Redemption

Those of you I talk with off line understand the troubles I faced. When I left my assignment in Vermont I experienced work place bullying. It was blatant and obvious to those who were around. I was subjected to brutal treatment and subjected to absurd charges.

One of the culprits falsely labeled me a problem worker. The culprits were removed from my area and magically my rating is now outstanding. The irony is the same person who falsely labeled me sub par had to sign the certificate.

This person is retiring after a long career. As he is on his way out, I spoke to him and asked him why he allowed this abuse. Beaky when X gets on a roll look out. You know how obsessed she gets and it was a mistake. I pointed out multiple practitioners spoke to him and pointed out this error. Beaky, when X gets on a roll it is easier to get out of the way. I am sorry.

It doesn't sound like much, but it is better then most get. Had I been merely average or weaker I would have been broken by this treatment. In essence, this boss is right on a level, it takes courage and strength to do the right thing. I don't look down upon someone for lacking courage, because it is the norm. Oddly, I will continue to pay the price for being bullied. I was not given opportunities my skills and dedication earned long ago. Yet rather then pout, I dedicated myself to teaching the new staff how to survive in a demanding job. I pointed to my door and reminded new officers that the place was much different when I arrived.

I will also credit another former boss who was more blunt when she got promoted. Beaky, I should never have written those reports but you know how X is. Now that I am running the spot you will be left alone.
She also took on some of the bullies because it suited her agenda. I was one of the few that backed this person or had anything good to say.

This person who stood by will be retiring soon. Believe it or not, I will go to honor him at whatever dinner
they throw when his retirement is formalized.

Oddly, I owe part of my redemption to a person I trained and later became my boss. She pointed out that I was very easy to manage and was unfairly maligned. Newbies asked if I was jealous that someone I trained became my boss. I told them I was elated for her and would have chosen her over myself as a better candidate. Also my career for all intents and purposes was over with the bullying. My chance to move up was tragically lost due to the obsessions of a deranged lunatic. My focus was to serve the public to the best of my ability and make sure my peers had a chance to get those opportunities denied to me.

Sometimes, I am sorry is enough. I can't get my name or career back. However, it is obvious my critics were very mistaken.

One thing that is odd is the propensity of those promoted due to nepotism to be bullies. Competent people grasp the value of using people's talent to the best of their abilities. We win and lose as a team and those that
did not earn their roles don't know the first thing about teamwork, leadership or competence.

Wrong about Gay Marriage

Over the last few years my position on gay marriage has evolved. I have spent the last few weeks with gay couples and seeing how they interact. Any reservations I had about the idea was wrong.

There were those who can't look beyond their bigotry and challenge their assumptions. I am talking about peers who refused their sworn duty to uphold the laws and above all treat the public humanely. Funny, that until my vocal opposition to bigotry at work, I was known as a Conservative. When this mess started, I told the instigators I am not on board with failure to perform and carry out my duties.

I also won't hear lectures about courage from knaves. When I was threatened with termination for refusing to carry out orders I knew were illegal I stood up and placed my career on the line for what I believed in. I also paid a very high price for upholding those ideas. The mistreatment I endured for years until the system righted the wrongs is best described as workplace bullying. The mistreatment directly impacted my career.

From that point forward, I made a choice to be a mentor and never allow anyone to feel bullied. I spent my time teaching new peers the ropes and avoided notice. My initial fight was to see the system respect the public and treat the public as humans. My experiences led me to rethink things and see for myself. As a NYC resident gays are very much a part of the community and always have been as far as I can recall. The notion of mistreating people over a private matter is repugnant to me.

I am thankful that I don't hold onto ideas that I know are wrong out of foolish pride or vanity. It also helps that it is unthinkable not to show law abiding members of the public heart felt hospitality. When one comes to my work space I welcome them and get them to relax, unless there is a reason not to.

I don't call all those who oppose gay marriage bigots. My reservations were about government intrusion on religious terms. I also grasp the notion of legal equity and fairness. Some of us need to rethink the mater and look at ourselves.

Spent time with the daughter.

The daughter knew I was home because one of the Maltese jumped out of the front yard and ran to me. I spent time with my daughter and her adult brother and sister in law. I cooked the Turkey and filled the house with food. The dogs followed me from room to room. When I finally rested the Maltese slept in their normal
spots. It was odd because I typically sleep in the coldest spot as it is easier to fall asleep there.

