This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: “Your Tax Dollars At Work”

  • HR 5172; the POW Accountability Act

    HR 5172; the POW Accountability Act

    Veterans-Affairs2

    We wrote over two years ago about how the Senate tried to get the Veterans’ Affairs Department to bounce their list of POWs off of the list that the Department of Defense POW/MIA Office maintains. Then-Secretary Shinseki responded that they scrubbed their list and found only two liars, and one was already deceased. It look us about two weeks to find another one, so obviously, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, once again, failed in their commitment to their job.

    Here is the letter that Shinseki sent to Congress;

    Shinseki Letter1Shinseki Letter2

    So, Congress is trying to make the DVA do their job right this time with HR 5172;

    A BILL

    To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to review the list of veterans designated as former prisoners of war, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

    SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the `POW Accountability Act’.

    SEC. 2. REVIEW OF LISTS OF FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR.

    (a) Review of Lists of Prisoners of War- The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall review the VA POW list and the DOD POW list to identify any discrepancies in such lists.

    (b) Inspector General Review of Process- The Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall review the process by which the Secretary determines that a veteran is a former prisoner of war, including whether the Secretary is following guidelines established by the Secretary to determine that a veteran is a former prisoner of war.

    (c) Report- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the VA POW list, including the following:

    (1) Any discrepancies, by period of conflict, in the number of prisoners of war included on the VA POW list and the DOD POW list.

    (2) With respect to veterans included on the VA POW list who are not included on the DOD POW list, information regarding how such determinations were made, including what types of evidence were used, in a manner that does not personally identify such veterans.

    (3) The results of the review of the Inspector General under subsection (b), without change.

    (d) Definitions- In this section:

    (1) The term `DOD POW list’ means the list maintained by the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, of members of the Armed Forces who were prisoners of war.

    (2) The term `VA POW list’ means the list maintained by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of veterans whom the Secretary determines are former prisoners of war.

    One more mess that Shinseki refused to fix that has to be cleaned up now that he’s gone.

    At this point, three Ohio Congressmen are the only sponsors of the bill; Bill Johnson, Steve Stivers, and Patrick Tiberi. You should contact your congressman and get him/her on board. This whole POW thing is at the root of the stolen valor zombie apocalypse that we’re currently experiencing. If we can get the VA to scrutinize this particular problem, maybe they’ll be more cognizant of the whole stolen valor thing – that they seem to be arm-in-arm with the phonies.

  • More About That Menace, “Global Warming”

    Here’s a few new interesting bits regarding that threat to the planet, “global warming” – courtesy of the folks at whatsupwiththat.com:

    Yeah, that “global warming” is truly a menace to society – and humanity. We gotta do something – right away!  OMG, the sky’s about to fall!!  Aieeeeee!!!!!

    (I do hope that last paragraph’s sarcasm was obvious.)

    Sheesh. What we need do is admit that mankind really doesn’t yet really understand Earth’s climate anywhere near as well as our “climate warming”   propagandists   proponents claim. And we also need to admit we really don’t know if the Earth’s climate is staying about the same, warming, or cooling – and if it’s changing, what’s causing the change.

  • More “Government Transparency”? Sure Looks Like It.

    Remember a month ago or so, when the TSA flatly denied news reports that illegal immigrants were being allowed to board US commercial flights without proper ID? You know, after Border Patrol union officials had disclosed the practice, flatly stated it was occurring, and questioned it?  When TSA said, in a press release to multiple media outlets,

    “These reports are false. A Notice to Appear, issued by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), is not an acceptable form of ID at the TSA checkpoint.”

    Do I really have to tell you what they’re saying today? After all, haven’t we seen this Administration backpedal enough since January 2009 to know what’s coming next?

    Hell, I’m gonna tell you anyway. Here’s a quote from a 7 August 2014 letter from TSA to Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-TX:

    …” If a passenger does not have an acceptable form of identification, then the passenger is allowed to present two other forms of identification. One of the two forms of identification must bear the individual’s name and other identifying information such as photo, address, phone number, social security number, or date of birth. TSA may assess a variety of government issued documents to establish passenger identity. The I-862 form may be used along with another form of identification in this instance. As part of the issuance process for Form I-862, the person undergoes a biographic systems check, and a biometric systems check against both the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System and the Automated Biometric Identification System prior to the issuance of Form I-862. TSA needs to be able to assess a wide range of information proffered by a passenger in order to investigate the passenger’s identity and make sure that watchlist matching has occurred.”

    “If a passenger can only present a Form I-862, TSA will attempt to establish the passenger’s identity through DHS partner Components, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If other DHS Components are able to provide corroborating information (such as that the I-862 was issued to an individual with the name provided) to permit TSA to verify an individual’s identity when taken together with all other information available, the passenger is permitted into the screening checkpoint to undergo screening.

