BunkBlog

In April, the contract I have been working on for five years was due to be renewed.  Instead, the government extended it until the end of June.  June came around, and the contract got extended until the end of August, while the contract bid process was finally begun.  At the end of August, no contract was awarded, and thus began a joyful process of “guess what is happening in contractland.” Shoe number one hit the floor with a hollow thud.

Every week, a tale regarding exactly what rumor was ascendant was passed around. The next week, a completely new and different tale would be exchanged. You can imagine how much fun was had by all. During this time, we all nominally continued to be employed, but without any job site to go to had to make do with our saved vacation time in order to qualify for paychecks. Fortunately, I had over a month of vacation time saved up, so I weathered September without a problem. Many of my coworkers were on “Leave Without Pay” status for much of the month. Fat lot of good it does to be hypothetically employed, if you can’t use that hypothesis to pay bills.

We all knew our company was a shoo-in for the new contract. We’re the incumbents, have been doing the job for over a decade, have a good rapport with the customer, and have such a great understanding of the local realities that our bid must have been among the lowest. We also knew the contract had to be awarded by the end of Fiscal Year 2008 (that would be the 30th of September). Imagine my surprise to get a call on the 29th of September that said we didn’t get the contract. Shoe number two squashed something. Fortunately, the new overlords will be hiring all of us worker bees to work the new contract, since they have exactly zero local employees to do the work themselves. Now, to prepare for an interview with the new employer. Yes, I have to interview for a job I’ve held for five years. Yay.

I do not think it means what you think it means.

(H/T to danielmedic)

July 11th, 2008 – US Government seizes control of IndyMac, largest S&L in Los Angeles and 7th largest mortgage company in the USA.

September 7th, 2008 – US Government acquires control of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two largest mortgage backers in the USA.

September 16th, 2008 – US Government acquires 80% control of AIG, largest insurance company in the USA.

The great and mighty Siberian husky, Banshee, defended the family from a giant polar bear this morning.  Well, not so much “defended” as “cowered in front of” and not so much “polar bear” as “painted sheep statue.”  But, it was a great adventure regardless.

After the Sheeptacular in October 2007, many of these decorated sheep appeared around town:

One of them was on our walking path this morning.  The dogs were pretty sure it was a giant monster that was going to eat them.

Another great example of how people who are not, by any reasonable definition, wealthy are somehow able to be convinced to support something which is not in their own self-interest.  If you make less than $111,000 per year, why would you support the plan on the left over the plan on the right?  You prefer to give your tax money to rich people, rather than keep it yourself?  Amazing.

Edit: This all assumes, for good historical reason, that the gummint isn’t planning to reduce spending, and therefore the total revenue needs to remain somewhat static.

This seems a bit over-the-top, even for crazy people.  So, I’m curious if any Alaskans (Lorri?) have any insight as to whether the story in LA Progressive has the ring of truth or just hatchet job.

Sarah Palin’s past continues to amuse and enlighten. From the 2006 Alaskan Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire:

Will you support funding for abstinence-until-marriage education instead of for explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics, and the distribution of contraceptives in schools?

Yes, the explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support.

Guess we know how well that turned out for her own family, eh?

And:

Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?

Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance.

When the Pledge was written in 1892 (I’m betting the Founders were all dead by then), it said this:

“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”

And it didn’t get the “Under God” until 1954. Not a lot of Founding Fathers hanging around by then, I’m guessing. They must have a fantastic history program in Alaskan schools.

In other news, there exists some relatively solid evidence that Palin was a member of the semi-seccessionist Alaskan Independence Party (motto: Alaska First — Alaska Always) prior to being elected mayor of Wasilla.

Oh, and just for fun, the pinheads at Faux News apparently believe that living within a few hundred miles of a foreign country counts as foreign policy experience.

By that reasoning, I’ve got vast amounts of foreign policy experience, having lived in Minnesota, Washington, California, and Texas! Not to mention my years living actually in a foreign land. I’m super-qualified to be VP!