I made a decent turkey and the daughter in law did the rest. I have grown to love the grandchild who calls my name and drinks whatever odd thing I have. In this case it was warm apple cider. I explained it was an adult beverage and made her premium hot chocolate. Now I somehow got a silly kid that keeps demanding warm cider. I had the granny smith version but the kid kept asking for it. I warned the kid it was sour but the kid asked for more. It is also hard to keep barrel pickles in the house as everyone has learned to eat them even when junk food is available.

Putting Crap Aside

Dr Yeagley has terminal cancer and is in Chemotherapy. I want to point out that I disagree with him on many things, but it was not and never was personal. We share a love of America, but we see it in very different terms. I am still committed to my vision of a big table of equals where everyone who shares a belief in the principles of the founding fathers is my sibling. As Communists like Ducky, reject those values they are not and can never in any definition be American in spirit. In the case of Yeagley. it is tragic because we share a love for the same concept but have a very different view of Americanism.

All of us are not eternal. All of us get the message the Doc has been given at some point unless we die by the hand of God. Sometimes I wonder how much of a favor the man upstairs did by guiding me to safety in two terrorist attacks, transportation and industrial accidents. Yet at the end of the day all of us wonder why we were here and did we just take up space and waste our opportunity. Sometimes, I wonder how much Officer Beakerkin is Beakerkin. I have done some remarkable things and changed lives as an Officer and not so much so as Beakerkin. My love for my daughter, daughter in law and grandchild are close to my heart. I am never happier then when I am with them and I will see them tomorrow. My grandchild who is two called to remind me to bring her Swedish Fish.

I have known many great romances and in my younger days did things that I am not proud of. Yes those loves and wild passions were intense, but my happiest moments of my life were spent with my daughter and grandchild. After that being an officer meant everything to me and enduring workplace bullying and its aftermath was worth the joy and accomplishment the job provides.

I guess as Thanksgiving approaches we look at our lives and eternity and are thankful for our lot. All of us sit with relatives some loved and many despised. I used to love Rav Roov as a kid, but over time his Frum lifestyle and family have grown to disgust me. The brother I knew was a wonderful kid. The incompetent boor with his never ending visits and hypocritical megalomania is not someone I care for. At least on this Thanksgiving I will be spared one of his many visits and yes I am still pissed about the car. I wouldn't be pissed if his useless, stupid know it all wife ever got a job. I would be less pissed if his ignorant kids would seek gainful employment. Funny, all the religious icons had hard jobs and these mendicant fools think a lifetime on the dole is acceptable. Sorry, but marrying a butt ugly wife, making zero money teaching in a Yeshiva is worse then never being born. In truth at least if this mediocrity was a mechanic or worked a real job he would have a life. This religious sloth and going through life as useless, stupid and incompetent annoys me.

I wish my friend Doctor Yeagley courage on a journey all of us take. I disagree with him on many things, but it is never personal. I certainly hope that he finds peace in his remaining time and seeks out those he loves in his final days.

Thanksgiving message to all. Now some of us are going to endure relatives we despise and bad food this holiday. I want those of us to remember how there are those somewhere who are worse of then you. As I munch away I will be thinking of my beloved friend the Vegan who I love but will be eating Tofurkey. I love the vegan as a friend, but Tofurkey is hideous and should only be served at GITMO. As for relatives no family on the planet is worse then Rav Roov who is over every second. The other day I went out for a walk disgusted by the latest of his never ending visits. A drunk driver missed me by twenty feet and I was actually cursing the man upstairs for his bad aim. At least if the driver got me I would be spared these annoying visits. I actually envy the man across the street his brother is in prison. Why Rav Roov never spends any time with his wife's family is obvious as they must despise them as well and they are frum.

I am thankful to all of you out there and want you to count your blessings. It may be bad your days may have some trouble. You may experience an act of God you didn't expect or yet another terrorist attack, but all of this is small potatoes next to the greatest plague God ever invented these repeated and never ending visits of my Frum brother and his obnoxious family. God should have spared the first born Egyptians and just sent Rav Roov and his annoying family to visit Pharaoh  and talk of midah and chesed while being on the dole.

