Day 5:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

It’s a big old goofy world.  John Prine

WTF?  So the only thing our legislative branches and the President can agree on is that us furloughed workers deserve to be paid for not working?  How does this make any sense?  Yes, the government has always done this after past shut-downs.  Note, that’s AFTER past shut-downs!  I understood freezing our pay for three years.  I didn’t like it, but I understood that it’s part of trying to get a handle on the deficit (not a significant step, but that’s a different issue).  But this now tells us it’s not about the money at all.  Maybe it’s really about making people hate federal workers more than they already do.  Prohibit us from working (yes, they tell us it’s against the law to work unless we’re declared “essential”) but promise to pay us anyway.  I guess the next rallying cry will be “take back that money you paid civil servants for not working!”  Given that any legislation that reopens the government, if we ever get such a resolution, will probably only be for a matter of weeks, this should make for more great political theater (comedy? farce?) as we approach the Christmas and New Years holidays.

Back Pay courtesy Huffington Post

John Prine's Big Old Goofy World on youtube

Day 4:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

I’m non-essential.  What do I do that’s so unimportant?  Well, among other things, I try to make government workers aware that they need to be careful about technology that can be used to spy on us.  If they ever bring me back, maybe I should talk to Mitch McConnell and explain what it means when you’re “all wired up.”

Mitch McConnell "All Wired Up" courtesy Huffington Post

Day 3:  Federal Employees Held Hostage

“It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native criminal class except Congress.”    Mark Twain

So none of this is really new.  We’ve been governed by self-serving dolts for a long, long time, as the quotation from Mark Twain more than 100 years ago shows.  But when a congressional fathead like Neugebauer from Texas confronts a Park Ranger who, unlike him, isn’t getting paid right now, it’s just sad.

Congressman Bullies Park Ranger from NBC News

One Tired Puck!

"Dave's been writing hard all day...
        I'm worn out."

Puck Likes to Curl Up with a Good Book

He says this one's almost as good as the Richard Paladin series.

Falco's Third Title: Jumpers!

This was the third title Falco completed at the July Virginia Ruff Riders agility trial.

Falco's Second Agility Title: Snooker!

Move over Ronnie O'Sullivan, there's a new Rocket in town!