Never question a Drunk!

[HONDO74]

Marx’s work is the guiding ideology of the People’s Republic of China, and he is regarded by many Chinese as a hero.

Trier’s legacy as the birthplace of Karl Marx is the main draw. Renowned as the father of socialism,
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2018072 ... by-chinese

Marx believed that the struggle between the ruling classes and oppressed classes was fuelled by the private ownership of goods and services – essentially capitalism. He argued that transferring the administration of goods and services from individuals to the government would free society from class oppression.

[CWBurfle]

state struggling with a debt crisis: Connecticut California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York are unable to make pension payments to retired government workers.

Where do you get your information? I cannot comment on other states, New York has one of the healthiest pension funds in the country. They aren't having any problems making payments. I just got paid today.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

state struggling with a debt crisis: Connecticut California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York are unable to make pension payments to retired government workers.

Where do you get your information? I cannot comment on other states, New York has one of the healthiest pension funds in the country. They aren't having any problems making payments. I just got paid today.

He likes to just make stuff up to feel warm and fuzzy somedays,

[HONDO74]

state struggling with a debt crisis: Connecticut California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York are unable to make pension payments to retired government workers.

Where do you get your information? I cannot comment on other states, New York has one of the healthiest pension funds in the country. They aren't having any problems making payments. I just got paid today.

He likes to just make stuff up to feel warm and fuzzy somedays,

New York’s soaring pension bills
https://nypost.com/2017/08/06/new-yorks ... ion-bills/

New York City Pensions Are Still in Crisis
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... sions.html

1.5 Million Retirees Await Congressional Fix for a Pension Time Bomb
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/18/busi ... risis.html

New York City's Slowly Sinking Pensions Are Taking on More Water
Just because you haven’t heard about New York City’s pension problems doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
http://reason.com/blog/2017/06/21/new-y ... sis-report

E.J. McMahon -- The Public Pension Crisis in New York City and New York State
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGvlJCswt4E

[CWBurfle]

Hondo: Some of the articles you linked are about private pension funds. Some of the articles are about New York City pension funds. New York State government is separate from NYC government, as are their pension funds. Some local governments do use the NYS level pension.

The NY Post opinion piece starts out discussing high pensions on the state level and switches to discussing NYC pension costs.

There are complaints about the cost of the required contributions to the NYS pension funds by local government entities.

There are several NYS level funds, they are all in excellent health.

Its funny. Folks like to complain about taxes. But when our local town supervisor took steps to reign in law enforcement overtime abuses, which also enrich pensions, many people sided with the cops. A retired cop ran against the supervisor on the platform that he would allow the overtime abuses to continue. There were "We support our police" on people's lawns all over town. Thankfully, the sitting town supervisor was re-elected.

And elected officials prefer to pay overtime rather than adequately staff because they can boast about lowering the head count of government employees, even though it is costing more in the long run.

One thing the general public likes to forget: In some professions, people accept lower paying jobs from the government, knowing that a nice pension / retirement benefits makes up for the lower salary.

NYS has taken steps to adjust its pension plans to control costs. The program is on it's sixth revision. The benefits are still good, but not as good as they once were.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Its funny. Folks like to complain about taxes. But when our local town supervisor took steps to reign in law enforcement overtime abuses, which also enrich pensions, many people sided with the cops. A retired cop ran against the supervisor on the platform that he would allow the overtime abuses to continue. There were "We support our police" on people's lawns all over town. Thankfully, the sitting town supervisor was re-elected.

They like to complain until they have to do w/o something that they thought was free. Then they like to find someone else to blame.....for their own decisions

And elected officials prefer to pay overtime rather than adequately staff because they can boast about lowering the head count of government employees, even though it is costing more in the long run.

True. They also like to hire contractors to reduce employee headcount and costs way more.

One thing the general public likes to forget: In some professions, people accept lower paying jobs from the government, knowing that a nice pension / retirement benefits makes up for the lower salary.

I don't think that they forget it; they seem to want to not believe that the government jobs are lower paying jobs and that the pensions are of some mythological proportions. Facts cease to exist - see looking for someone else to blame.....

[CWBurfle]

True. They also like to hire contractors to reduce employee headcount and costs way more.