Smoooooooth

My day went really well and I got a huge jump on my work for today yesterday. I used the time between interviews to get ahead even while doing an extra interview. Plan ahead and stay alive.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Will be on the Gathering Storm this Week

On Friday, I will be calling in to talk with Warren. Fridays are difficult days in my office because that is the day we do three functions. We receive attorneys and close old cases. We also clear the decks for new cases. This week I cleared 19 cases out including four that had to be reworked from scratch because a poorly motivated peer failed to move them. A typical Officer moves twenty a week my numbers are to the North of that figure. Lastly we prepare for Monday and get a jump. My schedule was 7-7-4 which is almost capacity. It has been bumped to 8-7-4 and will likely go higher. As I am well prepared I can move quickly and get a jump on Tuesday.

 The cases for Wed. are dreaded local cases that have been around for years and that four is a very difficult number. This is especially bad when these imbeciles who have cases going on for decades refuse to hire an attorney. Sorry but most of these clods found the time and money to hire smugglers but can't afford an attorney or refuse to do so. When you read about horror stories in the paper read carefully to see if the unfortunates hired a professional.

In any immigration reform the public should be charged extra for not having forms filled out by licensed professionals/ They should also be charged extra for subsequent applications. After number three they should be barred from filing unless it is handled by a professional. These poorly prepared forms waste the governments time and resources. Of course one does not hear crusading journalists ever spend a second asking why people use travel agents and beauticians to prepare frivolous applications that waste time or resources.

That being said I will make a phone call and talk to Warren. I am stunned that I don't think I have been a guest since 2008.  I think Warren and I did a show later then that. Thus far the Duck has never shown up on the air when I am there. He is obviously enjoying some North Korean or Venezuealan goodies made by Workers Paradise peasants.

On the Gathering Storm

I called into the Gathering Storm Radio show. I was on for a very short call wishing WC and AOW a very happy Thanksgiving. I have not appeared since 2008. Friday in NYC is a day that we meet with the public and prepare for the long grind of the next week.

Next week I will be close to maximum capacity. I spent the time straightening cases from a peer. My case load was seven, but I selected an extra case for fun. Now I am at capacity and in theory I should not get additional cases. This never quite works out as frequently, my numbers are over capacity. These numbers are produced by preparation.

That being said I should still make myself more available to AOW as a future guest. I tend to be comedic and the show really isn't comedy based. However, some good matured levity is usually good radio.

Workplace Bullying It Can Happen To You

One of the things I caution workers about is workplace bullying. Even though I was an experienced professional before I got to NYC, I experienced it upon my arrival in NYC. It is a nasty experience for the workers and the public we serve. How do we begin to treat the public with respect when management  brutalizes the workers.

When I was being bullied coworkers said "keep your head down". We do not say this to victims of domestic abuse, nor should we say this to people enduring workplace bullying. The union was not very helpful as there are no laws covering workplace bullying. Unfortunately, unless the abuse falls into a protected class there is little that can be done. In my case it did fall into a protected class eventually. What made the abuse more insidious was my second line supervisor ordered the first line to be abusive. I complained above the second line and was told go through your chain of command. Human resources was next to useless and at best will offer counseling at worst side with the abusers.

Miraculously, once my abuser was sent to the rubber room my evaluations returned to above average. I tell people that I am the same worker, merely freed from daily abuse. I channeled this energy into mentoring new officers and those who listen to my techniques do well. I never expected to be a leader or mentor to so many peers. New management grasps that I am a pressure performer. The other day a peer froze and I had to perform additional work. It was not a big deal and I shifted my schedule handled it and returned to my assigned duties. 

We do have a manager who has these tendencies and she went off on maternity leave. Her flunkies had the nerve to ask me to give her some of my annual leave. I gave a clerk 28 hours and a fellow officer 45 hours for her maternity leave. To this very day I do not speak to this supervisor. When she addresses me it is a one word response yes or okay. In this person's case her buffoonish behavior cost her a weeks pay. Allegedly, motherhood has changed her. However, I have no interest in interacting with this person. I have told her if it is work related I will perform my assigned tasks. I have no interest in idle chit chat, due to her previous actions. The best thing one can do with a workplace bully is avoid them and keep all interactions to a minimum. Document everything and take the issue directly to management.

My current supervisor is a stronger individual and has told this person to worry about her own workers. In my case, I pretty much perform my work and keep my boss informed. It is normal behavior for an experienced team member.

