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Post by southerner on Oct 3, 2013 9:28:10 GMT -5
In my office of 10 ALJ's, we have the HOSA and HOD alternating as receptionist and shower of medical and other evidence to unrepped claimants. It is not too bad yet, but next week all judges will be on board and at least one day we have 7 judges holding hearings and that will be problematic with the unrepped and viweing evidence and updating treatment sources.
Although there is no leave, flexitime and place are intact, so I am working 4/10 still. No hearings this week as I was supposed to be in Santa Fe at AALJ conference, but opted to cancel my participation w/all the uncertainties.
On another fun note, although management has not disseminated, it appears employees (excepted and non-excepted) will be paid next Friday, the 11th, but only for last week and possibly through Monday--all future pay will be predicated upon appropiations by Congress.
Speculation appears to be focused this may not end till 17h and debt ceiling resolution.
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Post by chessparent on Oct 3, 2013 9:30:16 GMT -5
Day 3: cleaned off the raccoon poo from my deck.
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Post by moopigsdad on Oct 3, 2013 10:00:49 GMT -5
Day 3: cleaned off the raccoon poo from my deck. Chessparent you have seem to have found a new niche in the job market. I don't think there are many people willing to clean raccoon poop off the deck, so you could make a killing in an entirely new field, while the federal government shutdown is in effect.
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Post by chessparent on Oct 3, 2013 10:20:22 GMT -5
Will work for accrued leave and credit.
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Post by tmgesq on Oct 3, 2013 10:20:38 GMT -5
FYI--New ALJ'S were just informed thru email that training has been delayed and will now go from 10/21-11/15.
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Post by moopigsdad on Oct 3, 2013 10:25:14 GMT -5
FYI--New ALJ'S were just informed thru email that training has been delayed and will now go from 10/21-11/15. At least you hope it starts at that time, if the Federal government shutdown is over. Let's keep our fingers crossed. Thank you for the information.
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Post by Buffalogal on Oct 3, 2013 13:04:23 GMT -5
I read on the internet that AMC has free popcorn for Federal Employees during the shutdown.
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Post by 71stretch on Oct 3, 2013 13:13:21 GMT -5
Lots of places in DC are getting into specials for the shutdown. Whole Foods had a "Wine Down Wednesday" happy hour yesterday with food and wine samples for $5 with a federal ID. They were packed.
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Post by funkyodar on Oct 3, 2013 14:11:06 GMT -5
Shots fired at capitol building. appears all clear now.
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Post by tmgesq on Oct 3, 2013 14:33:31 GMT -5
The rumor is that "they" already know it will be over by then as something has already been tentatively agreed to regarding the budget and the debt ceiling which sort of makes sense when you see that 10/21/13 date. But who knows--it's all just speculation at this point.
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Post by Buffalogal on Oct 3, 2013 16:40:21 GMT -5
Shots fired at capitol building. appears all clear now. Except all the police cars in the street that created gridlock just in time for the commute home.
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Post by epic0ego on Oct 3, 2013 18:03:35 GMT -5
cops did a good job. you just can't ram your car into the white house perimeter and then careen toward the Capitol - even with a baby in the car. if there was plastic explosives in the trunk, everyone would have said "why didn't you just shoot her?" its a tragedy because she faced personal challenges. very sad. I feel for her child, her family, and the injured police officers.
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Post by privateatty on Oct 3, 2013 19:43:35 GMT -5
cops did a good job. you just can't ram your car into the white house perimeter and then careen toward the Capitol - even with a baby in the car. if there was plastic explosives in the trunk, everyone would have said "why didn't you just shoot her?" its a tragedy because she faced personal challenges. very sad. I feel for her child, her family, and the injured police officers. We need a symbol for "Like". Maybe =+
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Post by BagLady on Oct 3, 2013 19:52:01 GMT -5
There's a "like" (thumbs up) button next to the quote button on each post.
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Post by funkyodar on Oct 4, 2013 7:32:31 GMT -5
Read 3 interesting articles last nite. First, thereis a bipartisan (holy feces batman) bill in the house that will be voted on today or tomorrow that calls for payment of missed income to furloughed feds once the gov reopens. Since its bipartisan it has a good chance of getting through to the pres. if that passes, this furlough just got a whole lot easier. Second, boehner aids have let it out that there is no way he allows a default even if he has to throw the tea party under the bus. if true, that's both an indicator that the shutdown will likely last thru oct 17 but we don't have a complete cataclysm to worry about. Finally, and really interesting, a gop rep that wanted to remain anonymous floated that there is a little less than grand bargain being considered. here's how it would work. any changes to obamacare are off the table. this would allow pres to consider it a win and negotiate. the tea partiers would be livid but boehner thinks he could get two concessions that would make the rest of the gop very happy essentially cutting off the hard right. the first of those concessions would be chaining cost of living increases in social security to the CPI. this would result in smaller increases and has long been a gop aim. obamas last requested budget chained cola to the cpi and many think that was a signal he was open to doing it in social security. The second would be means testing for medicare. ie those with higher incomes and private insurance would get less medicare benefits. again, this fits with what the dems didin obamacare with the subsidies and what obama wanted with taxes. In exchange for those two concessions, the debt limit would be raised for 2 years and the sequestor cuts to discretionary spending would be ended. so agencies funding would be returned to presequestor levels. at ssa this would likely mean an end to the hiring freeze and maybe more aljs Who knows if this is real, but if so it would be outstanding news in my opinion.
