So much for humorless public servants...

bobabode · #1 06-01-2013, 03:11 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...027_story.html

Star Trek and Gilligan's Island skits by IRS employees. I'm sure this one will drive the wingnuts in congress into a dizzying lather.

Count on it.

finnbow · #2 06-01-2013, 03:40 PM

Having spent 38 years working for 3 different Federal agencies, I've seen where several agencies have a propensity to have lavish conferences with high attendance in a misguided effort to emulate big conferences of a similar nature held by big private sector firms/industries.

I've participated in several such conferences and they're largely BS in my experience, but upper management (often political appointees with private sector backgrounds) rationalize it by wanting to treat their employees as they would be treated in the private sector.

Charles · #3 06-02-2013, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by finnbow

Having spent 38 years working for 3 different Federal agencies, I've seen where several agencies have a propensity to have lavish conferences with high attendance in a misguided effort to emulate big conferences of a similar nature held by big private sector firms/industries.

I've participated in several such conferences and they're largely BS in my experience, but upper management (often political appointees with private sector backgrounds) rationalize it by wanting to treat their employees as they would be treated in the private sector.

Hell, if it wuz jest me, I'd sell DC to the Gooks, an' put all them gummitt employes working outta trailor houses with tires on the roof...jest to keep the tin from blowin' off when the wind got up.

I'm sure that you realize this this is no more than a jest.

However, when private industry turns enough profit to put on the dog for their employees, is one thing.

Whenever the government, which has never returned a profit, blows incredible amounts of money putting on the dog for "public servants", is something else altogether.

Either way, it's a junket...and pretty much a waste of money. And either way I suppose we're all paying for it.

Not to mention that either way, it's an unnecessary extravagance billed either to the consumer, shareholder, or taxpayer. Or a combination of the three. Considering it provides little or no value to those who pick up the tab.

Personally, I can chose to be either a consumer or shareholder (within reason), but I have no choice but to be a taxpayer.

My synopsis is, it's a waste of money and resources...but it makes the big wheel go around.

And it greases the right palms, mine not being one of them.

Chas

PS: I would rather see the money spent buying homeless drunks living in the gutter free Mad Dog. For one thing...it would be cheaper.

bobabode · #4 06-02-2013, 06:55 PM

Come Monday we'll be seeing Glenn and the Idjit Hoard screaming SCANDAL at the top of their lungs with their eyes all bugged out. That is, until someone points out that the black dude in the White House put a stop to this shit and it's old news. It sounds like to me that the black dude's minions are setting up the scandalmongin' teabaggers once again. YMMV....

finnbow · #5 06-02-2013, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles

Hell, if it wuz jest me, I'd sell DC to the Gooks, an' put all them gummitt employes working outta trailor houses with tires on the roof...jest to keep the tin from blowin' off when the wind got up.

I'm sure that you realize this this is no more than a jest.

However, when private industry turns enough profit to put on the dog for their employees, is one thing.

Whenever the government, which has never returned a profit, blows incredible amounts of money putting on the dog for "public servants", is something else altogether.

Either way, it's a junket...and pretty much a waste of money. And either way I suppose we're all paying for it.

Not to mention that either way, it's an unnecessary extravagance billed either to the consumer, shareholder, or taxpayer. Or a combination of the three. Considering it provides little or no value to those who pick up the tab.

Personally, I can chose to be either a consumer or shareholder (within reason), but I have no choice but to be a taxpayer.

My synopsis is, it's a waste of money and resources...but it makes the big wheel go around.

And it greases the right palms, mine not being one of them.

Chas

PS: I would rather see the money spent buying homeless drunks living in the gutter free Mad Dog. For one thing...it would be cheaper.

I don't disagree at all. However, the big exec's who make the decisions think they're doing God's work by improving the morale of their underlings. The underlings know it's a boondoggle, but go along with the boss because they get a trip to a nice place with free booze and food. It beats the shit out of work.

What's interesting is that there's a whole industry that has evolved around providing logistics and planning and such affairs (event planners). They're really good at making the executive's minions believe that all the bells and whistles are necessary, even essential, to avoid looking like a cheapskate. Somehow, the big exec's in both the public and private sector somehow believe that the ROI on such shindigs makes it worthwhile.

I bet they'd think differently if they were spending their own money.

BlueStreak · #6 06-02-2013, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by finnbow

I don't disagree at all. However, the big exec's who make the decisions think they're doing God's work by improving the morale of their underlings. The underlings know it's a boondoggle, but go along with the boss because they get a trip to a nice place with free booze and food. It beats the shit out of work.

What's interesting is that there's a whole industry that has evolved around providing logistics and planning and such affairs (event planners). They're really good at making the executive's minions believe that all the bells and whistles are necessary, even essential, to avoid looking like a cheapskate. Somehow, the big exec's in both the public and private sector somehow believe that the ROI on such shindigs makes it worthwhile.

I bet they'd think differently if they were spending their own money.

Funny you mention that. They're "giving" us next Saturday off for a day at Busch Gardens. Matthew the HR dork asked me if I was going. I said, "Only to collect the tickets, scalp them and go buy groceries."