I am one of the most popular coworkers in my unit with an outstanding reputation for fairness with the local legal community. I am still the same professional, yet I was once bullied in the same job. Special rules unique to me we created and enforced only on me. Positive attributes were spun into negatives for the sole purpose of damaging my reputation. I was charged with things that were physically impossible. How was I AWOL

if I heard six cases and your own records show it? 

All workers need to be held accountable for their actions. However, supervisors need to be held to the same standard of ethics as everyone else. Oddly, in my specific cases, the abusers seem to have acquired their positions through nepotism. In both cases the abusers had a parent working for the same agency and received promotions their performance likely did not warrant. A genuine leader has no need to abuse others to make themselves look good. An incompetent whose abilities and performance are dubious at best will 

can abuse others in an attempt to cover up their lack of skills.

Lost in talk of Immigration Reform

Any discussion of genuine immigration reform should be expedited removal. A real problem is cases that take decades. They go through endless appeals and there is little penalty for filing frivolous applications. In this case all the applicant has to do is win once.

We also need to alter the laws involving original charges. Any combination of three arrests within the last five years should render a person inadmissible. One or two items can be a mistake but when one is talking three or more.

The asylum system needs to be blown up and restructured. Three arrests in the USA for anything while the case is pending should get the person sent back home. In general this would directly impact the shadiest applications directly. 

Temporary Protective Status should come with a three year cap. No country should be allowed to extend for any natural disaster beyond three years. We still have people here for hurricane Mitch more then a decade later. These people have returned home a few times making a mockery of the system. Situations involving wars should be the sole exception to the three year rule.

People who file their own forms without an accredited attorney should pay a 50% premium. Non attorney forms preparers would have to take specific tests with a federal id annually. Attorneys would have to take a test every five years and be subject to minimum educational requirements similar to CPA's. 

Fee waivers for citizenship should be eliminated. The sole exception for this is for members of the active duty military who should get 50% discounts. Disabled veterans and retired military veterans should get 75%. Those who can not afford the fees should be offered installment plans. 

Endgame

I am in the process of making some changes to my life. There are those around me whose presence drives me nuts. I have decided to walk away from my family and wish them well.

Those of you whom I know off line know that at times my life has not been easy. I have lived through terrorist attacks, workplace bullying, every sort of romantic disaster and generally landed on my feet after a few moments. It helps to have a good sense of humor when life lobs some nasty stuff at you.

The visits of my brother and his religious Adams family proved too much. I really was not the same when his wife's uselessness turned into a summer of hell. Then her uselessness ended up costing me a car. Faced with the prospect of additional visits and never ending stupidity I decided to walk away from everything and remove myself from my family.

This does not mean I will find the answers I seek. For whatever reasons I only find peace and joy in the role of Officer and father. I will never endure theses endless visits and live my days in peace.

In a nutshell this is the reality of living with Frum relatives.

1) They are self centered and think you exist to serve them
2) They feign interest that they care, but it is for their interests only
3) They will manipulate relatives to get what they want. After all they are pious so if someone is getting pissed it is because they are eeeevil.
4) They are lazy
5) They are socially retarded and useless outside the frummie world.
6) They are painfully stupid outside theological banal texts
7) They do not respect your time.
8) They say they don't want charity while taking your stuff.
9) They have no sense of responsibility and at times are child like
10) You can't ever count on them for anything.

The Silence of the Obamunists

It didn't take long for the Obamunists to go into Omerta. Gene "Jones" Zitver was quite verbose about defending Obamacare and blaming the shutdown on those wascally wepublicans. It turns out that the GOP was 100% correct in its critique and Chairman Zero will be tweaking it again and again.

The emperor Obama can't lead and his policies are worse then any ten Natural disasters. Ranting about the Tea Party does not change the fact Obamacare does not work. In this matter the TEA Party is 100% correct.

What I learned from the DOMA cases

The subject of the DOMA cases remains sensitive at work. There are those who just harbor an illogical hatred in their heart for gays. There is no rationale for this hatred and in general those felling this disdain are not our best and brightest.

One thing that I enjoy with working these DOMA cases is that people should be comfortable with who they are. If you can not accept people for being themselves it is your problem not theirs. The matter is a private matter and those that look down their noses at these individuals are frequently not their social or intellectual equals.

