Will Postal Service Restart Destructive Mail Processing Facility Closures?

Article Title: Warning: Another Attack On Our Postal Service

Snippet of Article: "...have to get rid of several mail-processing facilities, even though this would slow delivery. Other steps – layoffs, along with pay and benefit cuts for the workers who remain – would make the service more “efficient.” Over time, service would degrade and eventually this would all end badly for the public and the employees. (But, of course, that’s the point.) ..."

Source: ourfuture.org

Senate to Pass Spending Bill to Avoid Shutdown

Article Title: Senate to Pass Spending Bill to Avoid Shutdown

Snippet of Article: "...The Senate plans to pass a spending bill Wednesday morning to keep the U.S. government running, leaving hours to spare for the House to vote before a potential shutdown...."

Source: www.newsmax.com Spending Bill, Shutdown 2915, Government Shutdown, Federal Shutdown,

As the government barrels toward another shutdown, thousands of federal workers say they weren’t fairly compensated for the last one

Article Title: As the government barrels toward another shutdown, thousands of federal workers say they weren’t fairly compensated for the last one

Snippet of Article: "...The employees, from the Defense Department to the Bureau of Prisons, have joined a lawsuit against the government that alleges it violated the Fair Labor Standards Act two years ago. They were told to work during the 16-day shutdown because their jobs were essential to security and safety — but not paid until federal agencies reopened..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com Federal Shutdown, Government Shutdown,

Obama planned to hire 3,100 new federal employees to legalize illegal immigrants before being enjoined by federal courts.

Article Title: Obama planned to hire 3,100 new federal employees to legalize illegal immigrants before being enjoined by federal courts.

Snippet of Article: "...President Obama’s plan to unilaterally legalize millions of illegal immigrants in defiance of Congress, would have required the hiring of 3,100 new full-time federal employees, with benefits, just to process the paperwork. The Obama administration actually did lease an 11-story building in Arlington, Virginia, for $7.8 million per year to accommodate those new hires..."

Source: www.newsworks.org

Comments from Wednesday’s debate on CNN about the government should make you nervous

Article Title: GOP hopefuls spell dread for federal employees

Snippet of Article: "...It must be disheartening for public servants to hear they are part of an inept, corrupt political class that stifles, rather than serves the public. Walker, the union-busting governor of Wisconsin, thinks he has the cure..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Feds offered $235,000 for Norwalk lighthouse

Article Title: Feds offered $235,000 for Norwalk lighthouse

Snippet of Article: "...The property consists of a cast-iron sparkplug style structure with rests on a cast-iron cylindrical foundation. Peck Ledge Lighthouse, built in 1906, is a 54-foot tall “sparkplug” style light. It has three stories of living space, a basement level with cisterns (for storing water), and 360-degree views from its circular deck...."

Source: www.ctpost.com Pecks Ledge Lighthouse

High-level federal employees used work Internet systems to join Ashley Madison

Article Title: High-level federal employees used work Internet systems to join Ashley Madison

Snippet of Article: "...Hackers this week released detailed records on millions of people registered with the website one month after the break-in at Ashley Madison's parent company, Toronto-based Avid Life Media Inc. The website -- whose slogan is, "Life is short. Have an affair" -- is marketed to facilitate extramarital affairs...."

Source: www.foxnews.com Ashley Madison

US Consulate in Istanbul attacked as violence escalates in Turkey

Article Title: US Consulate in Istanbul attacked as violence escalates in Turkey

Snippet of Article: "...In a statement posted on its website the group described the consulate attacker, Asik, as a "revolutionary" fighting American oppression and vowed to maintain its struggle until Turkey is "cleared" of all U.S. bases..."

Source: www.foxnews.com Turkey, US Consulate in Istanbul,

NASA tells lawmakers to brace for more Pluto secrets revealed by mission

Article Title: NASA tells lawmakers to brace for more Pluto secrets revealed by mission

Snippet of Article: "...“Now is the time to accelerate, not curtail, the pace and scope of our nation’s solar system exploration program,” said Robert Braun, professor of space technology at Georgia Institute of Technology The New Horizons probe -- launched in 2006 and powered by plutonium -- reached the closest phase of its brief planetary flyby of Pluto and its five moons on July 14..."

