May, but we did see him, and hope to again before he leaves. So a prayer a day for them from all my readers would sure make me feel better.

I will put the prayer to St. Jude in here again for 290 brother Richard Hopkins (Hoppy), and the families of the Tucson shootings so please add them to your prayers also.

** For Brother Hopkins and the Tuscon families **

Prayer to St. Jude for Eternal Life
You are my solace, St. Jude, in the face of loss and sorrow. I pray that you will guide my heart away from the darkness of fear and into the light of Christ. May the hope that St. Jude keeps alive in my heart be a source of comfort to all those who grieve. For in that hope, we know God's mercy, and we trust God's promise of eternal life. My soul longs for the fullness of life, which is only to be revealed when I meet my Maker in heaven. Stay by my side, St. Jude, so that my soul will always know the power of your healing love. Amen.

God grant that I may live to fish until my dying day, And when it comes to my last cast, I then must humbly pray. When in the Lord's safe landing net I'm peacefully asleep, that in His mercy, I be judged............Good enough to keep.

**** My daily prayer, is to Mary Mother of God…..”O Most Blessed Mother, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear our prayer. As your children we implore your intercession with Jesus your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you today. For cousin Mick, nephew Arron, Kelli's Mom, good friend Ron Wyden, good family friend Pat Percin, and those who are having health issues; protecting Christopher and Rhyon and all in need. We are comforted in knowing your heart is ever open to those who ask for your prayer. We trust to your care and intercession, those whom we love and who are sick or lonely or hurting. Help ALL of us, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God forever, Amen.”

I know I have been repeating things, apparently too much, on my blog; but some of this stuff I need to be reminded of and some of this stuff others need to be reminded of.

KAISER AND M.S. REPORT:

The M.S. Walk is scheduled for Saturday April 9th here in Portland and I hope everyone can participate($) in some form or another. AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE NORTHWEST OREGON LABOR COUNCIL. We better get our request to the 290 E-board soon.

Thank you for your participation in Walk MS. Last year, we raised $588,000 and had more than 5,000 walkers across 10 sites in Oregon and SW Washington. Those funds were crucial to expanding many of the programs and services that the Oregon Chapter aims to provide for its clients each year.
To build on this positive momentum, we invite you to participate in Walk MS 2011. To register and get started with fundraising, donate to a walker (WALLY'S WALKERS), or find out about volunteer opportunities, visit www.walkmsoregon.com. Some of our Walk sites have new locations and new names, so grab a friend, come see what’s new this year, and continue your support! In 2011, we set our sights even higher, and hope to engage over 5,500 walkers and raise more than $623,000 to continue supporting vital programs and services for the over 7,200 individuals living with MS in Oregon and SW Washington.

This is also my attempt to keep track of my experiences with Kaiser Permanente and my Neurologist and his RN. So far with the Ampyra and the 4.5mg LDN, I think I'm noticeably better. My BP is 120/72/64, at 9am. After I got an “explanation of benefits” this is not a bill but in the billed amount was $84.10 ( exactly the LDN amount) in the next column was allowed amount was $84.10, the member responsibility was 0.00, Kaiser paid 0.00; if the member responsibility was 0.00 WHY DID IT COST ME $84.10?? It sounds like the trust attorney is trying to get to the bottom of it. I did clean a little off of my “nest” here on my Lazyboy and I have a full briefcase just of my Kaiser stuff. I will remind everyone that I WILL be taking action with Kaiser Member services, if and when I need to.

POLITICAL:

I hope you noticed the changes in my blog. This is one reason, Tuscon !!

I am watching the Senate and Senator Tom Harkin on the floor and a committee on C-span that has a panel States Attorney Generals testifying, including our own John Kroger, on the constitutionality of the new Health Care law and my original thoughts on Senator Jeff Sessions are being reinforced again; he is still a jerk !

www.credo.com has a petition to tell the republicans in congress, who HAVE government health care to give it up if they are so bent on taking it away from the 30+ million AMERICANS now covered under the new Health Care Law.

One issue that concerns me with this NEW congress is “SPENDING CUTS”, and it seems at the TOP of the list is “entitlement” spending. One of the shows said entitlement spending (social security, medicare?) makes up for 84% of federal spending, does that mean that the D.O.D. Budget with 2+ wars, and interest on the current National Debt only accounts for 16%. I have a question for my republican friends; When I put money in the bank and then draw it out, do YOU consider that an entitlement? HMMMN
Quote: "We know what it takes to compete for the jobs and industries of our time. We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world. We have to make America the best place on Earth to do business. We need to take responsibility for our deficit, and reform our government. That’s how our people will prosper. That’s how we’ll win the future." --President Obama
CHECK OUT PAST BLOGS FOR THE Top 5 Social Security Myths. I am only going to list the first one, as it is the biggest, as far as I'm concerned and I will save the space.

Myth #1: Social Security is going broke.
Reality: There is no Social Security crisis. By 2023, Social Security will have a $4.6 trillion surplus (yes, trillion with a 'T'). It can pay out all scheduled benefits for the next quarter-century with no changes whatsoever. After 2037, it'll still be able to pay out 75% of scheduled benefits—and again, that's without any changes. The program started preparing for the Baby Boomers' retirement decades ago. Anyone who insists Social Security is broke probably wants to break it themselves.

