WELCOME HOME CHRISTOPHER, ENJOY YOUR LEAVE

PERSONAL & PROPAGANDA:

I am still putting the “DO NOT PATRONIZE THE VANCOUVER COLUMBIAN NEWSPAPER” information (phone numbers and email addresses) here at the beginning.

They need to hear our voices:
Scott Campbell, Publisher
360-735-4500
scott.campbell@columbian.com
Lou Brancaccio, Editor
360-735-4505
lou.brancaccio@columbian.com
Circulation
360-694-2312
circulation@columbian.com

Be respectful, but tell them why you are contacting them.

Now back to my regular blog:

I awoke this morning at 7am to a 3 with some lower back pain and tired from Samantha' s ball game yesterday, and it is a beautiful morning today. I took my am pills and put out my flag. I checked the west deck and the bird seed needed to be replenished, so I did. I am still making some changes in my blog to TRY to shorten my blog. If you have a favorite section that went away or was changed too much you will need to let me know. I did also confirm from brother Marty that Nephew Christopher is home on leave, for a month I think. I did hear from President Gallagher and he gave me the name of that AOH Brothers son from the Service that attended the last meeting. Judi did order me, from her Amazon page; Father Sean McManus's book and I hope to have a part to read at our Bloomsday celebration. I did go to the O.M.S.N. function to introduce service personnel to apprenticeship, but I was late. I also got permission and the information to let everyone know about 290 Brother Jimmy Judge’s Retirement party today, it will be held at our favorite neighborhood Bistro; at Gloria’z (13175 Se Sunnyside Rd. TODAY at 4pm, I also posted the notice on the Our 290 face book page. I did talk to Ed Ellis and he will send me an invoice for my participation in the Dinner/Auction and the Tournament, and I will have until October to pay for it. It will be a total of $625 for Judi and I at the dinner/auction and me for golf (about $210 a month).
I will put the prayer to St. Jude in here again for good friend and brother Portland City commissioner Randy Leonard and all our 290 brothers and sisters that have come before us and built Our 290 into the organization I am so proud to have been a member of, for almost 40 years.

For Commissioner Leonard and those brothers and sisters that are no longer with us.

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.

**** 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 sister Danni, nephew Daniel, sister Clare, cousin Mick, uncle Hank, nephew Aaron, Kelli's Mom, good friends Ron Wyden and Pat O'baby, good family friend Pat Percin, soon to be retired brother Jimmy Judge, and Gerry Bruce, sister Donna, Commissioner Leonard and family, 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 still 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:

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 and it has been noticeable to others also, I did get online and found a website for LDN and shared it with my M.S. Email list and sister Danni as it appeared it had many different uses, including help with Chrons disease, and Fibromyalgia and a number of studies on it's effects on different cancers. I will also send the site off to my Kaiser Neurologist and see if there is a “study” in this area that may help with the cost's? The referral from my primary care doctor for a different type of Doctor (Physiatrist) after my new set of x-ray’s for Medicare which I did make, so we will see if it changes the (normal now) Denial of benefits, my BP today was 114/72/71 at 11:15am. I did take copies of the picket language I used to my last Union meeting and I got another volunteer to walk picket with me, thanks Jimmy, now we just need some good weather. Now the trust attorney, 2 of the trustee's, Senator Wyden's office, Senator Merkley's office and my Primary care doctor are all aware of my complaints now. After I got my last “explanation of benefits” as it said, this is not a bill, but in the billed amount was $84.10 (exactly the LDN amount) in the next column was the allowed amount of $84.10, the member responsibility was 0.00, Kaiser paid 0.00; if the member responsibility was 0.00 AGAIN, WHY DID IT COST ME $84.10?? When I turned in my last Lloyd Center Pharmacy receipt it was for my LDN and I did get a referral for the chiropractor from my primary care Doctor, and she said she was prescribing 6 visits but she was a little skeptical that it would be approved, and surprise; it was denied, and Medicare was to blame. I did go to my appointment to the physiologic Dr. at Kaiser Sunnybrook and I did see my last BATCH of X-ray’s and my physiatrist doctor recommended I try yoga and more of the “sit and be fit” exercise on the exercise channel. That after visit summary is something to add to my full briefcase of my Kaiser stuff that doesn’t include the dozens of email's between Kaiser, my Doctor's, Trustee's and the trust attorney and thanks to sister Danni it is all organized and Ron's office is reviewing it and I think they will be sharing it with Senator Mekley's office also. I did get a copy of a GREAT letter from the trust attorney to Kaiser, but apparently he is of no consequence to them either; as he has heard from Kaiser over the last appeal, he did call and explained that he needed to move to the next step and he would be sending me something, by snail mail; with postage due! My visit to Dr. Finley to pick up my supplements and get an adjustment from him, really helped on my trip, and believe it are not at least I think HE wants me to THRIVE! Now I know I am NOT GOING to get any $ help from anyone, but based on the results I have really been feeling good for a long time. WHY IS IT, WHEN YOU GET DIAGNOSED WITH M.S. ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE STUPID?

