by Shikole Struber Jul 04 2008, 12:45 PM    Comments: 0

With gas prices on the rise and carbon footprints becoming more politically important, many states have been trying to find ways to reduce the effects they are having on the planet and their wallets.

To give their workers some relief, several states have granted a four-day workweek option to their employees. Kentucky and South Carolina are two states that offer the compressed option for some of its state employees. New Mexico, Vermont, Arkansas, and Oklahoma are just a few of the states looking to make the change statewide.

The option eliminates the need to commute in and out of work one day a week, as employees work four 9-10 hour days as opposed to 5 eight-hour days. Utah recently became the first state to make the four-day week mandatory for 80% of its state employees, or approximately...

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by seniorexec Jul 04 2008, 12:10 PM    Comments: 0

While some of the 1,200 residents of Gerald, a rural Missouri community about 70 miles west of St. Louis, might harbor dreams of fame, they certainly never sought the notoriety that came to them when it was discovered that the man they believed to be a bona fide law enforcement agent was a complete fraud.

Reminiscent of a scene from "Blazing Saddles," Bill Jakob, 36, rode into town with badge and gun in hand and easily convinced the town's law enforcement and leadership that he was ready to help police win victory in their war on methamphetamine.

Not quite another "Petticoat Junction," this village did have problems and Jakob had immediate success by making his own rules. Those he arrested say it was routine for Jakob to use excessive force and kick down doors. He is even alleged to have...

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by seniorexec Jul 04 2008, 11:34 AM    Comments: 0

If you have been watching John Adams on HBO, you may or may have not miss that he predicted to his wife Abigail that Americans would celebrate their Independence Day on July 2. Well he was off by two days - not too bad for government work.

For Adams, it was the momentum towards achieving American independence initiated on July 2nd that future generations would consider worth celebrating, not the approval of this document on July 4.

Interestingly, in 1777, Congress did not think about commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence until July 3rd, so the first organized elaborate celebration of independence occurred the following day: July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia. Ships in the harbor were decked in the nation's colors. Cannons rained 13-gun salutes in honor of each state....

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by Bureau Pat Jul 04 2008, 08:34 AM    Comments: 0

Dear Bureau Pat,

I have a staff member with a chronic health condition who for years did not require any special accommodations. Recently, his condition progressed to where he has requested special equipment to fulfill his day-to-day activities at work. What are my obligations as a federal supervisor regarding reasonable accommodations and is my office responsible for personal items such as glasses, wheel chairs or hearing aids?

Dear Perplexed,

As a model employer, the federal government has lead the effort in not just educating the public about employment opportunities available for individuals with disabilities, but understanding the contributions that all people provide - even your old boss you swore was retarded.

In order to understand your responsibilities as a supervisor, Bureau...

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by Briana Kerensky Jul 03 2008, 11:33 AM    Comments: 5

Everything seems to always boil down to money. The heated debate over illegal immigration is certainly no exception. One of the most contentious issues in the whole debacle is whether illegal immigrants are a drain or a boon to government revenues.

To answer the question, one needs to know how much illegal immigrants contribute to the government through income, sales, property and other taxes, and how much they cost the government by using public services such as education, health care and law enforcement.

Of course, getting this information is not easy, nor is the data is 100 percent reliable. Those who sit on both sides of the debate have done their research, and both have come out with different answers.

An example: a 2006 report by the Texas Office of the Comptroller found that the...

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by Briana Kerensky Jul 03 2008, 09:15 AM    Comments: 2

Washington, D.C. isn't the only place dealing with gun-ban issues. Barely a week after the Supreme Court held for the first time that the Constitution provides an individual the right to bear arms for more than just a militia, a new law went into effect in Georgia that allows licensed gun owners to carry concealed firearms in public places. These places include parks, recreational areas and restaurants that serve alcohol. But surprisingly, the new law sparked a legal battle over carrying guns the airport.

At the same time the law went into effect across the state, Atlanta officials declared Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport a "gun-free zone," insisting that anyone found in possession of a handgun could be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.

According to airport representatives...

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by Briana Kerensky Jul 02 2008, 12:13 PM    Comments: 0

While most of America is going to be barbequing and lighting fireworks on July 4th to celebrate the anniversary of the country's independence, the Army is going to be celebrating a different anniversary: the sixth year of a video game.

Developed by the Army with the help of a contracting firm, America's Army was first unveiled to the public on Independence Day 2002. Since then, the video game has become a global phenomenon expanding from 2.5 million users in its first year to 9.3 million today.

Developed at the Naval Postgraduate School with the assistance of entertainment and gaming industry stalwarts including Epic Games and the THX Division of Lucasfilm Ltd, the game cost taxpayers between $6-8 million to develop. But its success has been tremendous, as it became one of the five most...

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by Andrew B. Einhorn Jul 02 2008, 11:48 AM    Comments: 0

Over the past 9 decades, the U.S. population has increased from 106 million people to 304 million - an increase of about 200 percent. Yet in that same time period, federal spending has risen from 215 billion annually (in today's dollars) to over nearly three trillion dollars. This represents an increase of close to 1,300 percent!

So what happened in the last 88 years that was so expensive? For starters, there were a handful of big wars, an increase in government protection of food, water, and air, elevated medical expenses, massive construction and road building projects, and of course, the escalation of military spending brought about by the Cold War, to name just a few of the reasons. So looking at a chart that dates backs to 1920 is a bit misleading. However, one interesting question does...

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by seniorexec Jul 02 2008, 11:14 AM    Comments: 2

Mileage reimbursement rates for federal employees using their own vehicle for government business could go up by 8 cents soon.

Rates would increase if the government continues to use the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) standard rate - which has recently risen - for calculating the tax-deductible costs for operating an automobile for business purposes.

For those unfamiliar with the reimbursement program, federal employees are allowed to request the use of their own personal vehicle when there is no government transportation available or if it is more advantageous for the government. When approved, the member fills out a travel reimbursement for the mileage to be paid at the government approved rate.

Even though the IRS has raised its standard rate, an increase for federal employees is not...

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by Andrew B. Einhorn Jul 02 2008, 11:07 AM    Comments: 0

An outspoken soldier who wrote one of the most brutally honest and popular blogs about Iraq has been forced to shut down his site, after criticizing his superior officers one time too often.

Some of that popularity came from LT G's taste for the absurd. He described his platoon's predilections for Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Aladdin soundtrack; a local shiekh's love of Suzanne Sommers workout videos; and his moment of absent-mindedness, when he had to be reminded to put on pants before he headed out to the warzone.

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