Source: www.latimes.com

Federal Employees Are Likely to Get a 1.3 Percent Pay Raise Next Year

Article Title: Federal Employees Are Likely to Get a 1.3 Percent Pay Raise Next Year

Snippet of Article: "...Another group of lawmakers declined to block a pay raise for federal employees next year, increasing the likelihood nearly all civil servants will receive the 1.3 percent salary bump recommended by President Obama...."

Source: www.nationaljournal.com 2016 Federal Pay Raise,

Some Republicans in Congress want to cut the G Fund rate

Article Title: Would Cutting the G Fund Interest Rate Benefit Federal Employees?

Snippet of Article: "...Some Republicans in Congress are making the argument that the G fund pays interest that is too high as there is no risk with the investment...."

Source: www.fedsmith.com G Fund Interest Rate

What is a Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) plus 10 annuity under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)?

Article Title: What is a Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) plus 10 annuity under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)?

Snippet of Article: "...This is a provision that allows you to retire with benefits beginning immediately if you have ten years of service and have reached the Minimum Retirement Age..."

Source: www.opm.gov

The huge gap between how federal workers and federal leaders see the workplace

Article Title: The huge gap between how federal workers and federal leaders see the workplace

Snippet of Article: "...If I truly believe that my organization’s leaders are arbitrary in rewarding employees or that they fail to hold poor performers accountable, my own commitment to the job is likely to be weaker. And if I’m part of the leadership team and I think everything is fine, I am unlikely to change anything...."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

FBI investigating severed fiber-optic cables that disrupted Internet, phones in Northern California

Article Title: FBI investigating fiber-optic cuts that disrupted Internet, phones in Northern California

Snippet of Article: "...The FBI is working with police to catch vandals behind nearly a dozen fiber-optic cable cuts in Northern California in the past year. The latest snips occurred Tuesday, when someone sliced at least three fiber-optic cables in an underground vault..."

Source: www.foxbusiness.com Attacks on Internet Infrastructure, FBI,

Federal workers file complaints about private contractor handling breach

Article Title: Federal workers file complaints about private contractor handling breach

Snippet of Article: "...This is not how people who are alarmed that their Social Security numbers, life insurance beneficiaries, military service records — and for many, details of their lives they disclosed when applying for security clearances — may be compromised say they hoped the government would respond..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com OPM Cyber-Breach 2015, OPM Data Breach, life insurance beneficiaries, military service records,

OPM Cyber-Breach: What is the SF-86 and was yours compromised?

Article Title: Feds Eye Link to Private Contractor in Massive Government Hack

Snippet of Article: "..."If the SF-86's associated with this hack were, in their entirety, part of the stolen information, then that would mean the potential release of a staggering amount of information, affecting an exponential amount of people," one U.S. official told ABC News on Sunday. ..."

Source: abcnews.go.com SF-86, OPM Cyber-Breach 2015, KeyPoint Government Solutions,

Cybersecurity Firm Says It Found Spyware on Government Network in April

Article Title: Cybersecurity Firm Says It Found Spyware on Government Network in April

Snippet of Article: "...OPM officials have said they discovered the intrusion on their own in April, and immediately took steps to address it. But The Wall Street Journal reported last week that a Virginia company, CyTech Services Inc., discovered the intrusion when carrying out a demonstration of security software. ..."

Source: www.wsj.com OPM Data Breach, Data Breach (OPM 2015), CyTech Services Inc., Spyware on Government Network,

TSA Director Reassigned in Wake of Security Failures

Article Title: TSA Director Reassigned in Wake of Security Failures

Snippet of Article: "..."I thank Melvin Carraway for his eleven years of service to TSA and his 36 years of public service," Johnson said in the statement, adding that Acting Deputy Director Mark Hatfield will lead the TSA in the interim. ..."