POLITICAL:

I did get the u-tube of Congressman Earl Blumenhauer's address to the Portland City Club and he did shine like the STAR that I knew he was!!

I watched C-span and it appears that congress has decided to play CHICKEN with the Debt ceiling and the market is still reacting to it. Just when I was beginning to think that at least most of them had good sense but they PROVE ME WRONG! AND IT WASN’T JUST THE republicans.

The President is considering signing an executive order that would require all corporations doing business with the government to JUST REVEAL their campaign contributions. But corporate interests are trying hard to stop him; GET 'ER DONE!
I did sign a petition urging the President to enact this proposed rule. Can you join me at the link below?

http://pol.moveon.org/disclose_execorder/?r_by=27348-3220417-\ys7zLx&rc= disclose_ execorder_letter.email_cp.g0

Thanks!

I have a question for my republican friends; When I put my money in the bank and then draw it out, do YOU consider that an entitlement? HMMMN?? I will make another plug now for the petition for a Constitutional Amendment to REQUIRE Congress to live under the SAME laws they pass for us.

Do you suppose congress's solution to extend and save Social Security and Medicare by CUTTING benefits, instead of raising the maximum would have anything to do with the fact that THEY would have to pay Social Security taxes for the whole year?? OR MEANS TEST IT so those with good pensions (like union members) couldn't qualify? DO I EVEN HAVE ANY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS LEFT??

MY MOST IMPORTANT SECTION STILL:

YELLOW RIBBON SECTION:

A PROGRAM THAT IS ALSO LOOKING FOR HELP:! I AM STARTING TO RUN SHORT OF YELLOW RIBBON !!

http://www.lbeh.org/

Don't forget to say THANK YOU, to all those servicemen and women who have served or are serving.

NEPHEW RHYON IS BACK IN AFGHANISTAN, BUT THE PRESIDENT DID SAY HE WOULD BEGIN DRAWING DOWN TROOPS SOON. But a prayer a day from all my readers would still make me feel better.
LETS BRING EM HOME, NOW !

If you didn’t catch that Memorial Day celebration from the Capital Mall on PBS, hosted by Actor Gary Sinese; you missed an absolutely fabulous program.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE OREGON MILITARY SUPPORT NETWORK, THEY DID HAVE AN INTODUCTION TO APPRENTICESHIP YESTERDAY, BUT I HAD BEEN TELLING YOU THE WRONG TIME, SORRY ALL.

Joining Forces: As part of the Obama Administration's commitment to America's military families, the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden launched their Joining Forces initiative, which will bring together all sectors of American society to lend a hand to military families, I have seen a few of their adds and they were very well done.

If you are flying the American Flag, please keep flying it until ALL our Troops return home, soon I hope as I am running out of yellow ribbon.

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?

