Audit a red-letter day for MARTA and its board

Yeah definitely a formatting problem. I closed and switched browsers and it’s still all over the page bleeding into the right margin junk making it impossible to read. Oh and I got a message that said double click to edit…….. should i edit your article lol?

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Thank you for the only non-shrieky analysis of this audit I’ve read (and, depressingly, am likely to read), Jay.

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How co-incidental. I was talking to a friend of mine who outsources his payroll. I couldn’t understand how and why he did that as he had folks in his office that could (I assumed) easily handle it. But he “splained” it to me and it makes sense. If he as a private business does in then why can’t MARTA? WHat was it the Senator once said, ‘A million here and a million there and pretty soon you are talking about some real money.”

MARTA certainly needs to fix itself. I use public transportation when I go to other cities but not here. It’s not reliable. I have a stop less than 1/4 mile from my house but don’t use it because it’s not reliable.

Sad.

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Searching for a new CEO? I hear Beverly Hall is looking. She’ll do what ever it takes. She’s a doctor too, you know.

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LOL at the “rail” part USinUK.

I don’t think MARTA should be privatized but some parts of it could be, IE the payroll. If they were to “privatize” it now, who gets the windfall? The tracks are built, the equipment is already bought employees are trained. I mean if it was ME who gets to step into all that free guvmimt stuff and start making money I’m all for it, but otherwise, why should one of Nathan Deal’s buddies steal the transportation system?

Besides, MARTA is also partly a “social service.” How would a private business handle that part?

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…there, I got that one out of the way.

You wish.

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Most of MARTA’s problems can be fixed by more and better cops. If MARTA actually had the ridership they keep projecting, they’d be solvent. But people will not climb aboard a transport system that is frequented by thugs and theives. Why would anyone pay for that? So all you get are the subsidized riders. Hint: A subsidy from Marta isn’t a profit.
Grobbbbbbbbbbb

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Thanks for so quickly confirming my post Grob. I knew I could count o one of you to do it quickly but I didn’t expect instantaneous.

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But people will not climb aboard a transport system that is frequented by thugs and theives.

Why just yesterday, I saw some person of color get on the train with a 60″ flat-screen TV that I’m just sure he stole from some white person’s house in Cobb County. Still had the dry-wall attached and everything. Everyone else on the train was high-fiving him.

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If MARTA goes ahead and outsources subject jobs and the low bidder is offshorer, should taxpayers pay more to stay onshore?

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Jay,

Thanks…..I don’t trust unions….particularly of the government ilk…we all know how ugly these labor negotiations can be…..bet they extort deal via shutdown..

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If MARTA goes ahead and outsources subject jobs and the low bidder is offshorer

One of the bigger savings was with the cleaning crews. They’re costing a lot more than they should. Hard to offshore that function, but easy to find people to do it for half the price and no benefits. Accounting functions can be offshored only if there’s enough technology there to support it (scanners, etc.). At the very least, they would need a local office to handle the paperwork. So….

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These are the reasons I didn’t vote for the T-SPLOST. I’m all for public transportation but I don’t trust MARTA or the politicians to straighten out their act.

Now, if MARTA does what it needs to do then more power to them. I’m not holding my breath. The years have made me a cynic.

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Like most public services and many big businesses, MARTA suffers from incompetent management and outrageous freeloading. Outsourcing may be a good idea, but there is no substitute for good overall management.

Competent managers are in short supply despite the high number of people graduating with “business management” degrees. Honestly, I’ve never met or read about a successful businessman who studied “business management”. Good managers have degrees in engineering or the sciences, and some command experience in the military.

MARTA needs a manager who will not be stymied by the complexity of the business environment or mired in the typical American business garbage. Perhaps we should look for a European or Asian transportation manager willing to take a four year assignment to straighten out MARTA.

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Yep..perfect example when Government is in volved and those who run it think there is unlimited fundings – see the Teachers Union – Chicago, Wisconsin – see Barry, Harry and Nancy – sooner or later the well runs dry and then what..oh yea tax the rich..Government at it best as displayed by those in the government who run things..Thanks Beverly – but I bet you will receive a nice retirement and severance for being incapable!!

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Cosby, I think I got con-crazy bingo just on your one off-topic rant. Thanks!

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So,more tax payers money will solve the problem that should have been privatized in the first place?,funny the rest of America is in the same place with big government.

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Cosby, George Soros ad John Kerry say thank you…

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So, how many private companies are ready to take over all of MARTA or replace it in its entirety, given the opportunity for such massive efficiencies of scale. It looks like what they really need in order to fully maximize profits is a bunch of johnnys since we all know that labor costs are the real issue.

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Does anyone really think MARTA is going to act on the audit recommendations? It is difficult to believe that MARTA was not already aware of these inefficiencies prior to the audit if the managers are at all competent. There were no secrets or unique insights uncovered by the audit, just the routine stuff everyone should already be aware of. We will now have to see if MARTA actually takes action.

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It is difficult to believe that MARTA was not already aware of these inefficiencies prior to the audit if the managers are at all competent.

The board’s first order of business is to find a cheaper better CEO. After that, it’ll be up to the CEO to implement the audit’s recommendations. The question is: will the patronage be internal employees or external companies?

