• From: Chicago, IL
  • Registered: 2010-08-12
  • Posts: 375

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

Racin_G73 wrote:

Please keep your politics to yourself.  Don't give us a reason to divide into friends and enemies.

Let's stick to rotary vs. SBC.  Auto vs. manual.  Italian vs. Japanese.

Those kinds of divisions I think we can all enjoy.

I know so many people now with vastly different political/social views than mine (including among Lemons), I can't take offense if people say something I don't agree with.  Ain't nobody got time for that.  There was a time when I was all uptight about politics/relegion/Mac vs. PC, but I guess I'm mostly over that.  I certainly don't mind people expressing their views in a civil manner, which is how it seems here (so far).

Regarding claims that "the system is broken," I'm of the opinion that the system works, we the people just keep making poor choices.  My mom once related a story of how when she was young, she was disgusted at her father's cynical approach to voting: every election, vote against all incumbents.  As she got older, she was surprised to find herself gradually adopting her dad's strategy. 

As I get older, I'm finding myself moving closer to supporting mandatory single-term limits for all elected offices as the cynicism creeps in.

In closing,

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png

15x+ Loser, thinks he's a Real Racer(tm)
Rotaries are great, everyone should try them.

52 Reply by mechimike (edited by mechimike 2013-03-21 04:46 AM)

  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

almitydave speaks much truth.  I almost never vote for incompetents; if there's a third party of a somewhat conservative/ libertarian bent they usually get my vote.  But I've voted for a donkey or two in my day, too.

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

53 Reply by Spinnetti (edited by Spinnetti 2013-03-21 09:05 AM)

  • From: Frisco, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,430

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

I bet I'm a minority of .01% on this forum... Seeing the chatter, its good to remember that our nation was set up as a representative democracy to prevent a tyranny of the people. Populist sentiment is easy to rally around, but if given sufficient thought about the (often unintended) consequences of these sound bites, a thinking person might think twice about joining the lynch mob. Would you want a dentist or doctor kicked out every year to prevent "incumbent" professionals from "ruining everything"? Government works on compromise. Government without compromise is a dictatorship (or oligarchy I suppose). Me, I want skilled, principled people in both (all?) parties working together to compromise in achieving the greatest good for the most people, not one side "winning". Gridlock is caused by "principled" people that just want a bully pulpit and have nothing to lose, and thus no interest in moving policy forward. Government is set up like it is because they have to represent ALL of us, not just one set of views. Its messy, and doesn't work well, but so far it works better than anything else that's come along. If all the extremists out there get their way, we'll just be another failed state loaded with weapons and looking for a fight.

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

Spinnetti's Website

  • RobL
  • RobL
  • Lemons Staff Stalker
  • Offline
  • From: Philly area
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 2,721

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

Speedycop wrote:

Just got the official word.  [...]

Who else is feeling the pain of our inept Congress and the sequestration?

Since you asked (I didn't see this post until today)...  I work in the healthcare industry and I was given notice last week too.

--Rob Leone Schumacher Taxi Service
We won the IOE at Southern Discomfort.
We got screwed at The Real Hoopties of New Jersey  and we took cars down with us.
We got the curse at Capitol Offense but they wouldn't let us destroy the car.

RobL's Website

  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

@Spinnetti,

The problem is that we've not got professional politicians who have created Gridlock.  There is no compromise.

Politics is a different animal from real professions.  I don't think there should even be such a thing a "professional politicians".  I believe that's what's created the mess we're in.  What's the difference?  I don't know anyone who sits around and debates bridge building techniques, accounting methodology, or (to use your example) dentistry.  Politics has always been "of the people" in this country, and it's something we can all (and possibly should) be involved in.  Politicians are people, and as such are often motivated by things other than compromise and common good.  Hence the need to switch them up every now and then.

Tunachuckers: 15 Years of Effluency
'08 - '10: 1966 Volvo 122, "Charlie"
'10 - '18: 1975 Ford LTD Landau --> 2018 - current: Converted into 1950 "Plymford"
'22 - current: 1967 Volvo 122, "Charlie ]["

mechimike's Website

56 Reply by psychoboy (edited by psychoboy 2013-03-25 09:57 AM)

  • From: oklahoma city
  • Registered: 2009-10-08
  • Posts: 1,586

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

something to think about....

millions and millions of people work for the federal government (even after you exclude the military, federal policing forces, and other people with a treasury paycheck and a real, definable job), less than 600 of them are elected. that's millions of bureaucrats whose only real function is to secure enough gov't funding to maintain their jobs.



i like the idea of term limits as much as the next guy, but more often than not the elected guy's staff is responsible for 75% of what he does.
throw the elected guys out, and their staffs just move on to the next crop of elected guys.



yes, we the people make bad electoral choices across the board. that's the problem with democracy, and why our government was not designed to be one. our real problem is not the people in DC...it's the power we've allowed them to take from our state and local governments.

