Engineering Retirees Society December 2011 Quarterly Meeting The quarterly meeting is on Dec. 1 at 12:30 p.m. at the IAM Hall. Come early – 12:00 noon for pizza, coffee, raffles and other goodies. Election of officers Election of Board member positions of Vice President, Treasurer, and Steering Board Chair will be conducted at this quarterly meeting. Nominations will be accepted from attending this meeting on the single condition that the person being nominated is present at this meeting and accepts the nomination. Since we will have a crowded schedule for this meeting, there will not be a guest speaker. HOW TO GET THERE Note: 16th St. Bridge is CLOSED. Take alternate route. Investment Meeting Investment meetings consist of a speaker on the subject of investment and estate planning. Our speaker for November was Britt Burkhart on the subject of advanced estate planning and tax strategies. The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 19 at 12:30 p.m. – come early, at noon, for sandwiches. -Dave Watt Elected offi cers are: President ........................................................ DAVE WATT 425-868-5603 Vice President........................................ DWIGHT ROUSU Secretary ........................................................ JIM EWING Treasurer ........................................................ ED STANLEY Steering Board Chair .............................. DAVE HUNTMAN 425-868-0961 davidhuntman@comcast.net SPEEA Contact ............................................. Dawn Hanks dawnh@speea.org The current appointed Committee Chairs and Reps as follows: Badges ...............................................................Tom Mechler Communications (website) ............................. David Westman/Stan Lind Finance ..............................................................Stuart Buchan Governing Doc. .............................................Ken Frazier Insurance ..........................................................Dick Ferguson Investments ....................................................Dave Watt/Ken Kuehnl Membership ...................................................OPEN Nominations & Elections .............................OPEN NRLN/ARA Liaison .......................................Dave Watt Pension .............................................................David Westman Programs ..........................................................Dave Watt Refreshments....................................................................John Meeker/Dave Huntman Service ...............................................................Gary Palmer Social ..................................................................Dave Huntman SPEEA Liaison ................................................Dick Ferguson Sunshine ...........................................................Joan Johansen Taxation............................................................OPEN Travel..................................................................Gary Palmer We wish to thank all the people who fill our committee chair positions and urge others to apply for those that are not yet fi lled. WE NEED YOUR HELP. -Dave Watt, president Boeing gift match reminder The method for obtaining Boeing Gift Match Funds for charitable contributions has changed. It is now done over the internet through the Boeing Total Access web site. The list of eligible organizations is also shown there. 1 . December 2011 From the president’s cornerFrom the president’s corner Romayne and I have continued our traveling during the summer. In July in Buffalo, NY, we celebrated Romayne’s sister’s 70th birthday and her mother’s 91st birthday. Then in August, we took an enjoyable cruise to Alaska with my cousin and his wife. I hope everyone had a great summer. You may be seeing many articles on the “Congressional Super Committee” and attempts to balance the federal budget. There will be articles posted on our ERS website www.engineeringretirees.org and on our partner’s website www.nrln.org. We need to be aware that these articles represent many points of view and allow us to reach an informed opinion. When we receive National Retiree Legislative Network (NRLN) Action Alerts, we need to respond through Capwiz with personalized emails to our senators and representatives in order to protect our Social Security and Medicare benefi ts. Do remember that we have election of officers at this December general meeting. We will be electing the Vice President, Treasurer and Steering Board Chair, so please plan to attend. We need volunteers to be committee chair for Membership, Nominations/Elections, and Taxation. And, we need more committee members for Legislative and Public Affairs, Refreshments, Programs, Insurance, and Governing Documents. Please volunteer! Call Dave Watt at (425) 868-5603. -Dave Watt, president ERS on the web Don’t forget our ERS Web site at ENGINEERINGRETIREES.ORG. Just click on “ENTER WEBSITE HERE.” From there, you just choose what you want to see, such as ‘NEWSLETTER’, and you will see the most up-to-date information. Also the NRLN website may be accessed from our site. Have you changed your e-mail address? Please make sure we have your current e-mail address. Now that we are online, all members with e-mail addresses on file will receive an e-mail stating that the newsletter has been posted to the web site for viewing. This is about half of the membership. The savings will be about $400 per