MY MOST IMPORTANT SECTION!!

YELLOW RIBBON SECTION:

A NEW PROGRAM THAT IS LOOKING FOR HELP: LETS BRING EM HOME !!
http://www.lbeh.org/

NEPHEW CHRISTOPHER IS STILL IN AFGHANISTAN, DAMN AND IT APPEARS THAT NEPHEW RHYON WILL BE HEADED BACK.

ONE RIBBON STILL UP, FOR CHRISTOPHER, AND WHEN RHYON GETS REDEPLOYED, HIS RIBBON WILL GO BACK UP.

DON'T FORGET, THE SOFT LANDING BILL, and thank you SENATOR PATTY MURRAY and CONGRESSMAN KURT SCHRADER for helping with it.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE OREGON MILITARY SUPPORT NETWORK.

If you are flying the American Flag, please keep flying it until ALL our Troops return 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:

I sure hope baseball pre-season gets here soon.

The Trailblazers sure handled the Spurs last night and Lamarcus sure showed he deserved to be on the All Star team.

On Super Bowl Sunday, Judi's and My anniversary; and we will attempt to make Marty's little gathering, and well the Steelers are the underdogs I'm still picking big Ben and the Steelers.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS & CHARITIES:

Lets get started with fundraising, donate to a walker, “WALLY'S WALKERS”, or find out about volunteer opportunities, visit www.walkmsoregon.com. Thank You, Ed and Luanne Barnes, Lynn Lehrbach and Lori Vaughn for getting me started. AND ALSO THE MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS OF THE NORTHWEST OREGON LABOR COUNCIL.

Yusuf Word is in Americorps, and trying to get to Guatemala in Central America and spread the GOOD WORD about the U.S.A. (You can help by donating to him at 1825 S. Stevens St. Apt. 13 – Tacoma, Washington 98405. If you haven't met this wonderful young man I think you can find an interview with him at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxo7m4rrDo4 – I checked with Gib, who has family in central America and, well he hasn't been to Guatemala, he did say that the poverty will be a real eye opener.

I did make it to the O.M.S.N. and I did say I will help with their fundraising and I do have a few more ideas to suggest.

I did get the 2010 BULL SESSION program and results in the mail, and it sure was well done, Thanks Tim. And I think I misspoke before, because after rechecking our total for 20 years it was actually $4 million. I did talk to Jim Moss and he will try to get their website to accept partial payments;I haven't checked yet but I did get a face book notice that Ed Ellis is now my face book friend. Jim did say that the individual entry would be the same rate as last year for the Union members. THANK YOU JIM ! AND THANK YOU ALSO TO THE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 290 FOR YOUR VERY GENEROUS DONATION.

I did get another update from Molly Smithson on her “playing for others” program and it is still ongoing also.

The planning for the 2011 Hood to Coast in August has started already and Judi has signed up for the walk part, and we are recruiting for the 2011 M.S. Walk which is April 9th. ALL HELP APPRECIATED.

HERE IS THE LINK FOR THE AOH CHARITY that was chosen as the recipient of the Neil Kelly AWARD (a good union contractor), but they could always use more support.

http://www.marthamaryministries.org/

HELP THE KOMEN RUN/WALK – www.5.komen.org/findarace.aspx
The American Rights at Work still needs help. We must not take our eye off that MAIN issue, our two Senators haven't; E.F.C.A. It is very disappointing that it was not lame duck accomplishment, especially in light of that mine disaster in West Virginia and those Rig explosions in the Gulf. I watched the commission on the B.P. Disaster and, from here, it looks like the beginning of a cover up, and based on what I have been hearing the Republican's have Organized Labor directly in their cross hairs for the next 2 years.

The U.A. Local 290 “Don Salee” Member Assistance Program.

OTHER STUFF AND COMMUNICATIONS:

OK, here are my thoughts and suggestions for the up-comming Contract negotiations. It is apparent to me that the contractors really want a new Drug testing program and the “excellence” program. And I think I agree with Buddy that a one year contract would be the most beneficial. 2011 looks like it will be a very good year work wise. If the contractors REALLY want a new “Drug Testing” program and the “excellence” program. If the Negotiating committee wants to get off the cycle of contract negotiations coinciding with the Local Union Elections, it seems to me a 1 year agreement could give both parties what they wanted and a year to shake out the bugs of those 2 “NEW” programs and see if they are really effective and a new contract may be easier to negotiate when both Republicans and Democrats are jockeying for the 2012 elections and we are strongly into the Intel expansion, hopefully the PCC and Portland Public Schools Project Labor Agreements.

MICK, BOB , RON and CHRISTOPHER, stay positive and we will meet on the golf course (but I'm not sure if Ron even Plays) but I will take it easy on all of you. I also talked to good friend Scott Gardner and he wants to get together for some golf. I also heard from good friend and brother Joe McCarthy and he is going in for surgery on his rotator cuff, but as soon as he is well we will get out also.

May love and laughter light your days
And warm your heart and homes
May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures
May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours

Whether you attend a church service, a Mosque, GLBT 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.

Mike; My blog, is 5 pages, and over 2,700 words today, I think.