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Jay, I have no problem in outsourcing functions for payroll checks if those savings are achieve through efficiency and not because the jobs are in another country with lower pay. But it does concern me that savings must always be made through cutting retirement “costs” (which are really benefits for retired employees). Employee costs should not always be determined by the LCD.

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Fred:

The answer to my question is that it depends on the select elements that one chooses to privatize. Some are easily handled, as Jay said, and some are not, as Jay said.

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Here’s a great idea for your next topic Jay. You can REALLY get the hate out with this one…….

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/uga-council-to-vote-on-domestic-partner-benefits/nSLsj/

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There are three things about the report I find interesting.

1. Because they are public agencies that rely on subsidies, most transit agencies don’t develop a culture that aggressively seeks to reduce costs and improve revenues. If they find a way to save a nickel, the subsidy gets cut a nickel. Change is painful. Why take a risk on it if there is nothing in it for you? Status quo rules the day. Perhaps MARTA’s management and employees should be rewarded for finding ways to reduce the operating subsidy.

2. Station cleaning. You have to be kidding me. It’s expensive? MARTA has some of the dirtiest transit stations outside of NYC. About the only cleaning I see is the trash getting picked up. The stations all need a good power wash – they’re awful. Why not let the districts (like Midtown, Downtown, Buckhead) sponsor their stations and take care of the cleaning?

3. Noticeably absent in the report is using the Breeze card system to do zoned fares. Apparently, this is being done in another study. There was no reason to invest in the Breeze card system if you weren’t going to do zoned fares. It’s been years now. Big investment – no return yet. Not good. See point #1.

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BYTME,

Yeah, I bet Marta paid KPMG a few million to tell them what they already knew…unfortunately, many in the decision making tree will require a third party sign off…unions, auditers, and creditors to name a few…

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My question is in theory, should taxpayers pay more in this instance to keep outsourced funtions in US?

I’ve done both offshoring and outsourcing as part of other businesses. The big thing people forget when doing that is that there are time zone and language barriers that are often ignored until they bite you in the butt. The contract cost is one cost, but the cost of not getting things done on time and with low stress is another. If there’s an issue with a payroll run and your “team” is on the other side of the world, you might not get it resolved for 2 days, which would be intolerable and a “cost” that wasn’t captured in the offshoring contract’s bottom line.

So… yes, you pay more to have it local, just because you save yourself time and headaches over the course of the contract. But you don’t have to pay double, you have to first quantify the value of not having those timezone and language headaches.

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Uh oh….I spotted a bad word: privatization. Which spawns another bad word: profit. We can’t have that sort of thing happening, especially when union jobs (with their top-notch benefits and liberal absenteeism policy) are at stake. God forbid we should actually ask people to come to work…

Somehow I don’t think the people in charge of MARTA will do the right thing, judging by past behavior.

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I bet Marta paid KPMG a few million to tell them what they already knew

Sucker bet The managers already knew a lot of it, but they needed a third-party to say it out loud and help break the cycle of patronage.

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The state of Georgia has a record for backing the wrong causes. I imagine more state tax dollars come from the metro area than the rest of the state. When Metro A blows up not only does Metro A blow up but the rest of the state goes with it. I not sure you won’t see some flight to the country, now expenses pick up in south Georgia without the cash cow Metro A to foot the bill. I predict this state will be bankrupt in 10 years or less. When it goes bankrupt, it will become the ward of the federal government. Funny how these things work. All those illegals that had their attention because the federal government couldn’t handle its job and now we got MPs directing the traffic.

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Brosephus,

I live in Dekalb so therefore I pay for it. I use MARTA only occasionally but the fact that I contribute means I have an interest in how it is operated. By your logic, anyone paying property taxes to support schools shouldn’t have any say in how they are run unless they have a child enrolled. That is ridiculous and leads to exactly the waste of resources MARTA has been guilty of in the past and present.

Up until this report, most of the complaints have been that Marta does not receive adequate funding. Why in the world would anyone think the solution is to throw more money at the problem. MARTA needs to get their house in order then we can talk about additional funding. So long as I’m contributing to the current source of funding, I’ll keep on complaining about what a poor job they do. Its not my job to figure out how best to do that. The person making $315k a year is more than compensated to come up with those solutions.

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The ultimate in lowest-cost public transportation is a design that eliminates as much labor as possible. A rail system modeled after the one used at the airport is a start.

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Well, what MARTA needs is a Republican approach to managing it. First of all, they should send the cops out to check on these people that call in sick. Then arrest their azzes if they’re found on the golf course or sleeping in. Next, they need a Fee system, not taxes. Put the cost on the people that use MARTA. And who are those people? Why, poor people, of course. So sock it to the users, not to the poor taxpayers that have to fork over a penny or two every time they buy something. And MARTA still pays too much. They need to fire alot of the drivers that are making 100 thou or so a year and hire people that will work for, say, five bucks a hour. There’s all kind of homeless people in that city that would be happy to work for that money. And it don’t take no Norman Einsteen to figure out how to arrive at a stop 15 minutes late or be surly to the riders.

In no time at all we’d have MARTA humming along. But would they hire us to run it? Noooooo!

