SCENES FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR

Thursday the local paper put, right on the front page, a link to the website that lists every state worker in Michigan showing name-dept-location-hire date and salary. Everyone was fit to be tied. Very ugly around here.

Now I know in the public sector this info is available and foia'able, but it really upset people. People were cancelling their subscriptions at a rate of 75 per hour, the entire website shut down because of everyone accessing it, and the internet comments from the public have been quite nasty.

My big issue with it is how was this newsworthy? It just fueled the fire for everyone. Now people know who you are, what you make and how to find you. Can you imagine how police, undercover detectives and prison folks security is now being threatened? How about your friendly neighborhood stalker or contentious divorces?

I didn't find it a big deal, like most managers, but people are really feeling betrayed around here. Plus they are turning on each other - especially their managers- thinking the same way the public does -we're overpaid! LOL.

One member of the public wrote a comment like "well where else can an uneducated bum get such a great job?" Well I don't know who he talks to, but about everyone I know around here has a degree or several and could probably make more in the private sector, but they want to make a difference in the world. Guess people assume police and fire, children, workers' comp and unemployment, job safety and health will just occur out of the goodness of everyone's heart ---- NOT.

I myself took a large cut in pay to come here. I have no pension (they did away with that years ago), I could probably make more money as a consultant, we have had raises taken away the last several years, we are understaffed but coping, took a week's time off without pay and worked 80 hours for 76 hours pay. We are all willing to do this. I hear the next step being proposed is to forego our raises expected in October, again, and pay 25% of our health care. Folks may grumble but are willing to make these sacrifices. Not get slapped in the face on top of it.

Although I am not too uptight about this, I hear what my employees and others are saying, so obviously people are hurting over this. And to add insult to injury, the salaries listed are in many cases several thousand more than the person makes! How do you correct that little mistake?

The bottom line is - yes people have a right to know. However, when potshots are taken at politicians and CEO's it is a different thing than attacking the powerless. The "connected" are insulated from the slings and arrows of everyday life. Yes, these are good jobs and yes there are slugs in every workplace. But the majority are good people trying to make it. The workers being attached are your neighbors, shop in your grocery store, have kids in school with your kids. And they have to now deal with what you think about them. Publishing the names was uncalled for and cruel.

BIRTHDAY SCENES - JUNE 10, 2007

Today is a milestone birthday for my little sister and none of us are with her today as stupid summer storms kept her marooned in Pennsylvania. I called her this am to sing "Happy Birthday" which she will have to suffer through but I never was the singer in the family. I try to confine myself to showers and church (where the critics are polite or non-existent).

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y M A R C I A Beautiful sister of the soft skin, ebony curly hair and red red lips.

I so wish you were going to Las Vegas with us as you make everything so much more fun and you and Burt love to torment me unmercifully. You always make him laugh and your droll observations on humankind are major pearls. Which happens to be your birthstone BTW. Know that we are thinking of you including your snotty little niece Kristen.

SHE B

SHOPPING SCENES

Did I know that men and women think differently? Well duhh uhhh. Do I believe that they take shopping differently? Again, well yeah. He wonders why were you gone 3 hours and only have one small bag? That you go to 15 stores before you finally settle on the one perfect thing that, if he was along, he thinks looks exactly like all the other ones? Why he says why can't you wear that other dress-referencing the ballgown you bought for a formal occasion to now wear to a luau?

Why he goes to one store, buys the first thing that bears a tiny resemblance to what he wanted and buys it-no doubt complimenting himself on his efficiency even though he may have sacrificed price for time. Actually not a bad thought, if you value your time-so I may give points for that philosophy. But then you fuss or tailor or pull things together for him after the fact or (and I have done this) take it back to the store for him because he hates to go shopping for one thing and hates to try anything on for another.

However, that rule does not apply for home improvement or hardware stores. I confess that I can look at one piece of plywood in the appropriate size and I'm good. He can examine the different pieces for hours noting the subtle way the compressed wood pieces fit together or the thickness and lushness of the material. Or shingles-did you know how many colors there are? Do you care? Well I digress.

At any rate we went shopping for him actually as he needed a new pair of pants - note ONE pair of pants as his light colored ones were looking ragged, make that major tacky. So we pull pants of many makers and colors and I force him kicking and screaming (well slight exaggeration) into the dressing room which was full unfortunately. "Oh, excuse me, oh excuse me, oh excuse me". No we are not leaving, we wait and keep looking at stuff. That is what we do. Anyway he tries on pants, I go for more pants-we end up buying 3 pairs of pants, because they fit-you need them- and they are on sale. Get it? On the way out I see some nice casual shirts and grab a medium which looks rather large. He takes a large one as he always takes large even though I said the medium looked big so try them both on.

Back to the dressing room and I mention, you know the woman always tries the smaller one on as she likes to think it will fit. He whips around and says yeah, but you know men always like to think they're "bigger". Didn't I say men and women think differently? Game-Set & Match to the boy! LOL