Friday Fab Five – Tchad, Travel and The Shutdown!

Every Friday, we take a quick look back at the week and highlight five members or moments that were especially awesome. Here’s who and what rocked it out this week. Also we want to know how or what you think killed it this week on the site so help us out with your comments below.

5. The Most Commented Blog of the Week goes to Pam Broviak‘s What It’s Like to Work For The Government. Pam’s blog talks about all the hoops and whatnot govies have to jump thru and how it’s not the easiest job in the world. I’m sure we can all vouch for those points but still it feels good to read about someone else that goes through the same stuff.

As a management consultant who has worked for over 70 contractors and government agencies, I can honestly say that I have met countless dedicated and capable individuals in both arenas. And, some less than sincere people, too! Human nature doesn’t draw organizational lines. Frustrated customers, employees and citizens, lacking the ability (or desire) to make positive change, often feel the need to place blame. But, clearly there are also distinct disadvantages to working in the public sector in a time of rapidly increasing transparency (and lunacy!). For this reason, if no other, you all have my greatest admiration and respect for caring on with the good fight! There is no hope without action. – Michael Lisagor

4. The Top Forum was a run away, going to What would a “government shutdown” mean in practical terms? by Christopher Stevenson. With some much on the line this week and next it’s only natural that govies would be supremely interested in the possibility of a shutdown but who really knows what all that entails. Christopher was a little fuzzy on it so he asked the community and responses have been rolling in since.

During the shutdown of ’95-’96 there were lots of very worried federal employees.

* We were off for three weeks
* We didn’t know if we would be paid
* It was the holidays
* It was winter (In Buffalo, NY for me – think high heating bills and how to pay for them)
* It was not fun or enjoyable in any way shape or form
* Travel was not an option (What if the government started back up and we were out of town?). Besides, we were living off our savings, as unemployment hadn’t started yet.)
* Volunteering was also not an option. We were either taking care of our families and personal business or hitting the streets with informational pickets.

It they shut down the federal government again, who knows how long we would be off. I also wouldn’t count on getting retroactively paid for the time the government was shut down either.
– Murrianna K. Thomson

3. Most Active Group goes to Travel. Basically group creator Ed Albetski has the entire group stumped. Every so often Ed will post a pic from travels and the group guesses where it’s from but he absolutely has us stumped here at the GovLoop offices with the most recent photo. So we are making the Travel group group of the week in hopes that someone can guess the picture right. If not we give up Ed!

2. Quote of the Week goes to Meghan Benedict and you guessed it she was commenting on the possible shutdown. There never is a good time for government to shutdown but after reading Meghan’s comment I agree that this could be the worst possible time.

I am afraid that there will be a shutdown. This new congress appears to refuse to compromise. I work for the IRS at a call site answering tax law and where is my refund questions. This is the WORST time of year to shut the government down because so many people are waiting for their refunds. People tell me they need their refunds to get caught up on their bills. Schedule A filers were already angry that they were delayed until February 14 to file. A shut down would cause serious detriment to tax payers especially those who get the Earned Income Credit.

1. Finally, Rockstar of the Week goes to Tchad Moore. So Tchad donated his time and sweet camera skills to GovLoop last week to help us film a cool GovLoop success story which will be making an appearance on the site soon… stay tuned.