AOH REPORT:

I have little more to report on the “Unite Ireland” issue except I did forget to tell Barbara Smith W. to ask Ron to become a “congressional friend of Father McManus”, and I also spoke with Congressman Schrader's and Senator Merkley's offices to try to recruit them. I still haven't got the names down for that 15 year AOH picture yet. And I am going to check with President Bill about building a web site/face book page for the Portland AOH so others can find out we exist.
I also would also ask again, for all my brothers to say a prayer for the Leonard family.

I also want to report that Uncle Hank has returned from the hospital and I spoke with his wife, my aunt; on EASTER morning and she told me he was 100% better, but all prayers are still appreciated.

I still think we need a few OREGONIANS on Father McManus's “Congressional Friends” list. We must never forget the Ballymurphy Massacre of 1971, (40 years searching for justice). We need to realize along with a number of Irish Catholic's, including a priest that were assassinated that day there were also a number of Northern Irish Protestants. This battle for justice that is being waged here in the U.S.A. by father McManus is also being waged in Belfast Northern Ireland by a heroic Belfast protestant named Raymond McCord Sr., whose son was also assassinated

SPORTS:

I did see that the Portland Timbers are selling individual tickets, and they are at very reasonable prices and they are playing very well.

It appears that nice golf weather is coming back this week and I hope I can find a “Wally Catcher” so I can get out and practice or play before the 290 Tournament Sunday June 12th , at Colwood. Also, I'd like nice weather for my next picket visit at Kaiser; so it will be nice for Barbara and Jimmy.

My baseball reports will be limited to, the Mariners, who lost a tough one to the Orioles, and it IS next year for the Cubs. I also watched nephew Michael pitch in his tournament in Vegas and I will report he did excellent, they held him to a pitch count and he looked really good for the 83/84 pitches and I think he left with a lead, and I think I may see him this weekend.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS & CHARITIES:

AS I SAID EARLIER THE REGULAR GOLF COST IS $375 AND THE AUCTION DINNER IS $125. IT DOES APPEAR THE LOCAL WILL USE 4 OF ITS ENTRIES FOR THE MEMBER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. REMEMBER – IT'S FOR THE KIDS ! THANK YOU JIM ! AND THANK YOU ALSO TO THE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 290 FOR YOUR VERY GENEROUS DONATION. ALL HELP APPRECIATED.

DON'T FORGET TO GET YOUR V.O.C.'S ESTABLISHED, NOW THAT I HAVE THE “RAT PATROL” BUTTONS ON ORDER.

The American Rights at Work still needs help; now more than ever. We must not take our eye off that MAIN issue, our two Senators haven't; E.F.C.A. And based on what I have been seeing and hearing, the Republicans have Organized Labor directly in their cross hairs at least for the next 2 years.

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

LOCAL UNION REPORT:

WE HAVE ALL BEEN INVITED the retirement party for Jimmy Judge today, at 4pm at Gloria’z on Sunnyside Rd, I hope to see you all there.

Thanks again to all my Sisters and Brothers for electing me to attend this year’s International Convention, and it appears I will be flying, but based on that letter about Intel from the General President it should prove to be a very interesting Convention. And I did commit to taking our concerns regarding Harder Mechanical's use of “Craig’s List” and other scams to recruit workers, I believe it is in direct violation of their Local and National agreements. We have started a M.A.P. Fundraiser for positions in the BULL, like we did last year.

OTHER STUFF AND COMMUNICATIONS:

Thank you again, Sister Danni for organizing my Kaiser stuff and finding all that Union Stuff, and I did get a “postage due” letter from The Trust Attorney but I have not opened it yet but it does appear I will be back to picketing Kaiser, so now I have even more to add to my collection of Kaiser stuff; and I did find some of my U.A. Convention delegate badges.

I did get my new supply of “Business Cards” from Hollywood Impress and here is the link for all you Politico are that need a “BUG” on your STUFF. www.himpress.com I have used them for decades and they have ALWAYS met my needs, and they are making my “RAT PATROL” buttons. I am promoting them; not selling for them.

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.

Bobbie my blog is over 6 pages and about 2,800 words plus or minus.