Essential Workers?

[plowhog]

Good question... are US Postal Service workers classified as Federal employees?

I agree they kind of straddle the line as to whether an employee or not.

Although I get really frustrated trying to do even simple interactions with them, I feel sorry for employees of USPS. They are very poorly managed and subject to constant meddling that gets in the way of improvement or positive change. Must be a miserable place to work.

 

[Hay Dude]

Here we go again ...

"People inside the store screamed and ran away from the horrifying scene, which has become common in the Bay Area since a California state law downgraded the theft of property less than $950 in value from a felony charge to a misdemeanor in 2014."

Bay Area is hit by THIRD consecutive day of brazen looting

The San Francisco Bay Area faced a third consecutive day of brazen shoplifting on Sunday when a jewelry store in Hayward was raided as was a Lululemon in San Jose.

www.dailymail.co.uk

At least 20 people involved in burglary at a Nordstrom in Los Angeles, local reports say

At least 20 people were involved in a burglary Monday night at the Nordstrom department store at The Grove retail complex in Los Angeles, CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS reported, citing the Los Angeles Police Department.

www.cnn.com

The solution will be that retailers will close stores (already happening). First they will close in the cities (like Walgreen), further increasing city unemployment and vacancy rates. Then they will close suburban stores, since these thieves obviously have cars. Soon we will have to mostly buy on line, where the thieves will just learn to hold up package deliveries and our front porches.

 

[ultrarunner]

Porch Pirates already significant and even with licence plate and perp video clear as day the threshold for dollar amount stolen means no interest from Law Enforcement.

Swarms attacking high end retail mimicking a military operation with ad many ad 80 involved is getting attention and merchants already boarding up and city setting up barriers to keep getaway cars at bay... the events often done in a minute or two.

 

[PuffyC]

I agree they kind of straddle the line as to whether an employee or not.

Although I get really frustrated trying to do even simple interactions with them, I feel sorry for employees of USPS. They are very poorly managed and subject to constant meddling that gets in the way of improvement or positive change. Must be a miserable place to work.

Reminds me of talking to my mother. She was a career public school teacher and she’d start railing about the government, then I’d remind her that she worked for the government and not only did she try to deny it, the mere accusation offended her greatly, which is exactly why I did it She eventually made peace with it but I always thought it was funny that she never looked at it that way.

She wasn’t union and never made a big salary but wow, the short days, the benefits, the pension, the mountains of days off, they were priceless. The only catch was having to deal with terrible kids and worse parents. It was bad back then, I can’t even imagine how awful it must be today. Reminds me of the people looting stores above. They essentially force those retailers to leave then cry about being victims because there’s no retail in their community. Terrible parents with terrible kids force good teachers into better districts or better jobs then cry about being victims because their schools are terrible. People tend to get what they ask for, much to their disappointment.

 

[plowhog]

Black Friday Special in San Francisco- EVERYTHING IS FREE !!!!!

Just bring plenty of your friends ...

 

[repete]

Is it true that thieves are using bar code readers to get prices of the items they have looted? That way they do not exceed the "misdemeanor" charge amounts and can know to make two trips?

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Last time I was in Cali, I watched a guy carry a 12" Dewalt slide compound trim saw out the door. The store manager said he couldn't pursue past the door. The thief ambled to a truck and took off.

 

[MossRoad]

Last time I saw a shoplifter, he was running out the store (a K-Mart, as I recall) with two people chasing him. I chased him down in the parking lot, headed him off, and ran along while convincing him to just stop, as there was no way he was going to get away from me. He finally stopped and we just stood there for a while. He was a young kid. Maybe 15. Out of breath, scared to death. Security guard ran up and hit him. I grabbed the security guard and told him to knock it off, the kid gave up. Just stop. The other guy came up and they took the kid back into the store. Don't know what happened to him. I went back to the car and my wife told me I was nuts. My kids asked me what I was doing. I told them I was helping someone with their car or something.

But standing there and doing or saying nothing just isn't possible for me.

Couple years ago, we saw a hit and run right in front of us. I took off after the running car, chased it down, convinced them to pull over, took a picture of their license plate and the driver and they took off again. I let it go, as I didn't want to be driving like that putting others at risk. Went back to the accident scene and waited for the cops to arrive. Turns out a passenger in the hit car was an old coworker. Gave the cops the info.

Again, probably not a good idea. It'll probably come back to bite me someday, but standing by and not doing or saying something is part of the problem.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm the same but getting older and hope a little wiser...

Witnessing Shoplifting is hard but reported to security and always told thank you and that was the end.

The grocery stores here violate Fire Code every night by chaining shut all but one set of doors... fire turns a blind eye saying it's that or the stores no longer stay open late.

Seeing groups go down the isle scooping up steaks, pampers, munchies, Tide to the point the cart is overflowing and then head to the door...

It's no joke that retail is voting by shuttering stores and reducing hours...

Gunfire is common somewhere but in the context of 9 million live in the metro area...

 

[Fuddy1952]

This crap really pixxes me off. Years ago a good friend was a store manager at a department store in a small town an hour from here. He caught shoplifters all the time.
He had to testify in court. One day my friend
said the district attorney jumps up and said to the judge "day after day this man has to take off from work, show up here, the thief gets a slap on the wrist and goes on his way."
The judge said "I agree with you. OK...next case...what did this guy steal?". Friend said a shirt. Judge: "OK, $100 fine+10 days jail. Next case". Guy stole a portable stereo...$200 fine+20 days. Etc.
Would you believe after that shoplifting quit!
My friend said it was very rare it ever happened again.
My Dad (rip) worked at Sears years ago. He always carried a pair of Sears socks in his pocket with label & tags on them. He would chase after a shoplifter as police were called. Shoplifter would always throw merchandise into the bushes, Dad would wrestle & hold guy down while police arrived then slip those socks in the guy's pocket.
Police would find them, perp usually said "I didn't steal socks...it was that Craftsman wrench over in the bushes."