I was hoping that some of the people who are balking would grow up or at least be open to intellectual growth. The sad part is that when you hold hatred in your heart, it says more about you then the person you hate.

Of course our local neighborhood Communist will point out, I despise Communists. Communists are political criminals and mental health defectives who endorse a belief system that has proven lethal and is hostile to the essence of Americanism. Any claim that Communists are enlightened is laughable with their obsessions about Jews and actual Christians. Communism is a moral and mental health defect and this is why Communists frequently play word games to hide their identity.

As for Communists, the old saying is be yourself unless you are a jerk. Communists should smile remain silent as much as possible, take their meds and return to whatever mental health facility they have escaped from as soon as possible.

Return of the Frummies

Being a frummie means that even the simplest tasks in life are beyond your competence. The same frummie dimwit was charged with a single task place one kid on a plane and send him to Yeshiva. That was supposed to happen two months ago. 

My exasperation and anger at these incompetent baboons is at wits end.

My brother needs my car and points out I barely used it and he is broke. I point out he wouldn't be broke if his wife would get a job. Being religious is used a crutch for avoiding work and sponging off others. I am at wits end with these parasites.

My family is concerned what is left of my possessions will end up in Guyana. Better to live in Guyana among the poor and criminal then the pious and lazy. 

The funny part is when these clowns are not around I am known for being cheery and tolerant. I can not stand these clowns and want them to vanish. Twenty five years of sloth and not working. Twenty five years of excuses and pious shit is enough. 

Find your religion on your own dime and get the %*^(*() out of my sight.

Rare Day With Family

I try to limit my time with the family to 30 minutes. The daughter needed Dad time as her crisis was her cell phone died. I was a short distance away. What is curious is that you can not pay multiple months on her phone ahead.

As I was about to depart the litle dogs made a fuss. The granddaughter (long story) called for me. Against better judgement I spent the evening. My daughter is now almost the size of her mother and rather then me go out again we ordered Tommy's Pizza. I am not a fan of Jalapeno and chicken as I am old school.

When I left it created a huge hole in the family that is huge around this time of year. For the sake of the kid and grand child I will make a truce. The daughter can be quite clever. She had her mom take her to the place we used to eat regularly and showed her my spot at the counter. They renovated the old diner and it is a better place, but I miss the old owner and staff. 

I do love some of the stores on Jamaica. Oddly my daughter wants clay and art supplies, I have no idea what she wants to make. She made me a bracelet I appreciate the thought but never wear jewelry of any kind.

Being a NYC type

Over the last few days, I have had the honor to work the same sex cases. From my perspective gays and lesbians are and always were a part of the community. They were great coworkers, the person a few apartments up the block and in a handful of cases distant relatives. I worked in the fashion industry for years and they certainly were there. I lived in lower Fifth Avenue and they were certainly my neighbors.

The notion that anyone gay or otherwise should be made to feel unwelcome because of being yourself is abhorrent to me. One of my favorite sayings is be yourself for better or worse and if by nature you are a jerk smile a lot and wave and remain silent.

The fact that I have plenty of friends who are gay does not change who I am. Plenty of times I have had lunch with a coworker who was gay or lesbian. Anyone who has a problem with that needs to grow up. In Vermont a really ignorant worker mistook me for a homosexual and called me gay. The person used plenty of gay slurs and this was seen by a friend in human resources. The friend urged me to file charges. My response was to file charges would be admitting that I had a problem with gays. Being mistaken for gay from my perspective is akin to being mistaken for being of a different ethnicity. Do I get offended when people ask if I am Hungarian or Ukrainian?  If I don't get offended when people mistake me for the wrong ethnicity why should I get offended when people mistake me for a homosexual.

That being said, gay people do face more abuse at work then anyone else. The very people who would end your career for the N word think nothing of freely using slurs for gays and lesbians. All epithets are wrong and just as the N word is wrong so is calling someone a faggot or a bull dyke. I don't believe that the N word is more heinous then any of those other epithets. There is no excuse for using that word or making abusive jokes about anyone.

One of the things that annoy me is the notion that as a professional I need special training to treat gays or anyone else with respect. This should be second nature to all decent professionals. In the instances where I have to be more assertive it is because of the behavior issues such as criminal arrests or legal matters. Even then the focus is on the behavior such as repeated drinking and driving not the ethnicity or whatever else.