Team OK-Speed
Regularly losing in Class A
Soon to start losing in Class C
  • From: Stamford, CT
  • Registered: 2013-02-15
  • Posts: 67

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

Speedy, you have a seat for fall NHMS for the low, low price (but very valuable to me) of your expertise.  I'm popping my LeMon cherry at MMC in Rob's Mustang, and am building a 244 (yes, I know, boring) for the fall at Loudon.  Have to skip the spring race (Household 6 had some issue or other with me disappearing to a racetrack for a weekend a month before she's scheduled to produce our second diaper-filling machine), but I'll be cleared to run by October.  I'd be honored to have you roll with us.

  • From: Shippensburg, PA
  • Registered: 2010-11-18
  • Posts: 1,963

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

It doesn't help that those in charge of federal programs have zero incentive to save money.  All of them know that the best way for them to get more money next year is to spend all of their alloted money for this year.  What sense does that make?!

Term limits or not, there should be no retirement plan for politicians.  You did your job.  You were paid fairly well, and you had great benefits.  Don't be a leach for the rest of your life.

And they should never be exempt from any law the general public must abide by (see Obama-care).

"She's a brick house" 57th out of 121 and 5th in Class C, There Goes the Neighborhood 2013
"PA Posse" 21st out of 96 and 2nd in Class C, Capitol Offense 2013.
"PA Posse" 29th out of 133 and Class C WINNER, Halloween Hooptiefest 2013
"PA Posse" 33rd out of 151 and 2nd in Class C, The Real Hoopties 2013
  • From: Brandywine, MD
  • Registered: 2009-07-15
  • Posts: 4,528

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

racinrob wrote:

It doesn't help that those in charge of federal programs have zero incentive to save money.  All of them know that the best way for them to get more money next year is to spend all of their alloted money for this year.  What sense does that make?!

Term limits or not, there should be no retirement plan for politicians.  You did your job.  You were paid fairly well, and you had great benefits.  Don't be a leach for the rest of your life.

And they should never be exempt from any law the general public must abide by (see Obama-care).

This, times eleventy billion.

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Speedycop's Website

  • From: oklahoma city
  • Registered: 2009-10-08
  • Posts: 1,586

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

racinrob wrote:

It doesn't help that those in charge of federal programs have zero incentive to save money.  All of them know that the best way for them to get more money next year is to spend all of their alloted money for this year.  What sense does that make?!

Term limits or not, there should be no retirement plan for politicians.  You did your job.  You were paid fairly well, and you had great benefits.  Don't be a leach for the rest of your life.

And they should never be exempt from any law the general public must abide by (see Obama-care).


couldn't agree more.

politics should be a job, not a career.

there should be no incentive to become a permanent part of the system.

Team OK-Speed
Regularly losing in Class A
Soon to start losing in Class C
  • From: Aurora, IL
  • Registered: 2012-02-06
  • Posts: 910

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

Only 3 things to add:

1- As this discussion was churning, Obama came to my place of work. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/ … nergy-secu

2- Although working for a 3-letter-agency, I am a contractor (for UChicago/Argonne LLC)  and not a fed- which only means that I don't feel the immediate effects of this (i.e. furloughs like Speedy) however we will likely feel ripples for the next 3-7 years.

3- Congress is a joke!

"THE WONDERMENT CONSORTIUM"
Everything dies baby that's a fact,
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back?
  • From: Brandywine, MD
  • Registered: 2009-07-15
  • Posts: 4,528

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

I've already signed the furlough notice---112 hours cut initially. That's 14 eight hour days. It starts in a few weeks. That leaves me two races to A&D before the smaller paychecks arrive, and I go on the ramen/Subway diet---Monticello, and Gingerman.

Spinetti actually fell for the ol' "I'll pay you later, I swear" routine.What a sucke---I mean what a nice guy! Hopefully work keeps their agreement to let me have the 21st off, and I'll be at Gingerman.

As for the rest of you that were kind enough to offer seat time, you'll know where to find me, and I wouldn't ever turn it down.
Well, as long as your regular guys have gotten theirs already, of course...

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Speedycop's Website

  • From: Frisco, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,430

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

Speedycop wrote:

I've already signed the furlough notice---112 hours cut initially. That's 14 eight hour days. It starts in a few weeks. That leaves me two races to A&D before the smaller paychecks arrive, and I go on the ramen/Subway diet---Monticello, and Gingerman.

Spinetti actually fell for the ol' "I'll pay you later, I swear" routine.What a sucke---I mean what a nice guy! Hopefully work keeps their agreement to let me have the 21st off, and I'll be at Gingerman.

As for the rest of you that were kind enough to offer seat time, you'll know where to find me, and I wouldn't ever turn it down.
Well, as long as your regular guys have gotten theirs already, of course...

Oh man, what have I done! We've got no crew speedy, so plan to get some "sweat equity" on those fuel stops.... I really hope they don't pull you back at the last minute! I'm pumped though, that lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll make a good showing!

