More Goobermint Waste Insanity

[popsjumper 2]

$16 muffins, $8 coffee served in Justice audit

http://news.yahoo.com/16-muffins-8-coffee-served-justice-audit-023623142.html

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As the U.S. government grapples to find ways to trim the bloated federal deficit, a new report suggests officials might start with cutting out $16 muffins and $10 cookies."

We are ALL in the wrong business. We should ALL have contracts supplying anything and everything to the out-of-touch-with-reality goobermint.

Is it any wonder that other countries think we are so full of shit? Yes, it happens in their countries, too.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[DougH 270]

Government waste adds up to be a significant amount.

Those are 16 dollar muffins that we borrowed from future generations to purchase!

Sorry for the reverse mortgage on your future Grandson, thanks for the social security and the muffins!

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Andy9o8 3]

You're under arrest by the Re-post Police.
Up against the wall, you dirty hippie.

[firemedic 7]

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$16 muffins, $8 coffee served in Justice audit

http://news.yahoo.com/16-muffins-8-coffee-served-justice-audit-023623142.html

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As the U.S. government grapples to find ways to trim the bloated federal deficit, a new report suggests officials might start with cutting out $16 muffins and $10 cookies."

We are ALL in the wrong business. We should ALL have contracts supplying anything and everything to the out-of-touch-with-reality goobermint.

Is it any wonder that other countries think we are so full of shit? Yes, it happens in their countries, too.

I think this is a bargain. We'll pay a heck of a lot more when the Bakers Union sues.

[popsjumper 2]

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You're under arrest by the Re-post Police.
Up against the wall, you dirty hippie.

Don't shoot!
I live under a rock!
And that's EX-hippie to you sir.
AND it's only my mind that's dirty these days.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

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I think this is a bargain. We'll pay a heck of a lot more when the Bakers Union sues.

...and they are going to need that $700 toilet seat when the muffins pass.

I grew up in Florida.
I once thought about volunteering for the Baker Act until I found out that it didn't involve free donuts.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[captain_stan 0]

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$16 muffins, $8 coffee served

When this type of thing happens in the private sector, people lose thier jobs over it. But in a beauracy, many of the folks who decide to spend our money this way are too far down the command chain for the voters to fire them.

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We should ALL have contracts supplying anything and everything

Some think of this as stimulating the economy and creating jobs.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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When this type of thing happens in the private sector, people lose thier jobs over it.

Not so sure that is always true. I hear quite a bit of bragging about who has the biggest expense account. Bets on who has expensed the most expensive bottle of wine, or most martinis at lunch. I could go on and on.

[captain_stan 0]

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When this type of thing happens in the private sector, people lose thier jobs over it.

Not so sure that is always true. I hear quite a bit of bragging about who has the biggest expense account. Bets on who has expensed the most expensive bottle of wine, or most martinis at lunch. I could go on and on.

Then I'm not buying stock in such a badly managed company. As a US taxpayer, I'm required to buy stock in the US government. My point
is that the consequences (employee termination) are much more direct in the private sector and investment in this kind of madness is
optional. And further, private sector expense accounts are paid for by a profitable, competative busines until another leaner, meaner business becomes more competetative with smaller expense accounts. OTOH, the government enjoys a monopoly that forbids such competetition and simply mandates the taxpayers into more funding. And no, I don't feel any better about this kind of abuse just on the promise that someone other than me will suffer the next big tax increase.

Edit: extra line spacing added to keep text within page boundary. Mods can try to fix this any time now...

[quade 4]

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$16 muffins, $8 coffee served

When this type of thing happens in the private sector, people lose thier jobs over it.

Nonsense.

They held a meeting at a Marriott, something thousands of business travelers do every day. Marriott doesn't allow you or anyone else to bring in your own food. Marriott charged them the exact same rates they charge everybody.

This is NOT unusual at all. In fact, it's absolutely typical.

I'm not saying the situation is right. I'm saying your statement though is 100% wrong. People do NOT get fired for being over charged at business conferences.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[shah269 0]

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Nonsense.

They held a meeting at a Marriott, something thousands of business travelers do every day. Marriott doesn't allow you or anyone else to bring in your own food. Marriott charged them the exact same rates they charge everybody.

This is NOT unusual at all. In fact, it's absolutely typical.

I'm not saying the situation is right. I'm saying your statement though is 100% wrong. People do NOT get fired for being over charged at business conferences.

Yeah! They freaking buy the darn things from their star bucks and then turn arond and sell them to the feds at $16 a shot!

It is sick but....well...they won't let you bring in your own food or drink. I know...I walked into a meeting with a cup of coffee I had just bought at their freaking star bucks but the cute girl said I could not take it in....thought it was to keep the place clean. So I dumped it...when I got it...star bucks coffee!

I was like WTF!

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[captain_stan 0]

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I'm saying your statement though is 100% wrong.

Your statement is 100% absolute. I'll let the other readers decide how much truth is in mine.

[shah269 0]

I'm all for eating MRE's during meetings!
But at freaking $14 a pop!

I call Sloppy Joe!

Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay.

The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools!

[nigel99 646]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15016268

There we go Andy. Recipe for $16 muffins complete with how you need gold leaf decoration to get up to the price

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[marks2065 0]

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$16 muffins, $8 coffee served in Justice audit

http://news.yahoo.com/16-muffins-8-coffee-served-justice-audit-023623142.html

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As the U.S. government grapples to find ways to trim the bloated federal deficit, a new report suggests officials might start with cutting out $16 muffins and $10 cookies."

We are ALL in the wrong business. We should ALL have contracts supplying anything and everything to the out-of-touch-with-reality goobermint.