quarter by reducing to 50% the number of newsletters to be mailed. The following e-mail addresses bounced at previous mailings. ci80tom@skynetbb.com; Clarence_sr@comcast.net; jimmgmme@comcast.net; r9p2w2a@frontier.com; fwhollatz@gmail.com aldotcarlson@aol.com; BillydPx@aol.com; rijvrj@frontier.com; d23mac@email.com; llvgolfness@aol.com; rowina@earthlink.com; mikewickline@frontier.com; sfwood@harbornet.com; ebertl300@comcast.net. Hard copies will be sent for a short period, after which newsletter communication will cease. Please send your corrected e-mail to Stan Lind at stanlind@frontier.com. -Stan Lind, Assistant Web master Please also notify Dave Huntman at davidhuntman@comcast.net so that your information may be deleted from the list shown. (As always, this data is never made available to the public for any reason.) NRLN President’s Forum Letter to “Super Committee” Members As you may know from news reports and an NRLN Action Alert, Congress has formed the Joint Select Committee on Defi cit Reduction. This so-called “Super Committee” of six Republicans and six Democrats from the U.S. House and Senate have been given the task of coming up with proposals to Congress by Nov. 23 to reduce the federal budget by at least $1.2 trillion. Under the Budget Control Act of 2011, the proposals that may come out of the “Super Committee” can’t be modified by the House or Senate. No filibusters will be permitted and the proposals will be addressed by an up-or-down vote before Christmas. In other words, the proposals will be a take-it-or-leave it proposition. If Congress fails to pass the proposals, automatic cuts will be made across the board early next year, including changes to Social Security and Medicare benefi ts. On Oct. 5, I sent a five-page letter to each member of the “Super Committee” to make the NRLN’s case to the lawmakers to protect Social Security and Medicare and reduce the federal deficit by enacting legislation to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. NRLN’s message is competing with what “Super Committee” members are hearing from defense contractors, aerospace fi rms, health care providers and the pharmaceutical industry, who fear the impact of government spending cuts in their areas. I encourage you to read my letter to each member of the “Super Committee.”The posted letter is the one sent to Washington Senator Patty Murray, Democrat Co-Chair. Personalized letters also went to the other 11 members of the “Super Committee” including: Senators Max Baucus (D-MT), John Kerry (D-MA), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Pat Toomey (R-PA); and Representatives Jeb Hensarling (R-TX-05), Republican Co-Chair, Dave Camp (R-MI-04), Fred Upton (R-MI-06), Xavier Becerra (D-CA-31), James Clyburn (D-SC06), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD-08). (continued on page 3) 2 . December 2011 NRLN President’s Forum - continued from page 2 I apologize for the amount of detail you will find in my letter to the Super Committee but I also want you to read all of it. I assure you that our positions taken on your behalf are NOT political and are fact based. We are not party or ideologically oriented, only retiree oriented. The NRLN knows that members of Congress see the same data we used and are well aware that a “real” belt tightening will be politically hard to swallow. To see the letter, go to the NRLN website at http://www.nrln.org and click on the link at the end of the President’s Forum message. -Bill Kadereit, President, National Retiree Legislative Network NRLN Fall 2011 Newsletter Reports on Washington, D.C., Fly-In NRLN President Bill Kadereit reported on the September NRLN Washington, D.C. Fly-In, where NRLN and retiree association leaders met with members of Congress and their staffs. There are five articles that provide abbreviated summaries of the NRLN’s 2011 top legislative issues that were presented on Capitol Hill. An article describes the new book called “RETIREMENT HEIST: How Companies Plunder and Profit from the Nest Eggs of American Workers.”The book’s author, Ellen Schultz, a writer for The Wall Street Journal, talked about the book during the Fly-In orientation session. Her presentation and the Q&A with Fly-In participants was videotaped by CSPAN2 and aired on BOOK TV on Oct. 2 and 3. You can view the program on the Book TV website. Also in the 12-page FOCUS, Marta Bascom, NRLN Executive Director, writes about retirees’ future being in the hands of Congress’ “Super Committee,” the 12-member Joint Select Committee on Defi cit Reduction. In response to NRLN members who found it cumbersome with the previous two-column design of the newsletter to scroll down to the bottom of one column and back to the top of the next column, the layout has been change to text across the entire page. We hope you will find this layout easier to read on the NRLN website. To access the newsletter, go to the NRLN website home page at http://www.nrln.org and click on the link to the newsletter in the “NRLN Recent Activities” section. You may also want to go to the NRLN website at http://www.nrln.org for other news and information. -Ed Beltram, Vice President – Communications, National Retiree Legislative Network Sept. 8 meeting minutes ERS President Dave Watt called the meeting to order at 12:38 p.m. in the South Park IAM hall. This was “Bring a Friend” Day.” Good of the Society: We had three first-time attendees: John Glover, Ellie Rolfe, and Bob Wetli. Ellie is the