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

Spinnetti's Website

  • From: Springfield,GA
  • Registered: 2012-04-19
  • Posts: 244

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

Spinnetti wrote:
Speedycop wrote:

I've already signed the furlough notice---112 hours cut initially. That's 14 eight hour days. It starts in a few weeks. That leaves me two races to A&D before the smaller paychecks arrive, and I go on the ramen/Subway diet---Monticello, and Gingerman.

Spinetti actually fell for the ol' "I'll pay you later, I swear" routine.What a sucke---I mean what a nice guy! Hopefully work keeps their agreement to let me have the 21st off, and I'll be at Gingerman.

As for the rest of you that were kind enough to offer seat time, you'll know where to find me, and I wouldn't ever turn it down.
Well, as long as your regular guys have gotten theirs already, of course...

Oh man, what have I done! We've got no crew speedy, so plan to get some "sweat equity" on those fuel stops.... I really hope they don't pull you back at the last minute! I'm pumped though, that lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll make a good showing!

If you're close by the Celica, we'll help with your fueling and other potential issues, right up till we go hang and jump        head long into an engine swap.

12. Gingerman , Heroic Fix award
10/12 Autobahn, 51st overall.
Team Apocalyptic Racing
1978 Ecotec Celica.
  • Registered: 2013-03-30
  • Posts: 439

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

Speedycop wrote:

I've already signed the furlough notice---112 hours cut initially. That's 14 eight hour days. It starts in a few weeks. That leaves me two races to A&D before the smaller paychecks arrive, and I go on the ramen/Subway diet---Monticello, and Gingerman.

I haven't seen my notice yet, but it's probably sitting with my supervisor like a Howler from the Harry Potter world.

Ex-USAF civilian, still a wench
  • From: Frisco, Texas
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,430

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

gullzjr wrote:

If you're close by the Celica, we'll help with your fueling and other potential issues, right up till we go hang and jump head long into an engine swap.

Thanks! We always run lean, so as long as all 3 of us are on station for the race, its business as usual.... Hopefully we won't need to take you up on it... if you are going for the same spot where we were side by side before, save us a spot next to you smile I should be able to help with any Toyota related stuff.... my 77' Celica is still running all these years later in a friends capable hands (18RG engine with twin Mikunis)....

Thanks!

"Don't mess with Lexas!" LS400. We survived another one! See website link for build details.
Maker of the "unofficial Lemons fish!" - If you ask nice, I'll likely give you one at the track.

Spinnetti's Website

  • From: St Louis
  • Registered: 2011-10-20
  • Posts: 2,611

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

We will be close to the same spot as last year, maybe a little closer to the tower, have an electric hook up booked that is reported to be in line with the tower.
The K car will be on one side of us and hopefully Marc will be close by as well.
Arriving Thursday afternoon/early evening.

Apocalyptic Racing - Occupy Pit Lane racing
Racing the "Toylet" Toyota Celica powered by Chevrolet Ecotec.
24x Loser with the Celica. 16x loser in other fine machines
Overall winner Gingerman 2019

Brett85p's Website

  • Registered: 2013-03-30
  • Posts: 439

Re: Effing Gubment furloughs, and Race Watchers diet plan

just a quick reply to folks re: government stuff... it's rather disjointed

Our furloughs will start in mid-June.

Our program offices are told what upgrades, new equipment, etc. will be added by the Air Combat Command.  They also have the bucks.  We don't make those decisions.

We can't go randomly adding employees, and we're running shorthanded in the engineering, finance, and contracting fields.  We also have the fact that over 60% of the most highly skilled employees are due to retire within a few years.  Given the prolonged hiring freeze during the '90s until 2002, we're going to end up with a comparatively young workforce.

We have a lot of incentive to cut costs.  We want the best value for the bucks, and and there's a whole lot of oversight.  No one wants to explain overruns (in money or in schedule) to the powers that be.  Start racking up overruns and you'll be talking to Congress.

Contracts have a dollar amount and a period of performance (PoP).  If you haven't spent your money in a timely fashion (i.e., you have a whole buncha bucks outstanding come May), the DoD says "hey thanks!  we'll send that to another service!"  They'll do it even if we know that we need it towards the end of the fiscal year.

In addition to the PoP, we have funds that "expire" after 2  years.  So if you need a PoP extension (due to contractor screwups, say), you may have to figure what money's still around. RDT&E funds run about 2 years.  Not sure what the retrofit and operation funding schedules.

Civilian employees provide the institutional memory for Congressional appointees and the military folks that cycle in and out.

I've been in several engineering fields where people really get together and debate about things like, oh, the cause of high phase noise in oscillators using GaAs devices.

The reason it takes so long to get stuff designed and contracted is due to all the regulations that Congress put in place all these years.  Frankly, they ought to dynamite them and start over.

The civil service retirement system went away after 1987.  We don't get insurance for free.  We have no short term disability or maternity pay (that is why people hoard their sick leave.)

There are several totals for the number of federal employees; without digging a bunch on Google I saw anything from 1.7million excluding USPS to 2.1 million with USPS.

(My career's almost equally divided between commercial and government.)

Ex-USAF civilian, still a wench