Source: abcnews.go.com TSA

National Security Agency's collection of bulk telephone metadata ends at midnight

Article Title: Clock Runs Out on Renewal of Patriot Act Surveillance Powers

Snippet of Article: "...The National Security Agency's authority to collect troves of bulk telephone metadata under the post-Sept. 11 USA Patriot Act will expire at midnight..."

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Anthrax inquiry widens to 24 labs in 11 states, two foreign countries

Article Title: Anthrax inquiry widens to 24 labs in 11 states, two foreign countries

Snippet of Article: "...widening Pentagon investigation found late Friday that an Army biodefense facility in Utah has been mistakenly sending out live deadly anthrax samples to at least two dozen private and military laboratories around the world for the last seven years..."

Source: www.latimes.com

Sources: IRS believes massive data theft originated in Russia

Article Title: Sources: IRS believes massive data theft originated in Russia

Snippet of Article: "...The IRS believes that a major cyber breach that allowed criminals to steal the tax returns of more than 100,000 people originated in Russia, two sources briefed on the data theft tell CNN..."

Source: www.cnn.com

Will Postmaster General Megan Brennan be the savior of America's Postal Service? Closures/Consolidations Postponed!

Article Title: USPS halts plan to consolidate and close processing facilities

Snippet of Article: "...Postal Regulatory Commissioner Ruth Goldway criticized the Postal Service for moving ahead with its plan to consolidate processing facilities back in January, saying the latest round of operational cuts threatens the integrity of the Postal Service's primary obligation under the law – to provide universal service...."

Source: www.fiercegovernment.com

TSA security badges missing

Article Title: More Airport Security Badges Missing as Pols Demand Answers

Snippet of Article: "...As NBCDFW reported in March, more than 1,400 of the badges — which allow employees to access secure areas like runways and boarding gates — went missing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport over approximately two years. ..."

Source: www.nbcnews.com TSA Security Badges

Memorial Day is meant as a time to honor those who've lost their lives fighting for our country

Article Title: WWII nurse remembers sacrifice seen on battlefield

Snippet of Article: "... will you please sing Happy Birthday to me.' So I sang. He said 'momma kiss me.' So I kissed his forehead. He died 3 or 4 hours later."..."
Source: www.waff.com

We Must Remember What Made Us A Strong Nation As Politicians Neuter Our Country

Article Title: We Must Remember What Made Us A Strong Nation As Politicians Neuter Our Country

Don't tread on America! We are fed up!

As America's civil unrest and international threats encroach upon the constitutional rights of our citizenry, we must vote out the weak, pansy, money obsessed politicians that have now neutered our law enforcement, as well as our international defense. The current political environment is more concerned with shrinking government services at the state, local and federal level in an effort to give more excessive tax breaks to the wealthy, while at the other end of the spectrum, we have a government that is alienating us from our allies internationally and giving thugs the power over law enforcement and law-abiding citizens while you and I pay the price for it all. Once they remove our patriotic hearts and replace them with weak jello we will be left with feminized men instead of caring men with the hearts of valiant warriors that built this country. We need to read the words of our past so that we know what and how this country became the greatest free nation in the world. A good place to start would be the NAVAL WAR COLLEGE ADDRESS by President Theodore Roosevelt at Newport, R.I.. June 2, 1897, who said, "If we forget that in the last resort we can only secure peace by being ready and willing to fight for it, we may someday have bitter cause to realize that a rich nation which is slothful, timid, or unwieldy is an easy prey for any people which still retains those most valuable of all qualities, the soldierly virtues. We but keep to the traditions of Washington, to the traditions of all the great Americans who struggled for the real greatness of America, when we strive to build up those fighting qualities for the lack of which in a nation, as in an individual, no refinement, no culture, no wealth, no material prosperity, can atone." or as Washington wrote, "To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace."
Source: The Federal NewsGroup

Democrats foil attempt by the U.S. Department of Labor to cut workers' compensation benefits

Article Title: Democrats Reject Proposal to Cut Benefits for Injured Federal Workers

Snippet of Article: "...“I am disappointed that the Department of Labor would come forward for the third time in the past five years with a proposal to cut benefits for injured workers that is not evidence-based, and whose justification has been completely debunked by the Government Accountability Office,” said Scott. “I find it incomprehensible that we are now considering whether to take $500 million from middle class workers – and their families ..."
Source: ehstoday.com

