Re: The federal spending thread
This is how it was in CA for me, except most of the time I couldn't even get an idiot on the phone.
The federal spending rant...
- Thread starter Bodhisattva
- Start date
Re: The federal spending thread
There is also a vast chasm in the ages of - and precision - of fingerprint-capture devices. My wife's application for reinstatement of her Alabama teacher's certificate was held up because "she had no fingerprints," the theory being she'd worn them off gardening. We were apprehensive last year when we applied for the TSA PreCheck program, for that reason. The girl who took her prints, with the latest equipment, just laughed and referred to the State's equipment as "that old junk." No problem at all...
Re: The federal spending thread
Both IL and CA use cards. These have to be done at certain law enforcement centers then mailed. With OR I went to Kinko's and used a machine that took just a few minutes.
AL and OR only took a couple of weeks. IL took 2 months. I thought that was a long time until CA took 7 to issue the basics and another 2 years to have everything in order.
I think I've mentioned previously that they admitted to having unopened mail for one year and having to hire 40 people just to sort through it (not related directly to me). Took them 18 months to approve our change of ownership and that took getting our local state rep involved.
So not really adermatoglyphia, just poor equipment?
Both IL and CA use cards. These have to be done at certain law enforcement centers then mailed. With OR I went to Kinko's and used a machine that took just a few minutes.
AL and OR only took a couple of weeks. IL took 2 months. I thought that was a long time until CA took 7 to issue the basics and another 2 years to have everything in order.
I think I've mentioned previously that they admitted to having unopened mail for one year and having to hire 40 people just to sort through it (not related directly to me). Took them 18 months to approve our change of ownership and that took getting our local state rep involved.
Re: The federal spending thread
Probably more like ancient equipment. Bureaucracy is the same the world over. In the process of my daughter's attempting to get her French carte de séjour, (green card equivalent and the gateway to health insurance) the pile of requested documents kept getting thicker and thicker. (Amazingly, in a country like France, with a highly-centralized government, the exact requirements are set by what would here be a county official or even a clerk.) They avoided getting their lawyer involved because my daughter, a lawyer herself, feared it would antagonize them. Finally, they submitted their last docs and copied their lawyer. The app sailed through. Their attorney said, roughly translated, "This is France. Nothing here gets done without agitation."
Re: The federal spending thread
After an audit, it has been determined the government cannot account for more than $2,000,000,000 of government property.
Also, FEMA has lost the PII of more than a million people.
Good job! Let's have more!
After an audit, it has been determined the government cannot account for more than $2,000,000,000 of government property.
Also, FEMA has lost the PII of more than a million people.
Good job! Let's have more!
Re: The federal spending thread
You can't have two threads for your tax/spending rant. Pick one...
Re: The federal spending thread
If you would bring those government ink pens and paperclips back from your house, that figure would go way down!
Re: The federal spending thread
Well, ok. But, I'm keeping the packs of sticky notes. I feel entitled to them.If you would bring those government ink pens and paperclips back from your house, that figure would go way down!
Re: The federal spending thread
Actually, this is just for one program. It's lost F-35 property.
Re: The federal spending thread
Just saw a SIGAR report this morning ..... So, there are some contractors working with the Army Corps of Engineers on various reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Afghan National Defense Security Forces detained the contractors and stole $1.3M worth of equipment intended for the aforementioned reconstruction. Nice way to show their appreciation.:mad2:
Just saw a SIGAR report this morning ..... So, there are some contractors working with the Army Corps of Engineers on various reconstruction projects in Afghanistan. Afghan National Defense Security Forces detained the contractors and stole $1.3M worth of equipment intended for the aforementioned reconstruction. Nice way to show their appreciation.:mad2:
Re: The federal spending thread
All the pens are probably red anyway...Well, ok. But, I'm keeping the packs of sticky notes. I feel entitled to them.
Arrived at work this morning to a work crew tearing off the roof of our building. This total roof replacement is for a leak that occurred ...... four years ago. I wonder if a total roof replacement is more expensive than patching a roof. Also, one of our auxiliary buildings will have to be demolished and rebuilt because the water damage was allowed to go on so long. I wonder if a total building replacement is more expensive than patching a roof. Eh, it's just taxpayer money.
It's also been raining all morning, so we have rain pouring in various places in the building due to the renovation. I guess it's worth it though. If they don't do it now, we may have to wait another four years.
It's also been raining all morning, so we have rain pouring in various places in the building due to the renovation. I guess it's worth it though. If they don't do it now, we may have to wait another four years.
They're moving me into a new office at work, and I requested a new desk, since the existing one wouldn't function for my needs. It took 3 months for the required paperwork and approval to switch various hands, another month to get the desk supplier out to actually measure the space, and it'll probably be two more months before the thing is actually delivered and I can finally move in. I'm told there is a large warehouse called the "furniture graveyard" where the existing desk will be sent, and that these items are essentially never moved back into use. I don't work at a government hospital.
Government is hardly the only inefficient creature in our system, and it's a bit amusing that you seem to think private business is the panacea to wasteful spending and inefficiency.
Government is hardly the only inefficient creature in our system, and it's a bit amusing that you seem to think private business is the panacea to wasteful spending and inefficiency.
I'm just happy the mods have instituted the Bodhi rule to keep his favorite rant confined to a single place.
There is inefficiency, and then there is government inefficiency, which is not in the same ballpark. But, it is a bit amusing you willfully gloss over hundreds of billions (if not trillions) in waste.
I'll take solace in the first part of your statement, which shows some level of self-awareness that I applaud. The second half is, of course, an entirely baseless and false strawman, but that's par for course when someone challenges you.
If there's not a d-bag of the year award, there should be:
USAID Contractor Steals Funds from Babies
The former deputy executive director of a South African research institute has been sentenced to seven months in prison for a scheme that defrauded the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) of grant funds meant to be used on a mobile device application to aid safer childbirths.
Eugene Sickle pleaded guilty to stealing grant funds from USAID to personally enrich himself and an associate. Sickle, who administered grant funds, signed a contract with Alzar Consulting Services Ltd. to develop the app. The institute’s chief executive officer, Sickle, and the supposed director of Alzar (“Dr. Carla Das Neves”) signed the contract, and Alzar was paid over $206,000.
However, it was later uncovered that Sickle created Alzar in the British Virgin Islands and was the sole owner of the company. Furthermore, Das Neves did not exist. Sickle created fake email accounts, a fake LinkedIn page, and additional fake employees to conceal the scheme, and signed the app contract as both himself and Das Neves.
Subsequently, no one developed the app or performed any work required under the contract.
USAID Contractor Steals Funds from Babies
The former deputy executive director of a South African research institute has been sentenced to seven months in prison for a scheme that defrauded the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) of grant funds meant to be used on a mobile device application to aid safer childbirths.
Eugene Sickle pleaded guilty to stealing grant funds from USAID to personally enrich himself and an associate. Sickle, who administered grant funds, signed a contract with Alzar Consulting Services Ltd. to develop the app. The institute’s chief executive officer, Sickle, and the supposed director of Alzar (“Dr. Carla Das Neves”) signed the contract, and Alzar was paid over $206,000.
However, it was later uncovered that Sickle created Alzar in the British Virgin Islands and was the sole owner of the company. Furthermore, Das Neves did not exist. Sickle created fake email accounts, a fake LinkedIn page, and additional fake employees to conceal the scheme, and signed the app contract as both himself and Das Neves.
Subsequently, no one developed the app or performed any work required under the contract.
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