Is it any wonder that other countries think we are so full of shit? Yes, it happens in their countries, too.

The hilton hotel charged $16 a head for breakfast per person including tip, breakfast included muffins, cookies, fruit, candy, tea, and coffee.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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Then I'm not buying stock in such a badly managed company.

Won't be much stock left for you then. Nor any vehicles to buy the stock through.

[popsjumper 2]

So,,,I found this:

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/government-waste-20-of-the-craziest-things-that-the-u-s-government-is-spending-money-on

"You are not going to believe some of the things that the U.S. government is spending money on. According to a shocking new report, U.S. taxpayer money is being spent to study World of Warcraft, to study how Americans find love on the Internet, and to study the behavior of male prostitutes in Vietnam. Not only that, but....."

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[captain_stan 0]

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Won't be much stock left for you then. Nor any vehicles to buy the stock through.

But at least I have that choice in the private sector. Because most Americans share your complacent attitude that all business is expected to be wastefully and inefficient, we are all mandated stockholders in a "company" that is exempt from good business practice and competitive management. The $16 muffins are a trivial symptom of a bigger problem which has escalated far beyond that and will continue as long as we give our tacit approval.

[popsjumper 2]

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The $16 muffins are a trivial symptom of a bigger problem which has escalated far beyond that and will continue as long as we give our tacit approval.

Exactly!

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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The $16 muffins are a trivial symptom of a bigger problem which has escalated far beyond that and will continue as long as we give our tacit approval.

Not at all, it is easier to pay a $16 muffin, cause that is what the catering costs in the most convenient hotel available than most other options.

I have seen those options too. usually these "travesties" are "remedied" by starting an Human Resources led committee to establish suitable guidelines for proper catering standards and costs at business conferences. etc etc

This will lead to hotel selections which add large transportation costs to get to them. Or, one of my favourites, travel rules stating the lowest fares always have to be selected. Which results in executives making $250 an hour (and up) wasting time on stopovers and layovers. But the policy looks good on paper....

Before you know it, the company has spent $500,000 in resources to make sure that muffins will now be bought at $12 per muffin.

THAT is the problem in the public sector. Placating everybody costs more than a $16 muffin.

[captain_stan 0]

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it is easier to pay a $16 muffin

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Before you know it, the company has spent $500,000 in resources to make sure that muffins will now be bought at $12 per muffin.

Not the same situation. When a private company entertains clients, it expects to make a profit from them and recapture the cost of these expenses. The DOJ doesn’t make a profit or have any need to entertain clients.

By its own admission, the DOJ exceeded its budget, but it took 3 years to realize it. That would be considered bad business practice in the private sector and a red flag to investors following an audit.

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THAT is the problem in the public sector. Placating everybody costs more than a $16 muffin.

No, placating the taxpayers costs $0. You've overlooked the option of letting the employees of the DOJ buy their own snacks. Don't we pay them enough already? If that was the case, the taxpayers wouldn't have an issue with $16 muffins, and the appetite for these would be significantly reduced.

[popsjumper 2]

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Cap_Stan: The $16 muffins are a trivial symptom of a bigger problem which has escalated far beyond that and will continue as long as we give our tacit approval.

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Not at all, it is easier to pay a $16 muffin, cause that is what the catering costs in the most convenient hotel available than most other options.

Easier???
Easy is the measure?
How's this for easy?
I have $100 muffins and I'll have them delivered right to your very own front door with a singing telegram provided at no extra energy costs to you. Just sign here and sit back and relax!
(minimum order 100)

Can't get much easier than that!


Oh...you don't have $10K to spare? Then bring your own fricking muffins.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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Cap_Stan: The $16 muffins are a trivial symptom of a bigger problem which has escalated far beyond that and will continue as long as we give our tacit approval.

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Not at all, it is easier to pay a $16 muffin, cause that is what the catering costs in the most convenient hotel available than most other options.

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Easier???
Easy is the measure?
How's this for easy?
I have $100 muffins and I'll have them delivered right to your very own front door with a singing telegram provided at no extra energy costs to you. Just sign here and sit back and relax!
(minimum order 100)

Can't get much easier than that!


Oh...you don't have $10K to spare? Then bring your own fricking muffins.

Would have been easier for you to read the rest of my post, but I guess that would have made your post less funny.

Hey and next time you go to a restaurant, bring your own food, it would be cheaper.

Oh sorry what? they won't let you? Wow, that funny post quickly lost any merit...

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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Not the same situation. When a private company entertains clients, it expects to make a profit from them and recapture the cost of these expenses. The DOJ doesn’t make a profit or have any need to entertain clients.

Who said anything about clients? I have been to those conferences are industry conferences or even internal conferences. No clients involved.

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No, placating the taxpayers costs $0. You've overlooked the option of letting the employees of the DOJ buy their own snacks. Don't we pay them enough already? If that was the case, the taxpayers wouldn't have an issue with $16 muffins, and the appetite for these would be significantly reduced.

Likely the hotel won't let you bring in your own food. Secondly, placating the taxpayer never costs $0. Placating the taxpayer by defintion costs money. The more you want to placate them, the more money it is going to cost. My argument is finding the line between the two.

[captain_stan 0]

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Likely the hotel won't let you bring in your own food.

Who said they would? I repeat: the DOJ employees can buy their own $16 muffins if they get hungry. And they can buy their own lunch and dinner at the hotel or go out to a more-competitive vendor.

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Placating the taxpayer by defintion costs money.

"Placate: To allay the anger of, especially by making concessions, appease," American Heritage Dictionary (Oops, I forgot--you're not American). In this case, "placating" only requires the DOJ to adhere to their own budget, which of course might mean forgoing the $16 muffins.