FBI alleges Bandidos are among the largest outlaw motorcycle gangs in the USA

Article Title: FBI: Biker gangs are serious 'criminal enterprises'

Ride American Made

Snippet of Article: "...The FBI says on its organized crime Web page that the Bandidos is one of the largest outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) in the USA, with about 900 members and 93 chapters. The group itself says it has over 200 chapters with more than 2,500 members in 16 countries. The FBI says OMGs such as the Bandidos "pose a serious..."
Source: www.wfaa.com

What a mess. That’s the only way to describe the current status of mail delivery...

Article Title: Don’t let Congress dismantle the Postal Service

Snippet of Article: "...What a mess. That’s the only way to describe the current status of mail delivery in our area in the wake of the closure of the Duluth processing facility last month. It’s a far cry from the “seamless” transition promised by postal service spokespeople back in February when they confirmed plans to shutter Duluth’s mail processing center...."

Source: www.timberjay.com

Bernie Sanders works hard for the American working-class, federal workers and postal workers

Article Title: Bernie Sanders: The Federal Workforce Advocate

Snippet of Article: "...Sanders has said, "Providing fewer services and poorer quality is not the way to save the Postal Service," and he has spoken out against job cuts at the agency, arguing that "good-paying postal jobs" can help protect the middle-class in local economies... Federal retirees would also have an advocate in a Sanders presidency, as the senator was among the most outspoken against proposals to lower the inflation calculation for cost-of-living adjustments for retirees' annuities. ..."
Source: www.nationaljournal.com Bernie Sanders

Top federal employees leave position because no one asked them to stay

Article Title: Why top federal employees leave: It’s not just the money

Snippet of Article: "...Seventy percent of federal senior executives who left their positions said in response to an exit survey that no effort had been made to encourage them to stay. ..."
Source: www.washingtonpost.com

The GOP is not a friend of the middle-class federal worker; more attacks on federal retirement

Article Title: Budget plan calls for $194 billion in unidentified cuts to federal workforce

Snippet of Article: "...a House budget resolution proposed increasing the employee share of pension contributions by 6 percentage points of salary, with an offsetting reduction in what agencies pay. That and ending a “special retirement supplement”..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com federal retirement,SRS

Re-Depositing Retirement Contributions

Article Title: Re-Depositing Retirement Contributions and Your Federal Annuity

Snippet of Article: "...This article is for CSRS employees and the few (very few) FERS employees (often known as FERS transferees) who had withdrawn contributions from CSRS and not re-deposited them when they returned to federal service as a FERS employee, or elected to transfer from CSRS to FERS during one of the two open seasons...."

Source: www.fedsmith.com Re-Depositing Retirement Contributions

How wealthy U.S. companies avoid paying taxes

Article Title: How U.S. companies learned to relocate their official addresses overseas and avoid taxes

Snippet of Article: "...The first corporate “inversion,” as Carroll’s maneuver came to be known, was obscure then and is all but forgotten now. Yet at least 45 companies have followed the lead of Carroll’s client, New Orleans-based construction company McDermott International, and shifted their legal addresses to low-tax foreign nations. Total corporate savings so far: at least $9.8 billion—money that otherwise would have gone to the U.S. government...."

Source: www.bloomberg.com Corporate Inversion, Zachary Mider,

The Standards of Conduct as Applied to Personal Social Media Use

Article Title: OGE Issues Legal Advisory on the Standards of Conduct and Social Media

Snippet of Article: "...Use of social media has become prevalent among Federal executive branch employees and agencies. The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) is aware that agency ethics officials have an interest in understanding how the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Executive Branch Employees (Standards of Conduct), 5 C.F.R. part 2635, apply to the use of social media. This interest is reflected in the increased volume of questions that OGE receives from various agencies seeking advice in this area...."
Source: www.oge.gov U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE), Standards of Conduct and Social Media,

The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House (Hardcover Book)

