Saturday, September 15, 2012
Farming Apprenticeships
Farmdocdaily has a post discussing the problems of establishing farming apprenticeships. Sounds a lot more difficult than I would have supposed. I guess one problem is minimum wage requirements. Seems as if you could have a contractual relationship farmer A pays B $x an hour for work; apprentice B pays A $x for lessons. Probably too simple.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Polling
Last night for the second day in a row I took a phone call from a polling service, using an automated system. They asked roughly similar questions, though last night's was a bit more detailed, particularly on the demographics (i.e., religion).
If I recall, and my memory is fading, this is the first time I've been polled solely on politics, excluding the calls where the Dems reassure themselves I'm still a rock-bound Democratic voter who will vote/has voted.
If I recall, and my memory is fading, this is the first time I've been polled solely on politics, excluding the calls where the Dems reassure themselves I'm still a rock-bound Democratic voter who will vote/has voted.
FSA and CCC: the Magic Numbers
Are 8.2 and 7.6.
What does that mean? Based on a very fast skim of the OMB report on sequestration, FSA would take an 8.2 percent hit to its administrative funds, and CCC would take a 7.6 percent hit to part of its funds. I don't understand the CCC calculation but the cut amounts to $469 million, with a good portion of the $19,175 billion either exempt or offset.
[Update: Appendix B has a breakdown of sequestrable versus exempt. Unfortunately I can't copy the text, but something called the "Discrimination Claim Settlement" is sequestrable. Is that Pigford, or the women and Hispanic?]
What does that mean? Based on a very fast skim of the OMB report on sequestration, FSA would take an 8.2 percent hit to its administrative funds, and CCC would take a 7.6 percent hit to part of its funds. I don't understand the CCC calculation but the cut amounts to $469 million, with a good portion of the $19,175 billion either exempt or offset.
[Update: Appendix B has a breakdown of sequestrable versus exempt. Unfortunately I can't copy the text, but something called the "Discrimination Claim Settlement" is sequestrable. Is that Pigford, or the women and Hispanic?]
Thursday, September 13, 2012
In Which I Trash the Sammies
The "Sammies" are awards ( 2012 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals ) to federal employees for service to America. This year's awardees are described in this Post piece.
Of course they all appear to be big shots, which sort of makes sense because bureaucratically speaking, the higher you rise in an organization the greater your impact and thus potentially the greater the contribution you can make to the U.S.
Somehow today this logic falls flat to me. If I've got a rich uncle who dies and leaves me money, lots of money, I might just set up a series of awards for employees at the lower end of the pay scale, people who went far beyond the bounds of their job description. Seems to me performance by lower-paid employees could be much more extraordinary, all things considered, than the jobs done by GS-14's. Maybe set the cutoff at GS-7, or at GS-12, but no higher.
Beyond the challenge of identifying a rich uncle, the next step is figuring out an impartial way to make the awards.
Of course they all appear to be big shots, which sort of makes sense because bureaucratically speaking, the higher you rise in an organization the greater your impact and thus potentially the greater the contribution you can make to the U.S.
Somehow today this logic falls flat to me. If I've got a rich uncle who dies and leaves me money, lots of money, I might just set up a series of awards for employees at the lower end of the pay scale, people who went far beyond the bounds of their job description. Seems to me performance by lower-paid employees could be much more extraordinary, all things considered, than the jobs done by GS-14's. Maybe set the cutoff at GS-7, or at GS-12, but no higher.
Beyond the challenge of identifying a rich uncle, the next step is figuring out an impartial way to make the awards.
Best Sentence Today (Nun)
"What a difference a nun makes."
That's from a Project on Government Oversight post about oversight of nuclear weapon facilities. (The "nun" in question was one of a group of protesters who roamed through a supposedly secure facility, causing a big shot at Energy to change his mind.
That's from a Project on Government Oversight post about oversight of nuclear weapon facilities. (The "nun" in question was one of a group of protesters who roamed through a supposedly secure facility, causing a big shot at Energy to change his mind.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Call an Ambulance for the Right Wing
I worry for their hearts when they hear Jane Fonda is playing Nancy Reagan. (I wonder whether Alan Rickman can change his voice enough to be convincing as Ronald--probably he's a great actor.)
MN Famers on Congress " we’re hopeless"
So says Rep. Collin Peterson--his constituents don't expect action from Congress on the farm bill.
From Farm Policy.
[Updated: Politico piece on the current status.]
[Update 2: Politico report on rally for farm bill]
From Farm Policy.
[Updated: Politico piece on the current status.]
[Update 2: Politico report on rally for farm bill]
A Fat Tax
Sarah Kliff has a post at the Post on a possible "fat tax" on milk--boosting the price for the high-octane stuff. I know the difference, but I remember my father checking the butterfat content of our milk; was it shown on the milk check, or was it a separate process--however it worked it affected the price we got for our milk. As she writes in the post, butterfat is an expensive part of the milk.
The study on which she writes looked at supermarkets which priced low fat milk lower than full fat milk.
The study on which she writes looked at supermarkets which priced low fat milk lower than full fat milk.
Posting Feedback on Government Sites
I think government websites should post their metrics online. Usa.gov takes the first step towards that--a journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step.
I suppose I'm being a little hypocritical, since I don't give my own stats.
I suppose I'm being a little hypocritical, since I don't give my own stats.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Apparent Inconsistency: Rebecca Felton
Who was Rebecca Felton? The first woman to serve in the US Senate. Also "a prominent society woman; an advocate of prison reform, women's
suffrage and educational modernization; and one of the few prominent
women who spoke in favor of lynching." She was from Georgia.
Mentioned in "American Tapestry, The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama" by Rachel Swarns, which I'm finding interesting.
Mentioned in "American Tapestry, The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama" by Rachel Swarns, which I'm finding interesting.
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