The applicants still get a warm interview with a touch of wit and verve. In one instance a person thanked me and said you have no idea how many times I have been abused in this building thank you. The sad part is that I actually understand that better then he thinks. One of the things I fought for was a customer driven approach. The classic Stalanistist approach there will be no laughter or smiling is not the face of real customer service. In fact I was working in a back office far from the customers and a brute of a supervisor
started screaming at me "THERE WILL BE NO LAUGHTER". It was part of a pattern of work place abuse and my coworkers noticed. This did not stop this very same supervisor from gossiping about her personal life for hours, making scores of personal calls on the public dime. In my case her boss witnessed this behavior and moved me to a supervisor with humanity.

Laughing together is quite different from laughing at people, An actor came in and I joked with that name you sound like you should be killing Orcs. We joked about a mythical Axel Hammerman in accounting or  Nadine Slacker as a personal trainer.

On a personal level, many times at the end of an interview people thank me. There are many time I wonder if I should be thanking them for letting me share such a special moment. The attorneys grasp that my office is a special place where we provide genuine customer service with wit and warmth.

Workplace Bullying

The Jonathan Martin bullying story has made it to the front page of the New York Times. This is a taboo topic about the American work place that should have been discussed long ago. The reaction of the players shows some of the problems. Incredibly stupid Miami players are blaming the bullied for not stepping forward and quitting on the team. Others blame Martin for having allowed this to go on. This illustrates the rather typical ignorance about this issue. We don't or shouldn't blame battered spouses for being hit.

In most situations the chain of command is the problem. Those in the chain make themselves unavailable or feign ignorance of the situation. Human resources offers zero help, unless this situation falls into an EEO category and even then the person reporting it like in the Martin case is labeled a trouble maker or a quitter.  

The Unions are not very helpful in this regard. Many times they don't inform the target about multiple complaints of a similar nature by this person. In some cases the Union representatives merely add to the problem by telling the target keep your head down. 

I was talking to a person who works in another Federal Agency. We both understood that the real truth is gays and lesbians are frequently the most verbally abused people in the office. The N word is and should remain a taboo. Yet the very same people who would end your career for using that term or at any imagined hint of racism freely utter gay slurs. Maybe when we get to a more enlightened future these terms will be treated with a fraction of the seriousness of the N word. The person was appalled at the conditions I described. 

We need to understand that it is never okay to blame the victim. In many cases management is aware and feigns ignorance that the bullying took place. The abuse of this person by peers is encouraged by the abuser.

Others see it and keep their distance from the victim. In reality if these charges surface few if any witnesses ever step forward. It is part of a culture of unaccountability in the American workplace that needs to be remedied. As it stands unless the abuser bumps into a protected class within the EEO there is no accountability for the worst instances of workplace bullying. 

Did my first DOMA work

I did my first DOMA cases today. The concept of legal equity is one that is at the center of my legal philosophy. We don't have second class citizens gay or otherwise. I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and obey the law and this is the law.

One of the odd things about me is that I am meticulous with certain things. I preach and live preparation before the person walks in the door. On the rare case it isn't possible because I am helping out a peer that has fallen behind or another coworker is sick I endeavor to maintain my high personal standards. Someone asked Joe DiMaggio why he tried so hard. The person is going to see me one and I owe it to them and myself to be at my best no matter what.

Along the way I learned some odd things. If you are having fun people will have fun with you, its infectious. If you get people to relax and instill confidence with a genuine welcome and let them know you know who they are and why they are here it goes a long way. Laughing together with people is a different animal then laughing at them, Be yourself unless you are a jerk and in that case say as little as possible.

The cases went very well. I had minimal alteration of my style and everyone enjoyed their visit. Service with a genuine smile and verve seems to work for most. If you respect the public and genuinely want to serve, the public grasps the real thing as opposed to a painted smile.  

Hey idiots threats of violence are worse then racial slurs

Lost in the mania over racial epithets in the NFL scandal is threats of violence. There is no excuse for physical threats or violence. There was no crude attempt at humor. This was classic bullying by a baboon who should never play in the NFL again.

Had this been your average practical joke this would be no big deal. Placing shaving cream in a shoe is harmless fun. Mental abuse is no laughing matter.

