Tag: the present danger
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I miss the FOIA wave
As we read about our clowntastic predatory regime conducting its war planning on unauditable untraceable private networks, I am reminded again of the training I got in info security, the handling of sensitive information, and the ethical expectations for federal employees. At 18F we worked in the open and welcomed scrutiny.
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Countdown checklist
We are hearing about more layoffs at TTS today, apparently targeting Talent (including PeopleOps). If so, then what was reputed to be by far the best onboarding experience in the federal government is no more, and TTS is now subject to GSA’s OHRM and really the “HR@OPM” mail server that seems to be calling the…
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Weekending
Heading over to the east bay soon for a birthday lunch (cassoulet is the rumor!). just had a good chat with the fellow who is going to print my CDs and maybe make my vinyl as well. The record release is still probably OK for June, but LPs may have to come a few months…
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Hope springs eternal
I try not to amplify rumors even while lately most rumors I’ve been hearing have either come true or turned out worse than rumored. Especially now I don’t want to spread stories that may not be true or might actually be in flux right now. So I’m glad I didn’t report that people at TTS…
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We have to stick together
It’s Monday and I’m still drawing a paycheck but I’m on “administrative leave.” Still the muscle memory is strong and a bunch us held a standup to coordinate some immediate mutual aid and response activities. Later in the day the incumbent leadership team from 18F also connected to regroup, check in on each other, and…
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1800 force ghosts
So they fired us all at once and we’re still here. They have no idea what they’ve unleashed.
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And one day the axe just fell
The news is already out. 18F, targeted for deletion weeks ago by Prime Minister Musk, was laid off (“RIFfed” in the parlance) last night at 12:01 am ET. Sometime today they managed to pull the plug on 18F.gov but keep your eyes on 18F.org, where so far we have published a joint statement (included below),…
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Daily check-in
I was reflecting on the calumnies being heaped on civil servants by professional grifters on the right. Electoral-vote.com this morning shared several comments from television, online, and elected hatemongers suggesting that people who work for the government are stealing taxpayer dollars and producing nothing. (No comment about Georgia congresspeople taking taxpayer dollars to spread lies…
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Double secret probation
After we spent most of Monday taking stock of the damage so far, wasting time responding to a nonsensical status report, and assessing the immediate impact of all this chaos and wasteful destruction on our ongoing project work with partner agencies, true to form we got an email blast after close of business on the…
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Dunning-Kruger guide to micro management
As most of the online world knows, over the weekend a presidential adviser used his right-wing microblogging network to continue repeating all the plays he used to spoil the company behind it. This weekend it was another one of those ludicrous emails couched in weasel words with all the “macho” threats taking place at the…
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Oath takers and oath breakers
The whole concept of swearing an oath can feel antique, or worse cringe-y. Sad creepy quasi-militia guys exchanging rings with their daughters, that kind of thing. But I have worked for two governments now, and three administrations. When I was appointed to a role in the California government I swore an oath to defend the…