 

[ultrarunner]

Don't know if Shoplifting is the right word as to my thinking Shoplifting is someone stealthily stealing by slipping under a coat or into a bag leaving undetected.

Today nothing is concealed... it is all out in the open.

Seniors followed home is on the increase for theft/robbery often with some sort of distraction.

 

[MossRoad]

Don't know if Shoplifting is the right word as to my thinking Shoplifting is someone stealthily stealing by slipping under a coat or into a bag leaving undetected.

Today nothing is concealed... it is all out in the open.

Seniors followed home is on the increase for theft/robbery often with some sort of distraction.

That's been going on forever. Old man that lived across the street from our property was followed home and mugged on his front porch after cashing his paycheck at the grocery store... that was 30+ years ago.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep… grandma 25 years ago same thing but it did not make news…

Now the speculation is it is organized.

 

[jaxs]

Shoplifter would always throw merchandise into the bushes, Dad would wrestle & hold guy down while police arrived then slip those socks in the guy's pocket.
Police would find them, perp usually said "I didn't steal socks...it was that Craftsman wrench over in the bushes."

When I went to men's room one evening at a small restaurant 4 men were waiting outside the one holer restroom. A couple of giggling tweens boys finaly emerged and the first guy in line said something to the effect of them little ^&@#%^ were in here smoking while i was about to Pi$$ my pants. I recconized the boys on the way back to my table so I said "boys those cigarettes ya'll throwed in the trash can set it on fire". One responded "nu-hu we flushed it down the toilet". Last i saw they were in tears as dad escorted them outside.

 

[jyoutz]

Plenty of funds, they are just not spent wisely. Actual government workers, such as yourself get the short end. Government employees, read bureaucracy, waste billions for the 'leadership' to travel, have bloated staffs and fund 'studies' (read money directed to friends of the bureaucracy). This is apolitical as it doesn't matter who is in charge other than who the 'friends' are that receive the largess.

In the private sector, management must come in under budget to stay employed.. Oh, and the customer must still be happy. In the public sector, budgets must be spent, regardless of need. No need to provide good customer service as customers have no alternatives. Check the data, government spending is largest every September, last month of the fiscal year. The bureaucracy ensuring they continue to be fed at the same level.

Most importantly, this thread was about state and local employees, you took it on yourself to assume that it meant you and yours. I thank you for your service. A wise former boss of mine told me to assume positive intent. While we all know people who don't have positive intentions, but, assuming the worst is a road to anger and distrust.

Congress provides most funding appropriations with targeted uses. Gone are the days when agencies just receive a pot of money with no targeted use requirement. So for example, when federal land management agencies receive funds for hazardous fuels reduction it cannot be spent on recreation facilities such as camp ground restrooms. Congress also requires accomplishment reporting annually for the funds (as they should). So we can only spend the amount on hazardous fuels reduction projects that Congress directed, even if there are other funds remaining in other accounts.

 

[lman]

Like I said earlier, mismanagement of taxpayer money. More money is spent on ridiculous things than the necessary projects. Just repeating because my earlier post disappeared.

 

[ultrarunner]

My first large corp experience started only a few years ago and is an eye opener so it makes me think the bigger the organization the more likely waste.

Had a Doctor tenant move out at the end of lease at the hospital...

Doc left behind an old dented with broken lock two door office supply cabinet.

I had it at he loading dock to dispose of and another division was picking up supplies and asked about it... I said take it and he said he would pick it up next week and that is when the fun started after I was asked why I had not yet disposed of it and another division is coming to pick it up.

Since the other division is a for profit the Stark rule kicked in.

I had to provide pictures with measurements and detailed description to compliance who ordered a valuation which generated a visit from an evaluator who determined a retail value of $25.

This had to be approved and generated documentation which required a check be cut and presented at the time of delivery... 4-week process and the time involved for the $25 exceeded many times $25... likely hundreds of dollars because the compliance lawyer at Corp had to sign off and create a record with pictures.

Now had I placed it in the dumpster and walked away there would have been no issue.

When I said this makes no sense I was told it would if I fully understand the implications of the Stark law as it applies to not for profit entities...

 

[bmg88201]

When working as an RN at the VA, I have been told to throw away cases and cases of syringes, gauze, tape, band aids etc still unopened and still sterile because they were past the expiration date. How in the heck can a syringe be out of date. Once I was told to toss 14 brand new C-Pap machines because the VA go a new provider and we couldn’t use those because they were a different brand. So I placed them on the back dock behind the hospital and slowly took them home and donated them to a few nursing homes. The syringes and dressing supplies I gave to a church for a mission trip to Brazil. Probably could have gotten fired if caught, oh well. The amount of still good medications the VA throws away is staggering, probably amounts to millions Per year, no joke !! Glad I’m retired now so I don’t witness the waste anymore.

 

[check]

Yikes. One of my grandmas was a nurse in a psych ward. Did not end well.

Thanks for helping those folks.

Yikes! My daughter just took a nursing job in the Mental Health unit at the local hospital!

 

[ultrarunner]

Yikes! My daughter just took a nursing job in the Mental Health unit at the local hospital!

The key in my opinion is to never be alone... at least always in earshot...

Some patients try things with female staff they never would try with male staff.

Also... some just have a natural ability to de-escalate which can be learned.