Bill Di Blassio Communist and TEA PARTY delusions

Someone who has been pro Communist and painfully ignorant his entire life should be careful about criticizing anyone's political views. Lets see Communists killed 100, 000, 000 and the TEA Party and the KKK would have to go a few thousand years before they even get to a few million. This is assuming Di Blassio's Communist buddies don't revert to form.

Is Bill Di Blassio a Cheech and Chong stoner creation. Vote for stupid, lazy, useless, clueless and amoral Bill Di Blassies. It should be a news event if he ever gets a coherent thought. Bellvue moves into Gracie Mansion.

Workplace talk

The recent revelation that a professional athlete has sought help for this issue should shatter stereotypes. In this case the abused is a Stanford educated pro from a rock solid family. The target is likely much more intelligent and in this case physically stronger then those dishing out the abuse.

Workers should expect reasonable criticism when they under perform. This goes double when the failure impacts the team. In my case we had two examples yesterday. A newer officer got a tad gun shy with a rather large case and called in sick. The result was that this massive case was dumped on me at the last second. In an amazing coincidence the attorney got hit by a car and the case had to be rescheduled. In this case some joking is to be expected. The lack of heart directly impacted a fellow officer. Teamwork depends on knowing who you can count on in a tight spot. As this was a one time episode and not part of a larger pattern it is no big deal after some light humor.

The second one is a bit more serious. An officer has abused sick time impacting my work load. In my case even when I am ill, I make it to work so that others don't have to do my cases. I usually come early to prepare so I can even take an extra case or two in an emergency. In this case a new officer has been absent so often I have had to pick up close to fifty of his cases. In this case he was late and I had to pick up an extra case. Ordinarily this is no big deal, however as this person has a clear pattern comedic justice if not remedial action is warranted. I explained how his issues with absenteeism and tardiness impact me directly.
Oddly, he has at least three times as many continued cases as me and he just arrived. If he was having personal issues he should just take a leave of absence. Admittedly, he is not embraced and well loved but bullying occurs. When he showed up late, he offered to take his work back. As a courtesy, I offered the applicant a choice and a passing coworker said stay put. It also does not help that my office is now a very pleasant place to sit.

I don't like to switch cases because I come in early to prepare. The checks are done and I know who is walking in the door. Recently an annoying peer had to switch cases due to personal issues. I was slightly perturbed for two reasons. My case was fully prepared and ready for quick movement. The second case was totally unprepared and was far more labor and officer intensive. The supervisor is a wonderful human being and recognized it and defused it with a simple we have all been there remark. The attorney was very happy with the change and understood that my timetables would be off. His client would require extra time
roughly about 30 minutes. As his client had waited years, the extra time for a better venue is not a primary
concern.

I am starting to get annoyed by my peers on the subject of gays. We swear an oath to uphold the laws and are expected to be pros. As far as the religious arguments and morals, this concern is quite trivial as it is private behavior that impacts nobody other then willing participants. My peers regularly hear cases with people who drink and drive and commit criminal acts. I object to people who drink and drive. Innocent people die from impaired driving, but the morality of this is not pondered by the same people.

I had two lower ranked peers who were vexed by this issue. With the first a person asked how a gay man can father a child. I joked about the sperm cell joining the egg and cellular division. The person laughed and I got her to focus on the case specifics. The second peer was handled with lets return to case specifics and focus on the merits. Remaining focused is a key element of any job. When you watch MASH you see that skilled pros can joke a bit when they perform. If one is focused, competent and well trained most tasks should appear routine. The other bit is if you are not confident the public you serve will notice. This does not infer you should be standoffish. A simple quip , I think I have done this a time or two eases the atmosphere

Work place humor should stick to the situation and not be about the peer. Thus with the worker who dodged a heavy case some light humor is appropriate.He will go on to be an excellent peer. With the second case of excessive lateness I am not so certain. A top person asked me about training and getting things accomplished. I explained I can teach techniques but if the person does not want to improve it is wasted time.

With all these issues there is no excuse for bullying or making a peer into a pariah. It may be that the person with chronic lateness and attendance issues can not cut it. However, there is no excuse for emotional abuse
beyond the normal quips. Shame on the Miami Dolphins for allowing a poisonous work place to take a toll on an individual. Coaches and players who did not step in should be ashamed of themselves. Did you help yourselves as a team by making a peer into a pariah. It is one of those moments where people should look in the mirror and say look at yourselves and hang your heads in shame.