widow of Art Rolfe, who passed away on July 29, 2011, at age 90. Dave Watt read a tribute to Art Rolfe that was written by Dick Ferguson and printed on a handout with the officer’s reports. In addition to being a talented lead engineer, Art did a lot of volunteering. He served on the boards of Group Health Cooperative, the Group Health Foundation, and the Puget Sound Council of Retired Citizens. Art was also a long-time member of The Mountaineers and a Democratic Party precinct offi cer. Minutes: The June 2011 quarterly meeting minutes were approved as printed. President’s Report: Membership Chair Joe Gregg has resigned for health reasons. The work of Membership Chair takes about two hours per month and the Society needs someone to volunteer for the position. A computer is provided. ERS is encouraging attendees of SPEEA and Boeing retirement meetings to learn more about the Society. Dave Huntman, Dwight Rousu, and Dave Watt have been attending these meetings and handing out information and forms. Dave told us that we had, as of Sept. 8, 22 pre-retirees receiving our newsletters. Vice president’s report: Attended meetings of the SPEEA national and northwest legislative and public affairs (L&PA) committees. He also told us that SPEEA is interviewing candidates for a new legislative director. The NRLN had tried to arrange a meeting with Sen. Patty Murray, who is a member of the national debt Super Committee, but she was not scheduling any meetings with constituents at that time. Dwight said that he had responded to some of the grassroots action requests from ARA, NCPSSM, AARP, and NRLN with regard to Social Security and Medicare. Dwight also wrote that he recommended that NRLN be more proactive in protecting the social safety net for seniors from politicians. Treasurer’s Report: The total value of the Society’s accounts was $31,156.65. Steering Board Chair’s Report: Attended a pre-retirement meeting in Tukwila at which 40 people were present. Dave left forms at the meeting for those who would like to receive our newsletter. He has responded to at least two of the NRLN Capwiz action requests to send letters to his senators and representative in Congress. Program: Our speaker was Doug Eicherman. He was formerly with BECU Trust but is now the president of “Kairos Capital Management.”Wills and trusts were discussed and he told us to seek professional help from an estate-planning attorney. He explained that a will is a legal declaration by which the testator names one or more people to manage his or her estate. The will provides for the transfer of property when the testator dies. Doug emphasized that everyone should have a will. (continued on page 4) 3 . December 2011 Sept. 8 meeting minutes - continued from page 3 A trust is a relationship among three parties whereby property is transferred by one party to be held by another party for the benefi t of a third party. A trust is created by a trustor, who transfers some or all of his property to a trustee who holds that trust property for the benefit of the benefi ciaries. A will becomes public upon death because it is subject to probate. A trust, by contrast, is private. A will does not control the distribution of IRA accounts, annuity contracts, some bank accounts. Review wills and trusts every five years because circumstances change. Committee and Rep Reports: Dave Watt asked each of us to read the NRLN White Paper Executive Summary on Mergers and Acquisitions on the web at www.nrln.org/_pvtflyin. Dave reminded us that all ERS investment meetings are held at the Tukwila SPEEA hall in odd-numbered months on the third Thursday of the month. Sandwiches are available at noon and we have a speaker at 12:30. Our speaker for the Sept. 15 investment meeting should be Gregg Henderson. Badges Chair, Tom Mechler, reported that there were 36 people at the meeting and asked each of us to sign in. Dave Watt urged anyone at the meeting to talk to him about open committee chairs, especially the Membership Chair. He thanked Joan Johansen for volunteering to be our Sunshine Chair. Gary Palmer asked us to tell him when we learn of a good discount. Our Social Chair, Dave Huntman, told us that we would have breakfast meetings for recent retirees, for those eligible to join the Society, sometime in October. Sunshine Chair Joan Johansen told us that she had sent a get well card to Joe Gregg and sympathy cards to the families of recently deceased members John Ballo, Art Rolfe, Albert Duncalf, and James Fowler. Joan noted that a memorial for Art Rolfe was planned for 2 p.m. on Oct. 2 at the Silver Glen Co-op, 1750 152nd Avenue NE in Bellevue. Dave Westman told us that IFPTE was trying to influence national legislation regarding Social Security and other matters. Dave said that we could not count on the Democratic Party or President Obama to take our side. Unfi nished Business: Dave Watt told us that the second notice of ERS dues was mailed on Friday, Sept. 2, to 136 people. He told us that the next quarterly meeting would be held at the South Park IAM hall and that we were planning to hold split-venue quarterly meetings in Tukwila and Everett in March and September next year. New Business: Ken Frazier told us that he was working on a Policy Manual flow chart that would help us get the current e-mail addresses of our members on all of our membership lists. It was noted that we will have elections for Vice President, Treasurer, and Steering Board Chair at the December