Monday, January 19, 2004
PAMPERED: I love my Harper's, my Atlantic Monthly, and my Orion magazines. But you know that (see links to left). Harper's and the Atlantic come out once a month so it is a special treat when my thick glossy Orion arrives in my mailbox too. It gets better... As a state employee, I get Martin Luther King Day off and so have had the whole day to delve and dive and dip into my magazines.
The pay may not be great working for the state but you gotta' love those holidays every month. There's New Year's, Martin Luther King, President's Day, Evacuation Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. That's about two weeks right there. Then there are those long, slow summer months with no formal sessions on the calendar... So anyone with half a brain works out a schedule with the co-worker conducive to beach days and extended weekends at the very least. My first year working as a state employee I calculate that I had six weeks vacation including the state holidays. Add to those great health benefits, the fact that I work about a thirty-hour week, and my free parking privileges and now my pay isn't looking so pathetic! Your Government Hard at Work, baby! Now, now. Before you get all huffy, I'll have you know that you are definitely getting your money's worth with Anna Bloviation's at the heel. There are plenty of people, including my co-worker, who while physically present at the State House every day, don't actually work. It's the online Solitaire Capital of the world I tell you.
Down side to Martin Luther King Day. This Wednesday there is a BIG EVENT that I and the offices of two Senators have organized. The Speaker of the House will be there. The Senate President. The Lt. Governor. All of the members of the North East Legislative Caucus. Invited elected officials of the municipalities. The problem is we have no idea how many people will be in attendance. Other than the speakers who have committed to inspirational blah-blah speeches, we have no clue how many members or elected officials are coming. With Monday as a holiday, this gives us just TUESDAY to round up some firm numbers, order food and coffee, etc. We started making some calls on Friday and got either "Yes it is on so-and-so's calendar as a tentative." Or, "Would you mind faxing a copy of the invitation? We seem to have misplaced it." Or, "I'm sorry; we are a skeleton staff today. We really can't help you." All righty then.
Couple of goodies from Harper's not available online:
From Harper's Index: Number of times a Hummer H2 could be driven around the world on the excess calories Americans consume each year: 244.
Also from Harper's: WEAPON OF MASS DEDUCTION. The following letter was sent last August to potential customers from Chris Thorpe of the Anchorage Chrysler Center in Alaska. Allow me to introduce you to a fabulous opportunity. A tax loophole so big you could drive a HUMMER H2 through it! Imagine being able to purchase the #1 large luxury SUV in America today, the HUMMER H2, and receive a deduction for the entire purchase amount from your taxes this year! How is this possible? Thanks to the Bush Administration's recent economic-stimulus package, small businesses and the self-employed are eligible to deduct the entire purchase cost of new equipment up to $100,000 the year of the purchase. The HUMMER H2 qualifies for this IRS Sec. 179 deduction by its gross vehicle weight rating of over 6,000 lbs. Cars and medium-size SUVs don't qualify for this deduction. If you are seriously considering acquisition of a new vehicle, step up to the vehicle that can take you where you want to be, financially and otherwise. I invite you to join our HUMMER family and experience the lifestyle you deserve.
All righty then...
The pay may not be great working for the state but you gotta' love those holidays every month. There's New Year's, Martin Luther King, President's Day, Evacuation Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. That's about two weeks right there. Then there are those long, slow summer months with no formal sessions on the calendar... So anyone with half a brain works out a schedule with the co-worker conducive to beach days and extended weekends at the very least. My first year working as a state employee I calculate that I had six weeks vacation including the state holidays. Add to those great health benefits, the fact that I work about a thirty-hour week, and my free parking privileges and now my pay isn't looking so pathetic! Your Government Hard at Work, baby! Now, now. Before you get all huffy, I'll have you know that you are definitely getting your money's worth with Anna Bloviation's at the heel. There are plenty of people, including my co-worker, who while physically present at the State House every day, don't actually work. It's the online Solitaire Capital of the world I tell you.
Down side to Martin Luther King Day. This Wednesday there is a BIG EVENT that I and the offices of two Senators have organized. The Speaker of the House will be there. The Senate President. The Lt. Governor. All of the members of the North East Legislative Caucus. Invited elected officials of the municipalities. The problem is we have no idea how many people will be in attendance. Other than the speakers who have committed to inspirational blah-blah speeches, we have no clue how many members or elected officials are coming. With Monday as a holiday, this gives us just TUESDAY to round up some firm numbers, order food and coffee, etc. We started making some calls on Friday and got either "Yes it is on so-and-so's calendar as a tentative." Or, "Would you mind faxing a copy of the invitation? We seem to have misplaced it." Or, "I'm sorry; we are a skeleton staff today. We really can't help you." All righty then.
Couple of goodies from Harper's not available online:
From Harper's Index: Number of times a Hummer H2 could be driven around the world on the excess calories Americans consume each year: 244.
Also from Harper's: WEAPON OF MASS DEDUCTION. The following letter was sent last August to potential customers from Chris Thorpe of the Anchorage Chrysler Center in Alaska. Allow me to introduce you to a fabulous opportunity. A tax loophole so big you could drive a HUMMER H2 through it! Imagine being able to purchase the #1 large luxury SUV in America today, the HUMMER H2, and receive a deduction for the entire purchase amount from your taxes this year! How is this possible? Thanks to the Bush Administration's recent economic-stimulus package, small businesses and the self-employed are eligible to deduct the entire purchase cost of new equipment up to $100,000 the year of the purchase. The HUMMER H2 qualifies for this IRS Sec. 179 deduction by its gross vehicle weight rating of over 6,000 lbs. Cars and medium-size SUVs don't qualify for this deduction. If you are seriously considering acquisition of a new vehicle, step up to the vehicle that can take you where you want to be, financially and otherwise. I invite you to join our HUMMER family and experience the lifestyle you deserve.
All righty then...
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