Anyhow, up here in Forsyth County we don’t have MARTA so the whole thing can go bust, far as I’m concerned. Besides, we don’t need buses and trains that will haul a bunch of Those People up here to steal our flat screens and then take them back to the slums in Atlanta.

That’s my opinion and it’s very true. Have a good Hump Day, everybody.

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Breeze is an expensive fix for gate jumpers! All they needed were NYCTA-style revolving turnstiles.

Because of course you have studied the costs and maintenance required and impact while of course realizing that the Breeze system also provides long term ability to track ridership use, station use and time in system as well as having other potentials.

Kneejerk reactions do not make great operational decision making tools

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On a side note, once we manage to maximize efficiencies in all businesses by eliminating all labor costs, who profits?

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“Henry Blodget is priceless. Nice to know you get information from a guy who was banned from the securities industry. Banned for being a liar.”

man, I can’t believe I forgot about that …

well remembered!

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George P Burdell: By your logic, anyone paying property taxes to support schools shouldn’t have any say in how they are run unless they have a child enrolled. That is ridiculous and leads to exactly the waste of resources MARTA has been guilty of in the past and present.

Maybe reading comprehension isn’t one of your strong points. Either that, or you simply want to start a discussion with me. I’ll simply ask you to go back and read what I stated and then look at hour ridiculous and meaningless your response is.

Brosephus™
September 26th, 2012
8:31 am

…My personal feeling on MARTA is that if you don’t use or support it, then quit b*tching about it.

Seeing that you support it, as your claim states, then my post has absolutely no bearing on you whatsoever.

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Perhaps Bain Capital should buy Marta. You know them being so good at turnaround for struggling companies.

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“Maybe they should hire Mitt Romney. ”

yeah – he has an EXCELLENT track record of petitioning the federal government to bail him out!

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“Maybe they should hire Mitt Romney.”
******************

He will be available to start work on November 7th.

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He could reform their healthcare too…he’s got experience with that.

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One option is to just get rid of MARTA. To hell with the arguing over how much it costs and who should pay. Walk away from it. Don’t hire a replacement CEO. Quit collecting taxes for it. Send out an announcement to all employees that their last paycheck is coming. If the GOP wants it, let ‘em have it.

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this is a government service – it shouldn’t be profitable.

profit-seeking, no.

Well, the only way a governmental function can profit is if it charges more in taxes than what it uses for revenue. How many people in Georgia would go for such a thing just to ensure a profit?

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Well, the only way a governmental function can profit is if it charges more in taxes than what it uses for revenue. How many people in Georgia would go for such a thing just to ensure a profit?

True. But in some things we allow a “profit” to subsidize what would otherwise be paid in taxes. The government runs a lottery to subsidize education. I believe, but have not looked at lately, that the airport fees paid by the airlines exceed the actual gate costs to subsidize other airport costs. But I agree overall the net impact of government should trend toward cost efficiency and break even tax revenue.

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Is there some prohibition on Marta hiring white folks???I have never seen one.

That’s because you never looked.

http://www.itsmarta.com/executive-management-team.aspx

Ted Basta
Chief of Business Support Services

Theodore J. Basta, Jr., is the Chief of Business Support Services at MARTA. In this capacity, he serves as a key member of the Executive Management Team providing direction and oversight to all business units for the Authority. Mr. Basta directly oversees the activities of the Budget, Finance & Accounting; Contracts & Procurement; Human Resources, Labor Relations, Training, DEO, Employee Availability; Information Technology; Research & Development; and Administrative Services’ Divisions.

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Is there some prohibition on Marta hiring white folks???I have never seen one

I can put you in touch with a guide dog organization if you need one. I am sure I have an extra pair of dark sunglasses around here too. My concern is that even the seeing impaired seem to have more intellectual ability and can think that you are exhibiting. Maybe you put your cane in the wrong orifice?

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I would not want to sit next to someone on a Marta bus after they have run 6 miles.

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All this does is validate what most of us already knew. Marta is not a well-tuned machine and has no business asking for help from the rest of the state till they can prove they have management in place to take care of business

Well see, these posters at Kyle apparently know everything. They have told us that sooooo many times.

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What a total effing idiot, Allen West, a Republican, of course.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/81659.html?hp=l7

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What a witty retort, you missed your calling

Yes, you would KNOW that too.

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we were against privatization before we were for it…

seriously, remember the life guard that got fired for saving a man outside his “territory”…it spark a number of articles on the evils of privatization…including here

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I mean is there such a thing as white folks affirmative action?

yes. This organization and this organization provide sterling examples of the professional excellence one can expect from such programs.

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The only way to increase revenues in the long run is to expand ridership, and the only way to do that is to expand the rail network

Do you have in mind heavy or light lines?

I agree entirely, though. It’s always been MARTA’s fatal weakness, happily seen to by its many enemies who despised the very idea of it.

Still born.

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USMC – “they don’t go where I need to go, but boy do I love them because they are efficient” said no one. ever.

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Find me one who is a $100,000 a year bus driver, Marta train driver or police officer.

Geez, not this bullsh*t again. Find a $100,000 MARTA bus driver and you might have a point. Seems that nobody else has been able to prove that yet, so maybe you can succeed where others have failed.