quarterly meeting. Dave Westman told us that we should expect to wait at least two years for the 16th Avenue South Bridge to be replaced. The meeting was adjourned at 2:14 p.m. The next Steering Board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 10, at the Tukwila SPEEA hall. The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for Dec. 1, at the South Park IAM hall. -Respectfully submitted, James M. Ewing, Secretary Badges for ERS members The following is a list of names for whom ERS has purchased name badges for general meetings. They have not yet been picked up. It would be appreciated by the Badge Committee Chair if the so named persons did retrieve their respective badges. George Alavi, John Bent, Wamam Bhat, Bill Blazer, Amiel Forshee, Claudia Gillespie, Sharon Gustafson, Ken Haliburton, Meech Houghton, Sharon Moats, John Neller, Teresa Oh, Clinton Snow and lastly Dale Swanson. Thank you for your attention to this matter. On the lighter side: When insults had class These glorious insults are from an era before the English language was boiled down to four-letter words. .. A member of Parliament to Disraeli: “Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease.” - “That depends, Sir,” said Disraeli, “whether I embrace your policies or your mistress.” .. “He had delusions of adequacy.” - Walter Kerr .. “He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” - Winston Churchill .. “I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.” - Clarence Darrow .. “He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.” - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway). .. “Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I’ll waste no time reading it.” - Moses Hadas .. “I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” - Mark Twain .. “He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” - Oscar Wilde .. “I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend, if you have one.” - George Bernard Shaw to Winston (continued on page 5) 4 . December 2011 On the lighter side: When insults had class - continued from page 4 Churchill. “Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second ... if there is one.” - Winston Churchill, in response. .. “I feel so miserable without you; it’s almost like having you here.” - Stephen Bishop .. “He is a self-made man and worships his creator.” - John Bright .. “I’ve just learned about his illness. Let’s hope it’s nothing trivial.” - Irvin S. Cobb .. “He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others.” - Samuel Johnson .. “He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.” - Paul Keating .. “In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily.” - Charles, Count Talleyrand .. “He loves nature in spite of what it did to him.” - Forrest Tucker .. “Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?” - Mark Twain .. “His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” - Mae West .. “Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” - Oscar Wilde .. “He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts...for support rather than illumination.” - Andrew Lang (1844-1912) .. “He has Van Gogh’s ear for music.” - Billy Wilder .. “I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn’t it.” - Groucho Marx Welcome The newsletter has an area where the names of any new members are stated. Welcome to: NEW MEMBERS: Three first-time attendees, John Glover, Ellie Rolfe, and Bob Wetli Note from the Editor: All members are urged to access the latest NRLN Focus newsletter at www.NRLN.org. The summer copy of this letter includes a lot of very important information that when read by your editor could not satisfactorily be printed herein due to the lack of space. As can be seen from that information, their committees go to great lengths to attempt to protect our financial and medical benefi ts. -Dave Huntman, Newsletter Editor. PASSAGES .. Sheridan T. Bracken, P.O.Box 858, LaCenter, WA 98629-0851. .. Walter Longwill, 1701 147th Ave. SE., Bellevue, WA 98007. .. Marcheta Lanning, ERS I.D. #34, died July 2009. Stepdaughter Virginia Parks 430 N 1st. Street, Unit 302, San Jose, CA 95112, 408 261-0841. .. Robert ‘Bob’ Earl Fry, died March 19, 2010. Info: from Floyd Fry 702 S A, Arkansas City, KS 67005. .. Robert E. Pohto, ERS# 824, died Dec. 31, 2008. .. Albert E. Morris, died in July of 2010, no other data. .. Robert “Dusty” Fry ERS# 810, died March 18, 2010. .. Marcheta Lanning, died in July of 2009. .. Eric Aspinall ERS#1474, died August 20, 2010. .. S. M. Richardson, died Jan. 9, 2011. .. William Mattern ERS#1641, died April 3, 2011. .. Richard “Dick” Sleight, died April 5, 2011. His wife died a couple of weeks earlier. .. Gerald Nesbitt ERS# 243, unknown date of passing. .. S.M. Richardson ERS # 896, died Jan 9, 2011. Sudene R. Snyder, daughter at 425-481-1682, 2226 182nd Place SE, Bothell, WA 98012-6967. .. William ‘Bill’ Lewis, died May 11, 2001 of congestive heart failure. He is survived by his wife, Jane, children and grand children. .. George Wherley (ERS# 1552), died May 29, 2011. Information from his daughter, Ruth. .. Art Rolfe, died July 29, 2011, at age 90. Survived by his wife Ellie. .. Albert L. Duncalf, #1458, died May 14, 2011. Survived by his sister, Carolyn, at 743 Broadway Ave E, Seattle WA 98102. .. James M.Fowler #697, died in May 2011, 5090 Cypress Loop NE, Lacey WA 98516. Survived by his wife Jennifer. (Recent information for the above named members.) 5 . December 2011