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Post by moopigsdad on Oct 4, 2013 8:04:19 GMT -5
Read 3 interesting articles last nite. First, thereis a bipartisan (holy feces batman) bill in the house that will be voted on today or tomorrow that calls for payment of missed income to furloughed feds once the gov reopens. Since its bipartisan it has a good chance of getting through to the pres. if that passes, this furlough just got a whole lot easier. Second, boehner aids have let it out that there is no way he allows a default even if he has to throw the tea party under the bus. if true, that's both an indicator that the shutdown will likely last thru oct 17 but we don't have a complete cataclysm to worry about. Finally, and really interesting, a gop rep that wanted to remain anonymous floated that there is a little less than grand bargain being considered. here's how it would work. any changes to obamacare are off the table. this would allow pres to consider it a win and negotiate. the tea partiers would be livid but boehner thinks he could get two concessions that would make the rest of the gop very happy essentially cutting off the hard right. the first of those concessions would be chaining cost of living increases in social security to the CPI. this would result in smaller increases and has long been a gop aim. obamas last requested budget chained cola to the cpi and many think that was a signal he was open to doing it in social security. The second would be means testing for medicare. ie those with higher incomes and private insurance would get less medicare benefits. again, this fits with what the dems didin obamacare with the subsidies and what obama wanted with taxes. In exchange for those two concessions, the debt limit would be raised for 2 years and the sequestor cuts to discretionary spending would be ended. so agencies funding would be returned to presequestor levels. at ssa this would likely mean an end to the hiring freeze and maybe more aljs Who knows if this is real, but if so it would be outstanding news in my opinion. Sounds like great news funky. However, I don't see the Republicans agreeing to means testing for Medicare. They are the ones who refuse to increase or raise the Medicare and SSA tax on higher earners, so it continues to be limited at a level just over $100,000 of income. Why would they be willing to accept a means test for higher earners? Maybe I am not understanding your post correctly, but if it works out it would be great news, although it will anger a lot of senior citizens.
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Post by chessparent on Oct 4, 2013 8:13:21 GMT -5
Day 4: Dancing with the Stars reruns-go Mario Lopez!
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Post by funkyodar on Oct 4, 2013 8:28:46 GMT -5
Read 3 interesting articles last nite. First, thereis a bipartisan (holy feces batman) bill in the house that will be voted on today or tomorrow that calls for payment of missed income to furloughed feds once the gov reopens. Since its bipartisan it has a good chance of getting through to the pres. if that passes, this furlough just got a whole lot easier. Second, boehner aids have let it out that there is no way he allows a default even if he has to throw the tea party under the bus. if true, that's both an indicator that the shutdown will likely last thru oct 17 but we don't have a complete cataclysm to worry about. Finally, and really interesting, a gop rep that wanted to remain anonymous floated that there is a little less than grand bargain being considered. here's how it would work. any changes to obamacare are off the table. this would allow pres to consider it a win and negotiate. the tea partiers would be livid but boehner thinks he could get two concessions that would make the rest of the gop very happy essentially cutting off the hard right. the first of those concessions would be chaining cost of living increases in social security to the CPI. this would result in smaller increases and has long been a gop aim. obamas last requested budget chained cola to the cpi and many think that was a signal he was open to doing it in social security. The second would be means testing for medicare. ie those with higher incomes and private insurance would get less medicare benefits. again, this fits with what the dems didin obamacare with the subsidies and what obama wanted with taxes. In exchange for those two concessions, the debt limit would be raised for 2 years and the sequestor cuts to discretionary spending would be ended. so agencies funding would be returned to presequestor levels. at ssa this would likely mean an end to the hiring freeze and maybe more aljs Who knows if this is real, but if so it would be outstanding news in my opinion. Sounds like great news funky. However, I don't see the Republicans agreeing to means testing for Medicare. They are the ones who refuse to increase or raise the Medicare and SSA tax on higher earners, so it continues to be limited at a level just over $100,000 of income. Why would they be willing to accept a means test for higher earners? Maybe I am not understanding your post correctly, but if it works out it would be great news, although it will anger a lot of senior citizens. Admittedly means testing for medicare doesn't seem very republican. but its actually something they have been asking for in their "entitlement reform" quests for years. cynical dems have held its a gop attempt to crack open the door to privatization. ie, start by saying those with higher incomes or private insurance get less benefits in medicare. then keep lowering the income and priv ins threshold. then when enough people are receiving such lil benefit from medicare they can easily argue that having these higherincome folks have to participate and pay in to medicare when they get no real benefit is unfair and that they should be allowed to opt out. If you see it from the dem perspective the gop is wanting means testing to be able to free the wealthiest from the medicare "tax". same thing they have been wanting in social security.
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Post by bartleby on Oct 4, 2013 8:33:46 GMT -5
I have followed the story of the woman killed in the situation in D.C. yesterday. Does it seem funny to anyone else that the ladies car was not damaged on the front end considering she "rammed" the security posts? Why wasn't her air bag deployed? I question whether the police over-reacted? We offer hearings for mentally impaired claimants everyday and the Agency has no problem posting our names, pay/deny rates, and salary information on the internet. Someday, someone will suffer immensely from this.. Try to find any info on any IRS employee on the internet. Ain't gonna happen..
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Post by trekker on Oct 4, 2013 8:34:01 GMT -5
As I understand means testing for Medicare, we already have it to some extent. Your parts A, B and D are already means tested to some degree. And there is no ceiling on Medicare pay roll taxes. The devil is in the details but as for means testing Medicare, the building blocks are already there. The biggest concern about this proposal is how would it erode support for Medicare (since Medicare beneficiaries cannot participate in the ACA exchanges), and how would it impact those who are high wage earners with more retirement savings vs the truly affluent (Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Mitt Romney, etc).
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