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“they don’t go where I need to go, but boy do I love them because they are efficient” said no one. ever.

Liar.

I really really love this puny little bike lane that I pass while driving to/from work. It’s like 3/4 of a mile long and doesn’t begin or end anywhere that is the least bit useful for me, but I really admire the paintwork and the lack of potholes.

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dB – we’re talking about bus / train routes – not bike paths

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KEEPS@8:50

I don’t know the answer but I bet it would be a more difficult decision if we were talking about a or-profit entity with shareholders…wait, I reckon the taxpayers are the shareholders..

How would taxpayers respond if it saved millions of dollars? If taxpayers are footing the bill,we will never see meaningful spending cuts if we don’t consider all the options on the table..

In theory anyhow..in another sense, the government unions…no need to take conversation in that direction…appreciate your response…thought provoking to say the least..

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Ride jitney, it’s not sMARTA.

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off topic, but is it shallow of me to wish that Obama’s Gallup approvals would inexplicably spike at 54% for a rolling average, say, next week?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/124922/Presidential-Approval-Center.aspx

…just so that they could meet up with that of The Gipper’s in early Oct. 1984, and subsequent head-’sploshuns might be observed?

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And the “$100,000 bus driver” thing is really getting annoying. If that person has driven for years and makes a decent salary and is offered over time and ends up making $100,000 a year what is the big deal? Driving a bus is a SKILL cause trust most of the folks commenting can’t do it. If this was some young white kid working in a tech field getting all that over time there wouldn’t be no question, because he deserves it cause he went to college right? You don’t think you have to go through some type of schooling to learn to drive buses or trucks. Or you don’t think mechanics don’t have to learn what they are doing first? But because this is probably an older black man who earn that and didn’t go to college, there is a problem with that man going out and working to get that money. Seems like a lot of racist haters mad because this person has a skill that he gets paid well to do AND has the opportunity to get overtime doing it and able to give his family a comfortable living. But I guess non-formally educated (ie, college)blacks shouldn’t be able to do that right?

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Steve-USA “None of the Above”

September 26th, 2012
9:52 am

I have never had the need to ride on the MARTA rail line. What does it cost per ride? Can you buy a weekly/monthly pass?
++++++++++++++++++++++++

Google is your friend lol. http://www.itsmarta.com/fares-discounts.aspx

The prices vary and there are various subsidies. Some Companies (like Emory) will subsidize a MARTA pass while at the same time MARTA will discount it to them for buying X number of rides.

The train part seems to be fairly reliable, it’s the bus part that sucks. Plus the fact that the trains don’t have great hours…….

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“meh, they’re all Commie plots.”

commiepinkosocialist, if you please!

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from UnU’s linkee:

Mansell, 33, from Leicester, appeared in the dock at Loughborough Magistrates’ Court with his arm in a sling earlier this month when he admitted the offence.

and a vewwy, vewwy sad face!

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WELCOME,

I read your link to Allen West…I think his words are a poor choice to say the least..however, if we are not going to stop messing with other countries…evangelically trying to sell out style democracy, I think BO should have been more firm in his response regarding those who attack our embassies or other assets abroad…

One sign of poor leadership skills is trying to please everyone all the time….message gets fussy since intent is unclear…

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the entertainment world lost an icon today. Andy Williams died at age 84

Dang. I didn’t know that.

Bon voyage to that place that’s wider than a mile.

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…and here’s a link to what I suspect is a very nice Weekend Edition interview with the departed Mr. Willions, if anyone’s interested.

http://www.npr.org/2009/10/31/114361963/andy-williams-memoirs-of-moon-river

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I know it’s hard every morning for Jay to choose between an “Obama for President” campaign thread or one about MARTA/Georgia Transportation but I called this one right last night …………………

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Thanks dB. I didn’t know he died yesterday.

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“USMC – “they don’t go where I need to go, but boy do I love them because they are efficient” said no one. ever.”–USinUK

UsinUk had a bad spot of tea this afternoon. Put a few more crumpets in your trough, Grumpy.
(I never said it was the “end all”, just a great way of increasing demand & attracting expansion)

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and a vewwy, vewwy sad face!

okay, that made me laugh

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“U.S. president tells the AP a new world order needs to emerge away from what he calls US bullying and domination” ……………….. oooops !, I’m sorry ……….. that was the “Iranian” president that said that.

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better to reference all those federal gov’t employees who make more than the average private employee…

have you compared like:like qualifications–things like degrees required, etc.?

put crudely–There aren’t a whole lot of federal government positions doing minimum-wage type work, and given the “let’s privatize!” mantra we keep hearing, I don’t imagine that’s going to change any time soon.

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“USMC – no tea – beginnings of a headcold … I’m somewhere between crappy and crabby”

… and as witty as ever with one hand tied behind her back!
(I am learning to watch who’s hand I shake this time if year! eeewwww!)

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“Hungry Kids Protest Healthy School Lunch Program”

Michelle is starving our children !

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Sagegirl, you realize I was referring to him going to work for Marta on that day.

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STANDS,

IMO, there are many similarities to being a taxpayer and shareholder…they both finance operations and are at risk for having to pump more money or borrow more..in general, both are materially affected by outcomes…

And yes, I have no use for unions…the only group fighting harder for relevance are religions..