In my former field, which was IT, contractors cost way more than state employees, even when benefits were included.
The contractors didn't take home more, the businesses that supplied them pocketed a whole lot of money.
Then there is the idea that the contractor does a job and leaves. That was rare, because once written, applications continue to need support.

One advantage of contractors was supposed to be that they came onboard with the required skill set
That was true only some of the time.
Even when it was true, the individual had to come up to speed on corporate culture. Which could take a bit.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

True. They also like to hire contractors to reduce employee headcount and costs way more.

In my former field, which was IT, contractors cost way more than state employees, even when benefits were included.
The contractors didn't take home more, the businesses that supplied them pocketed a whole lot of money.
Then there is the idea that the contractor does a job and leaves. That was rare, because once written, applications continue to need support

Indeed. The idea was that you could get rid of them once "done". Done never arrives but asymptotically. Once inside, virtually impossible to divest of contractors.

One advantage of contractors was supposed to be that they came onboard with the required skill set
That was true only some of the time.
Even when it was true, the individual had to come up to speed on corporate culture. Which could take a bit.

That ready to go aspect was also how it was advertised and rarely happened where I was.

[up148]

I've mentioned this many months ago, but it fits here. We compete with Tinker AFB for aircraft mechanics. Not directly with Tinker, but with all the contractors who do 90% of the work at Tinker. They compete and get contracts and they pay silly wages for a 6 to 9 month contract (or longer) and then the mechanics sit back and cool their heels until the next contract comes up. Could be a month, might 3 or even 6, but they don't seem to care. It's a culture that ruins them for full time permanent work...........we've hired a few.

But, the money these contractors charge, versus what it could be done by permanent government workers, is staggering. Oue sales manager worked as an IT contract worker for the same contactor for several years. When the last contract was won (it's like winning the lottery I guess) his boss (who knows nothing about IT) was so elated, he took the family on a 2 week vacation to Europe to celebrate. How many contractors do that in the REAL world? It's disgusting.

BH

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I've mentioned this many months ago, but it fits here. We compete with Tinker AFB for aircraft mechanics. Not directly with Tinker, but with all the contractors who do 90% of the work at Tinker. They compete and get contracts and they pay silly wages for a 6 to 9 month contract (or longer) and then the mechanics sit back and cool their heels until the next contract comes up. Could be a month, might 3 or even 6, but they don't seem to care. It's a culture that ruins them for full time permanent work...........we've hired a few.

But, the money these contractors charge, versus what it could be done by permanent government workers, is staggering. Oue sales manager worked as an IT contract worker for the same contactor for several years. When the last contract was won (it's like winning the lottery I guess) his boss (who knows nothing about IT) was so elated, he took the family on a 2 week vacation to Europe to celebrate. How many contractors do that in the REAL world? It's disgusting.

Well, this was all caused by the misguided belief in one of the big lies that the number of Gov't workers needed to be downsized and that it was going to cheaper, easier, and faster to do the same work by contractors who are not cheaper, not easier (ask any Contract or Project Officer - I was the latter at one time), and not faster in any sense at all if you have any inkling at all of how Gov't contracts are awarded.

[up148]

I really have no idea how they award contracts, but assumed it goes to the lowest bidder. Contract work at Tinker has been this way for decades, not sure if it's a newer phenomenon in other government applications or not. I've been to the FAA facility several times in the past 7 years and I've never seen so many workers on any one project before. Not saying they're not doing a super job, just looks like more workers than work.

bh

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I really have no idea how they award contracts, but assumed it goes to the lowest bidder.

Not always. There are usually a set list of criteria to be evaluated other than the price tag, like experience, track record, delivery on time, possessing required expertise, etc. and then there's a committee that reviews all the criteria and scores it with recommendations.... and then the price can be negotiated based upon that information. There's best price and come attempt made to assess competency and probability of successful completion of the job being bid on.....

[HONDO74]

The Maid for a rich guy and his young wife asks the wife for a raise.

Wife "Why do you need a raise?'

Maid "Three reasons, your husband says I'm a better cook than you and also I'm a better housekeeper." "Also I'm better in bed."

Wife "MY HUSBAND SAID THAT!!"

Maid "No the gardener said it"

Wife "How much do you think you need?"

[up148]

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Honestly, I don't get it.