Article Title: The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House

The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House

Snippet of Article: "...A remarkable history with elements of both In the President’s Secret Service and The Butler, The Residence offers an intimate account of the service staff of the White House, from the Kennedys to the Obamas. America’s First Families are unknowable in many ways. No one has insight into their true character like the people who serve their meals and make their beds every day. Full of stories and details by turns dramatic, humorous, and heartwarming, The Residence reveals daily life in the White House as it is really lived through the voices of the maids, butlers, cooks, florists, doormen, engineers, and others who tend to the needs of the President and First Family...."
Source: www.amazon.com The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House

House Budget Committee Suggests Curbing the Rate of Return on the G Fund

Article Title: Congress Doesn’t Have Appetite For Messing with the G Fund, Senator Says

Snippet of Article: "...House Budget Committee’s fiscal 2016 blueprint targets federal retirement benefits, among several other areas, for more than $280 billion in budget savings over the next 10 years. Those recommendations include aligning the G Fund “with an appropriate risk profile,” according to the committee report on the concurrent resolution, which the House passed on March 25..."

Source: www.govexec.com

Attempted NSA gate crash results in shooting, one dead

Article Title: One shot dead at Fort Meade after trying to ram NSA gate

Snippet of Article: "...The incident took place near one of the gates to the complex, far from the main buildings. The FBI said they did not think terrorism was related to the incident. "We are working with the US Attorney's Office in Maryland to determine if federal charges are warranted," the FBI said in a statement. ..."

Source: www.cnn.com shooting, National Security Agency (NSA),

Scumbag politicians want to steal more from federal and postal employees by further lowering pay

Article Title: Budget Bills: Cut Postal, Federal Pay

Snippet of Article: "...Budget bills for fiscal year 2016 proposed by House and Senate committees last week would cut pay for postal and federal workers by increasing the amount employees must pay into retirement accounts – without any increase in benefits. Under the budget bills, up to 6 percent of a postal worker’s wages would go toward funding retirement programs – reducing pay by thousands of dollars each year. In recent years, Congress increased the contributions required from employees covered by FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System) from 0.8 percent to 4.4 percent. Over the past five years, lawmakers have already cut federal and postal workers pay and benefits by $159 billion – and now they want more. “There is no justification for these pay cuts,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “The Postal Service is ‘off budget’ and doesn’t get a dime of taxpayer money,” he pointed out, “and postal pension accounts are almost fully funded.”..."

Source: www.apwu.org

What Government Websites Are The Most Heavily Trafficked? ...and how many are viewing what Government websites now?

Article Title: What Government Websites Are The Most Heavily Trafficked? ...and how many are viewing what Government websites now?

If you are a data driven individual, you will enjoy visiting analytics.usa.gov which provides data on how people interact with government websites. The information is derived from a Google Analytics account for United States federal government agencies known as the Digital Analytics Program. The program helps federal agencies understand how website visitors "find, access, and use government services online". The analytics site states that the program does not track individuals, and anonymizes the IP addresses of visitors. Also, for security purposes, not every government website is represented in the data. Currently, the Digital Analytics Program collects website traffic from almost 300 executive branch government domains, across over 3800 total websites, including every cabinet department. They continue to pursue and add more sites frequently.

NOTE: If you are curious about what information your browser can provide when you visit any website, here is a website that will identify a small sampling of that information: User Agent Viewer. Although the aforementioned Government analytics website does not report your IP address, all websites can identify your IP address. If you would like to see your IP address, visit What is my IP address?

Purposeful slowing of First Class Mail by Postal Service is harmful to the public interest, but they still want to close 82 more processing facilities

Article Title: Recent slowdown of first-class mail delivers bad news to those who rely on postal service

Snippet of Article: "... Without telling you, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has slowed down the mail. New service standards went into effect on Jan. 5, ending overnight delivery of local first-class mail. The slower delivery schedules mean that the public will now see a delay in the delivery of bill payments, greeting cards, medicines, Netflix DVDs, ballots, newspapers and checks. This cutback of such a basic service is harmful to the public interest. ..."

Source: realchangenews.org destruction of postal service, Destruction of America's infrastructure,