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THE LIBERAL CATCH 22

protect the marta union employees with high salaries, low employee contributions to health care and PENSION

or

charge the low income and marta dependent riders more money to use the rail/bus to pay for it

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BRO,

I’ve been accused of worst by better already today:-)

I think it is perfectly fair to compare union results on state level to federal level..

Regarding Reagan…it doesn’t matter to me who is to blame for the federal issue, that’s not relevant now…

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MARTA Saving money: Turn off the signs in the Lindbergh station that only say “Welcome to MARTA”! Where else do you think you are?
At one time MARTA was suppose to be working on a system that would tell patrons when the next NB/SB train was coming…what happened to that? Difficult to do? I think not!

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USMC:

You were gone the other night when “Aquagirl” had this to say about a Navy SEAL with whom she disagreed:

“BTW your whining orders-optional SGT. is….well, a whiner. And a disgraceful b@stard.”

I reminded her that SEALs don’t make Sgt. (they make Petty Officers) but I was also pretty upset about her calling the SEAL a b*stard. Then I did some research and found out that “Aquagirl” has a pretty extensive military record including:

Florida Campaign Medal with two stars (denotes three Spring Breaks to Ft. Lauderdale)
Purple Heart (Cut herself using a blender once).
Bronze Star with Combat “V” device (rescued her neighbor’s cat from a tree).

So ………….. all is forgiven.

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USMC,

A healthy shot of single malt scotch will cure most anything.

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dB @7:26
Aside from Bada Bing, few people on the blog like a good joke more than I do. If I see one some time, I’ll have to be sure to mention it.

More on topic:
John Stossel and some recent guests of his recently shared some ideas about government unions, with some extra attention given to the pensions they’ve negotiated. It didn’t sound like a bunch of union busting, as some might expect from Fox Business. Whether you agree or disagree, it’s an interesting listen.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/on-air/stossel/index.html

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Regarding Reagan…it doesn’t matter to me who is to blame for the federal issue, that’s not relevant now…

And you still fail to see the forest because of all the trees that are blocking your view. Go back and research federal benefits and retirement and see how much of an issue is really there. The current retirement system is referred to as FERS and the old one is CSRS.

http://www.opm.gov/retire/pre/fers/index.asp

Until recently, the TSP was optional, but as it plays a vital part in how much an employee has at retirement, it has become an automatic enrolled program and you have to actively opt out of it. Any idea that feds have some huge defined pension is completely bogus, or else they wouldn’t have made it somewhat mandatory to participate in the TSP program.

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I think BO should have been more firm in his response regarding those who attack our embassies or other assets abroad…

oh, do stop being such an enabler. West is talking sh-t. He hasn’t bothered to learn a goddamned thing of the circumstances, obviously, or if he has, he’s just a goddamned liar.

Here is what we know at present.

It was September 11.

Our ambassador, who is largely beloved by the Libyan people, but who faced very real threats from some violent renegade a-holes still operating there, could have been in a fortified, hardened, safe-from-rpg embassy building on that particular date. However, for some reason that we don’t really seem to know yet, he chose not to be and instead was in an ordinary building being used as an ad-hoc consulate office in a large city.

A few people out of a not-very large group of demonstrators used this opportunity to launch an attack. the vast majority people who’d shown up to protest weren’t looking to kill anyone, despite what you may have heard.

That, from what I can ascertain, is what this f-cktarded skank of a “representative” is claiming we should be saying “The Angel of Death in the form of an American Bald Eagle will visit you and wreak havoc and destruction upon your existence”.

He is an a$$hole, pure and simple, and whatever few sensible Republicans that still exist should avoid him.

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0311/8541/5811/1811/1801@10:30

Yeah, bless her heart. Isn’t Freedom of Speech a wonderful thing.
I think she once tried to remind me that the Marine Corps is in the Department of the Navy….
-to which I helped her understand that while we are technically Department of the Navy,,,,,
We are MEN’S DEPARTMENT!
(let the “USMC’s War on Women” drivel begin!)

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MARTA has a lot of credibility to earn back and without serious permanent reforms, support for MARTA will be missing for a long time

Because of course back in the 1970s and 1980s Marta was supported so very well and people were all for it.

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stands, 10:35,

Your blood pressure, young man….. your blood pressure.

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“My wife swears by Vietnamese Pho.”

Joe, my ex-girlfriend(Gosh I miss her!) was Vietnamese(and smoking hot both inside and out) and we used to eat Pho on Buford Highway ALL the time!

And you are right, Pho is awesome for a head cold! Your wife is one smart cookie.

And boy does it taste great! (Tony the Tiger?)

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Great blog today…in all sincerity…it takes my mind off:

Seeing that you brought up those topics, they weren’t too far off your mind at all. Either that or you’re simply lying to yourself to help your ego or something.

It would be much more simple to post, “I am an attention whore, so please pay attention to me!!” instead of that crap you posted. That’s a lot less to type.