    Yep.  If the claimed name matches and the individual can present no other info, the guy or gal flies.  Gee, you don’t suppose someone could POSSIBLY use someone else’s name or fake such a form, do you?  Especially since the form is allegedly available on the Internet?

    Sheesh.  Ya know, I really wish the current Administration would quit p!ssing on my leg and telling me it’s raining.

    It’s getting old.  And I can tell p!ss from rain.

  • Meanwhile, In the “Government Transparency” Department . . .

    . . . we have the following two “inconvenient truths”:

    We all remember just how “wonderfully” the rollout of the Federal ObamaCare website went. Because of this debacle – and fears concerning system security because of the poor initial implementation of that website – the AP made a FOIA request for documentation regarding the website’s system security plan.

    The Administration is flatly refusing to release any information about the subject. They are allegedly doing so for two reasons. First, because the release of system security plan might help attackers circumvent it. And second, because “releasing this information would potentially cause an unwarranted risk to consumers’ private information.”

    Sheesh – what a load of crap. First, any competent IT professional will tell you that this is merely an example of what’s called “security through obscurity.” They will also tell you that “security through obscurity” is merely the illusion of security; a competent attacker can figure out what you’ve done in a reasonable amount of time.

    Second: the allegation that releasing the system security plan “would potentially cause an unwarranted risk to consumers’ private information” is absurd. The plan doesn’t contain a damn bit of PII.   So releasing the plan doesn’t risk disclosing squat concerning “consumers’ private information.”

    What a release of the plan would do is allow 3rd-party review and validation of the plan. It would also show if the job was done “just as competently” as the initial website implementation – and thus would risk further embarrassing the Administration.   My money’s on that being the real reason behind the refusal.

    And then, we have this. It seems that on 15 April 2009, the Administration decided to get a handle on FOIA requests throughout the Federal government. On that date, Gregory Craig – Counsel to the President – wrote a memo reminding all Federal agencies of the need to consult with the White House if any document was requested that had “White House equities”. The requirement to consult with the White House involved all types of requests – including FOIA, Congressional, subpoena, and GAO.

    You can see an extract of the memo here.

    Gee. What a wonderful way to prevent the public from finding out what you’re really doing. The late LBJ and Richard Nixon must be smiling in their graves. They’d have heartily approved this!

    Transparent? Yeah, right. Just about as transparent as a freaking stone wall.

    But this should be no surprise. I mean, when the person in charge of making nonprofit group determinations tells a subordinate in e-mail they think conservatives are ”crazies” and “assholes” you can be fairly sure that they aren’t really interested in either operating openly or fairly. And when the Attorney General won’t investigate such incidents, you know that a distain for open government goes pretty far “up the chain”.

    Like maybe to the very top.

  • Oh, That Ain’t Workin’ . . . .

    From the Washington Times:

    • Number of rounds of golf Tiger Woods has played since January 2009: 269
    • Number of rounds of golf the POTUS has played since January 2009: almost 200

    Woods is likely done for the year due to injury. So if the POTUS keeps up his normal pace with his golf game, there’s a fair chance he’ll pass Woods in the number of rounds of golf since January 2009 next spring.

    The article also discusses the POTUS’s (and the VPs) penchant for “vacations”.  Apparently the POTUS forgot he foreswore those while campaigning.

    Yeah, that was a stupid thing to say.  Everyone needs a break now and again; even the POTUS is no exception..

    Nontheless, he did say it.  But that statement notwithstanding, he certainly hasn’t been reluctant to vacation in “trendy, toney” places on our dime.  Like a $12M mansion with pool and private beach on Martha’s Vineyard – where he’s on vacation for 2 weeks now.

    Bottom line:  the POTUS is playing nearly as much golf as a PGA golfer – and is on pace to pass him in that respect.  It also seems that he (or his family) is also taking longish and expensive vacations every month or two.  Under those conditions it’s reasonable to wonder if he’s actually doing his job.

    Well, on second thought . . . no, I no longer wonder about that.

  • From the Same State that Brought You “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince” . . .

    A town in Minnesota has a new mayor. The town of Cormorant, to be precise.

    Their new mayor is a bit, well, different.  He goes by only one name. That name? “Duke”.

    No, it’s not really odd for him to have only one name.. The new mayor is a dog.

    Literally.

    I’m not joking.

    Hey, first the “good voters” of Minnesota elected Jesse Ventura as governor. Then they elected Al “Felons’ Choice” Franken to the US Senate. So why wouldn’t they elect a damn dog to public office?

    I couldn’t find out if Duke’s coat is considered “yellow”, or if he ran as a Democrat.  But both of those being true would indeed be apropos – then he’d truly be a “yellow-dog Democrat.”  (smile)

  • New Army PT Gear: Coming to a Clothing Sales Store Near You

    

    Yep:  yet another new uniform.
    

