I have been an employee of the Federal government for over 25 years and never planted my arse in a Federally-owned building. Since that arrangement will change in a couple of weeks I have been purging my 10’x10′ cubicle of “institutional knowledge,” various reports, and documents I have not perused in over 15 years. Basically, I have been carving a little bit of time during the weeks to scan, shred, and dispose as I will move to a 9’x7′ cube.
One item I recently sorted through was a red backpack that was issued to me by the incompetent administration of the worst President of my lifetime – issued after 9/11. The backpack my co-workers and I received was stuffed with survival goods should there be another attack while I was at work.
Alcohol rubs, antiseptic toilettes, “triple” antibiotic ointment, two water bags, tape, an “abdominal pad,” a nose/mouth mask similar to what I use during wood projects, a flashlight with batteries, two feminine pads, seven tissues, a deck of cards, a pink whistle, an emergency blanket that weighed less than a quarter of a pound that “reflects body heat,” a rain poncho, one pair of plastic gloves, two light sticks, and a biohazard bag. Boring stuff, I know, but why am I given a biohazard bag coupled with only a small mask and a pair of plastic gloves? Admission: I have never received training on how to dispose of hazardous materials.
A Louisiana company called Datrex (Kinder, LA 70648) provided 10 water bags…approved by the Coast Guard…(shelf life of five years: water expires?)…and 24 emergency food rations. The ingredients of the rations included: wheat flour; vegetable shortening; cane sugar; water; coconut; and, salt. Eat in six hour intervals, according to the instructions. If my building got bombed I am to grab the backpack and eat a bar every six hours for four days, coupled with water bags. I wonder what politically-connected #43 member got that contract. I also wonder if Katrina victims benefited from Datrex. We know the answer.
I believe all this only epitomizes waste, fraud, and abuse in a microcosm by rewarding cronies behind the scenes on a miniscule scale. But government spending is beyond massive. The Department of Defense budget needs to be cut by 50% after the 2020 election.
Comments
This is a note to Mark regarding your article done about 2 years ago about Nicky Hopkins and the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. I’ve recently read it a few times and wonder if we can discuss on a call. I was searching that topic since feel the same way (Nicky should have been elected to HOF years ago) and I knew him when I was an adolescent in NYC. His sister was my mother’s best friend, and his niece my first girlfriend, so we’d see him when he was there. I’ve already contacted the first Mark Erickson in Portland OR but was politely replied to that had wrong person. Comments on that old post are now Closed so this seemed best to reach out. Thanks.