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USMC:

Sometimes we did joint patrols with the South Vietnamese and more than once caught them listening to their tranisitor radios while they walked but this is just about the most pathetic thing I have read in awhile:

Headline (NYT): “Training Afghan Allies, With Guard Firmly Up”

“BAD PAKH, Afghanistan — When American military advisers fly into Afghan Army outposts like the one nestled on the floor of this forested valley, they keep their body armor on and their weapons loaded ………………. Afghan soldiers and police officers have gunned down 51 American and allied troops so far this year, and now no one is taking chances.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/world/asia/in-afghanistan-us-advisers-train-allies-with-caution.html?_r=0

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Florida Campaign Medal with two stars (denotes three Spring Breaks to Ft. Lauderdale)

I always went to Daytona/New Smyrna where there are WAVES and SHARKS. So I earned my awards.

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JHM
Quoc Huong on Buford Highway has a righteous pho, great sandwiches on fresh baked bread…but….got a 75 on the inspection….also Ming’s Chinese BBQ in the same strip mall is worth a stop too

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USMC — “we used to eat Pho on Buford Highway ALL the time!”

That’s defintely a good place to go looking for it — and it’s generally pretty inexpensive, too.

“And you are right, Pho is awesome for a head cold! Your wife is one smart cookie.”

I think I’ll keep her. Wife 2.0 is definitely an improvement over Wife 1.0.

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E. Cat — “Quoc Huong on Buford Highway has a righteous pho, great sandwiches on fresh baked bread…”

Banh mi sammiches?

“but….got a 75 on the inspection…”

Yaiiiiiiii!

“also Ming’s Chinese BBQ in the same strip mall is worth a stop too”

I am always up for some tasty char siu bao! Do they make that there? The buns with sweet red bbq pork inside?

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Joe, 10:44,

Richard Pryor once said, when asked why he had been married so many times…… “I’m gonna’ just keep tryin’ till I get it right.”

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That’s a heck of a way to run a railroad. Cost operation figures sound way out of line Answer is with leadership. MARTA doesn’t have any.
Some things, e.g. Grady Hospital, public park system, roads, and MARTA serve a useful function and should be kept even though they don’t make a profit. But expenses should be kept within acceptable limits. MARTA doesn’t measure up.

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dB @ 10:44

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BRO,

Who you calling a ho?? I just may resemble that remark in more than one metric…

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Who you calling a ho?? I just may resemble that remark in more than one metric…

Well if the CFM shoes fit…

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K71 — “Richard Pryor once said, when asked why he had been married so many times…… “I’m gonna’ just keep tryin’ till I get it right.”

Practice makes perfect!

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Byteme 8:47 agreed

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“1.University of Virginia”

getting down, getting funky in Waltons territory …

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Sometimes the truth hurts Brosephus…

“I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.” – Abraham Lincoln

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FRED

I agree with the position that government jobs should not be shipped overseas…I think we pay for enough of that given the computer and defense (for examples) govt purchases for goods manufactured overseas..

Any how, just rhetorical thought…I don’t understand how the whole thing about Romney alledgely shipping jobs overseas gets so much traction amongst DEMS…I imaging many of whom own stock in companies who practice this..

And yes, the fact that our olympians wore made in china uniforms speaks volumes..absurd…the cost savings must have been material…or the budget was tight…who knows.

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@ Fred ™

September 26th, 2012
10:15 am

Where was anything I said racist? Your comment doesn’t even make sense. Here is the definition of Racism:

rac·ism   

noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Where have I once said that blacks were superior to whites or vice versa? While I am far from being racist I do have a problem with idiots and those who don’t educate themselves before speaking.

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Carp about the state all you want

The run centennial park very well vs woodruff

A lot of the other things they manage they do well

Running MARTA would probably clean things up quickly

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0311; UGA is slipping!

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R. Scholar — “Were they on lunch break? It was 2 pm.. Or do you hear voices? Clairvoyant?”

Some stations are better than others about that. It’s possible that the PA system was either off or in poor repair. I’ve noted in the past that sometimes, one or more speakers in the station are out and so you won’t really hear the announcements unless you’re fairly close to a working speaker.

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Sagegirl, you realize I was referring to him going to work for Marta on that day.

What, you don’t think Ol’ Mitt can’t multi-task?? LOL

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Turn MARTA over to the state.

_______

Good idea, but don’t think the state wants it. Georgia legislature would never agree to that. They don’t like Atlanta and spending money on Atlanta projects.

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Stevie Ray – let me address you grudge against the fed government worker.

I am one. I work for the CDC. I have a master’s degree in statistics and 12 years experience. I can certainly tell you that I could make more working in the biotech industry. I don’t because working at CDC is interesting and satisfying and it’s also family friendly. But I make about 85% of what I could make in private industry. My salary is approximately 94K a year. I started out in private industry 12 years ago making 57K, so I feel my current salary is not unreasonable. I don’t mind telling you my salary because I am a public employee and it’s actually public knowledge.

Realize the CDC hires a LOT of MD’s. And PhD’s. You can’t hire good scientists if you cut their salary by 50% (which is the one I hear people throw around).

I know I would be forced to go into private industry rather that do the work I love for the country I love. No statistician with 12 years experience will take a salary of 47K a year.

For an organization like CDC, the world and this country’s defense against diseases that constantly threaten our national security, do you really want to pay them so little? Or trust that a private entity would have our best interests in mind?