    You can take a look at the new stuff here.  According to the article, it will cost a touch less than the existing PT gear – maybe as much as a whopping $3 less for the set.
    

    To cut costs, there’s no reflective lettering on this new uniform. But as the linked article reminds us all:  “When needed, soldiers can wear reflective belts.”  (sheesh)
    

    There will also be a “mix-n-match” optional version of the new PT gear.  This optional version will be made of different, “higher performance fabric”. This optional version will be will not be issued to all; soldiers desiring these items will need to purchase them out of pocket.  These items will also be substantially more costly than the issue version.
    

    Yeah, I said “mix-n-match” above.  The concept is to allow optional and issue items to be mixed if the soldier desires to do so.
    

    That’s gonna look just freaking great as stuff is laundered a few times and and fades. I’ve yet to see two different fabrics that fade the same when repeatedly laundered.
    

    The new PT gear is the result of soldier feedback from at least two surveys. For the first, 76,000+ soldiers responded; for the second, 170,000. At 10 min per survey, that’s, only . . . oh, 19.65 standard staff-years just to respond to the surveys.
    

    And that doesn’t include the time to record and analyze the data, develop the surveys, design and test the uniforms, or put out a contract for their manufacture. Or to buy and issue the new uniforms.
    

    Hey, I wasn’t a big fan of the grey post-2000 Army PT uniform. But it worked well enough. Who cares if Joe and Jane Tentpeg didn’t like the way it looked? It’s not a damned fashion statement, folks – it’s freaking PT gear.  You wear it while you get smelly, sweaty, and nasty while working out hard.
    

    So, somebody tell me: why in the hell did we spend the $$$ to develop something new to replace something that worked well enough – yet again?
    

    Must be because the Army has plenty of money.  Yeah, that’s it.  Gotta be.
    

    

    

    

  • 

    

    So, AboutThat “Model Telework” Program the Administration Touts as a “Success Story” . . . .
    

    To be blunt: in reality, it . . . sucks.
    

    The current administration has touted the US Patent and Trademark Office’s telework as a “model program” for the Federal government. So, it must be well-run; have few problems; and very little abuse, right?
    

    Yeah, right. Just like I’m the freaking rightful Emperor of China.
    

    It seems that the PTO’s telework program is, in reality, not a good model at all.  Except maybe of how to run a proverbial “gravy train” for people wanting something for nothing.
    

    Abuse is rife. Repeat offenders remain unfired. Managers have difficulty in getting computer records to check work-from-home claims.
    

    Or, more succinctly:  it sucks – from the perspective of the US taxpayer, anyway.  For those “ridin’ the gravy train”, it’s indeed a sweet deal.
    

    So, what’s going on, you ask?  Well, in one particularly egregious case, a  PTO employee was paid for 304 hours one calendar year that the individual never worked.  (That’s somewhat over 1 hour in 7.)   That individual was caught – and was warned about their behavior.  The same individual was later caught again falsely claiming to have worked when they did not.
    

    The individual was not fired.
    

    In another case, a different worker was caught having falsely claimed to have worked 266 hours,.  However, that individual was not charged with fraud.  Why?  Because the individual’s supervisor couldn’t seem to get the computer records needed to substantiate fraud. (The individual did get disciplined for failing to contact their supervisor in a timely manner when requested to do so.)
    

    The second individual was reportedly never required to pay back Uncle Sam the $12+k in salary received for those 266 hours, either.
    

    Why all the problems? Apparently because of negotiated union work rules – as well as “other issues”.  Like maybe possible attempts by senior management to hide or downplay the severity of the problem.
    

    It seems the Commerce Department’s IG investigated the PTO’s telework program problems when the matter was referred to them by PTO management after an internal review.  But the internal review report given to the Commerce IG as their starting point was a far cry from the original report prepared by the group doing the initial review. Many of the worst abuses were for some reason missing from the revised internal review report given to the Commerce Department IG.
    

    You know, to me that almost looks like maybe someone was trying to downplay the seriousness of the matter and/or hide the true scope of the problem from the IG.  But what do I know?  And besides, people never try to hide things from the IG, right?
    

    The Washington Post has a moderately long article on the subject with more details. Read it if you want to get p!ssed – but maybe not right after eating.
    

    Oh, and if you’re thinking to yourself that you remember hearing something else fishy about the PTO recently:  you’d be correct.  That’s the same Federal agency that recently was found to have a sh!tload of paralegals sitting at home getting paid for doing nothing (they had been hired, but because of a lack of Admin Law judges there was no legitimate work for them to do.)
    

    Sheesh.  I guess the management and employees at the PTO must all own stock in Purina.  (That’s the company that makes “Gravy Train” dog food.)
    

    . . .
    

    “Most transparent administration in history?” Well yeah – if you’re talking about the most transparently incompetent one.