As for benefits – I have something called a TSP, which is like a 401K. There is a pension but it’s so small nobody even accounts for it in their retirement plans. It’s 1% of the average of the highest 36 months of pay for each year of service up to 30%. So, you have to work for the fed AT LEAST 30 years to get even the max.

The benefit I think is the best is the one I think all Americans should have – access to a lot of healthcare providers. While your company might offer you the choice of Blue Cross/Blue Shield or Aetna, etc, and then there are a High and Low option from each, etc, in the federal government we have something like 12 different providers to chose from. That’s a nice thing.

Anyway, I just posted this to give you a little info. You may arm yourself with it or you may find yourself not so begrudged. I will work for your best interests either way.

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“Brosephus the Dumbars’” response will be a delusional one liner using the word “whore” with a smiley face.

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Stevie Ray

@ 11:03 — I don’t think that was the standard that was applied to the USA Today article though. The link that you posted from the CBO appears to look at education more than jobs. I saved that one to look at later as I have not seen that one before.

@ 11:05 — Show me any man that will turn those things down…

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iRun @ 11:07

I am not necessarily knocking you for working for the Government, but I know a FEW people(highly educated) who work at the CDC and they tell me HORROR stories about the work force and general operation of the CDC.

I am sure you do you job well, but I am curious that you paint such a rosy picture of productivity at the CDC.

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Road, now I can’t help your eyesight. I am not a doctor nor have I played one on TV. IF you cannot find the electronic signs in the middle of the platform and watch them, I can’t help you child. Perhaps you may want to ask for assistance. They do exist but I tell you what, I can meet you and show you in person for a fee.

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S. Ray — “IMAHO”

I don’t think I’d'a told that.

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USMC – the only thing I can say is that the way CDC is structured – many divisions – you get different cultures in different divisions. It’s almost like different companies. My division is highly productive.

There is some bureaucratic cr@p, though. A lot our administrative systems are so layered and inefficient.

But the science is out of this world.

I have, however, heard about very toxic divisions. I would never transfer into one. My former division wasn’t bad, either, but my current one is great.

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Calvin Trillon also labeled Romney the PowerPoint Money bag..

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So Brosephus…unemployment hasn’t been above 8.0+% for 4 years?

You should change your name to Brosephus the Dumbarse…maybe I will trademark that for ya.

And when will you, for the first time, actually address the ROOT CAUSE of those things, or will you continue to insinuate that the history of the United States began on January 20, 2009? So, just for you, I’ll entertain your statements to see if you will address the truth.

Employment: Given the fact that net new job growth in the US has been declining since the 1970’s, what can any one person do to change that in 4 years? You’re talking about a problem that has been growing for 40 years, and you expect it to be straightened out in 4???

Debt: Which party decided it was ok to purposefully cut revenues to the government? Which party that decided that has not cut spending? When you have a country that is continuously growing, how do you expect to pay down existing debt when you continually cut revenue?

Foodstamps: Didn’t you just sqawk about unemployment?

Taxes: Taxes should go up, and if I had anything to do with it, they would have started going up in 2010. For 30 plus years, we’ve been cutting taxes and spending more. To get control over our issues, we need to spend less and tax more. Even a 10 year old boy scout will tell you that back tracking will get you out of a situation where you are completely lost.

Insurance: Insurance premiums have been going up over the past 10 years, so why is it a problem now? Why are you hating on the free market? You, as a consumer, have a choice in who to do business with, so don’t hate on the free market if you don’t like the results of it.

There’s no need for me to change my name, as you seem better suited to being called Dumbarse than I do. I’ll let you hang on to that one as Brosephus fits me pretty well.

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Oscar:

“Turn MARTA over to the state.”

If you really want a laugh, turn it over to TSA.

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“MARTA needs to seek efficiencies where they’ve been identified in a humane fashion.”–Stands

Come on Stands, Are you kidding with us?
That has to be about the weakest statement I have read in a LONG time and evident of one who pontificates on internet blogs and has NO real world experience or common sense.

This is part of the problem with today’s youth. They are so soft that they cannot or will not face realities of the REAL world.

FIX the problem, period. Leave the weak-minded “humane fashion” garbage out of the equation.

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Strikes me as a microcosm of the national debate. Vested interests, competing loyalties, everyone has to give a little to survive.

Good luck with that.

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KEEP,

I have no idea about Costco’s benefits cost reduction which may have involved higher co-pays and deductibles and the like…

Most employees are facing increases (sans PeloseCare) averaging 10-12%…this factors in things such as cost shifting, increasing co-pays and deductibles and the like.. In fact, prior to passing PelosiCare, she invited a group of the largest insurers to visit, they presented sound actuarial suggestions including that once the pool of uninsured (I still can’t figure how many are suggesting 30 million will remain uninsured) comes into play, these market will be a collosal loss leader..since they need their portfolio to balance, the projection they shared with Pelosi et al was that by 2018, the average family premiums will increase by $20K..

Pelosi responded with extortion…namely threatening anti trust exemption…which won’t affect this projection but will force the insurers to play along despite…

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iRun 11:07

Nicely put, thank you.

CDC’s one of those agencies we like to cite here when people post their inane “I pay gazillions of dollars in taxes each year because I make so much because I work so hard and I don’t get nothing back for it!!!!”

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Thank you, Paul. And you, too, Bro for saying I rock.

iRun – iRock. Heh.

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Leave the weak-minded “humane fashion” garbage out of the equation.

you pray to Jesus with that mouth?

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It amazes me the people that are running this company. Sounds like it needs an enema and also it needs to seek ideas and advice from a the mta. Fire the ones that are ruining it, and put the one who actually know about and has experience in transportation. About dat 60 in tv incident on da subway? Nobody is dat stupid.

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Has anyone from CDC actually ever done that?

I’m gonna be highly disappointed if the answer is “no.”

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I mean, seriously, USMC, you’re saying we shouldn’t make cuts to public organization in a humane fashion?

I thought that was kind of a no-brainer, a non-partisan take on things. Is the rock-ribbed conservative way to cut via literally throwing unneeded employees from a moving train? would that be sufficiently strong-minded?

sheesh.

and you know where you can stick those presumptions about my supposed softness, unfamiliarity with what you blithely refer to as the “real world” and for that matter, my youth (which would’ve been about half a lifetime ago.) I rarely bring up my personal life but I suspect you’d be somewhat ashamed of what you’d posted if you knew the least bit about it.

and in any case, it’s rude to assume sh-t.

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I have NEVER rappelled from a helicopter in a HazMat suit with a vial of antidote.

There’s always a first time for everything…

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I have NEVER rappelled from a helicopter in a HazMat suit with a vial of antidote.

heh.

…you heard this week’s Wait Wait, didn’t you?

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=35

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Forget Ebola! Here’s the REAL threat!

http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2012/09/25/14095135-bacon-shortage-worldwide-unavoidable-uk-pig-group-says?

WORLDWIDE BACON SHORTAGE UNAVOIDABLE ZOMGGGGGGGG

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OK, I’ll have to get back you later – data is calling.

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It’s about lunch time. i hope none of ya’ll were planning on eating at Zesto’s on Moreland Avenue……..

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/vehicle-slams-into-moreland-avenue-restaurant/nSMLC/

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election night reality check SHEETZ

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GT – Sorry you seem so upset most of the time. Perhaps when you”ll start a football program over there, things will get better! Love my Dogs!!!!!!!! and Falcons, too!!!!!!!!!!!!

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When I worked in the private sector, we hired The Eagles to come play at a marketing party and sent our big shots on cruises to Morocco and various Caribbean islands. Why doesn’t government operate more like this?

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Decibels: “I mean, seriously, USMC, you’re saying we shouldn’t make cuts to public organization in a humane fashion?

I thought that was kind of a no-brainer, a non-partisan take on things”

That’s so pre-Obama, pre-financial crisis, Stands! Don’t you know that the world changed and as of Jan. 1, 2009 there was never ever any such thing as “compassionate conservatism” and anyone who tried to bring up these inconvenient facts was to be systematically ignored and shouted down? Inconvenient facts such as, for ex., that so-called conservative think tanks not only used to accept broad-based policy objectives such as finding a way to at least gesture towards universal health coverage, but even spent some of their time actually drafting a plan that was later put into practice in the liberal bastion of MA.

The door must be slammed shut on that, don’t you know? The minions of today must be kept gulled and docile and ready to get to the polls to vote for their GOP heroes, they mustn’t be confused by being reminded that there was once a time when the conservatives in this country were compelled to at least pay lip service to a broad social contract.

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I’m an FCAS and decided to run my own business…at least at the CDC, you must have materially more job satisfaction knowing you are helping others…

And satisfaction? Oh, sure. I just love it when some a-hole on here tells me how useless government workers are. Frankly, I’d get more satisfaction from learning that they’d contracted SARS or ebola virus.

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The notion that everyone who has doubts and questions about the operations of MARTA is acting out of a racial animus is itself a deeply racist idea. You get a lot of that kind of racism from the left.

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“According to the audit, MARTA’s pay scale is reasonable,…”

Really? Compared to who? Certainly not to most other blue collar occupations.

MARTA is in their deep financial hole largely because they made a pact with the union devil years ago. At one time the AJC published MARTA employees’ salaries, iirc, annually in the paper. Atlantans were astonished to see bus drivers earning >$100,000 a year at a time when that would’ve been respectable income for a physician. No doubt the public outrage prompted MARTA to stop publishing the salaries.

Just don’t insult our intelligence by telling us the pay scale is “reasonable”.

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I’m always interested in a thoughtful, intelligent exchange of ideas concerning the future progress or lack thereof towards recapturing the quality of life that once existed in our fair city. I guess I’ll have to look elsewhere. I give Mr. Bookman enormous credit for engaging AJC followers in the debate. I applaud him for his willingness to suffer fools gladly. He is an essential counterweight to the others.

As for the rest of the AJC editorial staff and managenment:

There you go again, AJC (Cox).
First Wendell Cox and now to add insult to injury – Randal O’Toole. If you’re going to have these type of canards influencing your readers, the least you can do is be honest about their agenda and for whom they shill. The final insult: Rush Limbaugh. OMG!

Credible. Not. More like intellectual dishonesty.

Compelling. Hardly.

Complete. Not by a long shot.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Shame. Shame. Shame.

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