Military Academies May Cancel Games

[KMSBball]

Washington has really done it this time! Due to the government shutdown, US military academies have been told to expect travel restrictions on all sports. This would prevent Air Force from traveling to play Navy this Saturday. Army's game with Boston College on Saturday is also doubtful. This will affect all sports at the schools.

I heard this report from Jack Arute on Sirius 91's college football show.

It is also being reported that classes at the military academies will have to be suspended as most of the instructors are private contractors that are now furloughed. Lots of talk about this from football fans from all over the country. They are not happy.

[Catonahottinroof]

Ridiculous....travel for those games was booked long ago.

A cotton headed ninny muggins made that call.

[Bakert]

A cotton headed ninny muggins made that call.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!! This is a family board and that sort of language simply cannot be tolerated. :)

[UKHistory]

All kinds of government travel was booked a long time ago. But today is new year's day--the first day of the Federal government's fiscal year and there is no budget.

I am surprised this is happening but it is a good pressure point to resolve this crisis.

Use of contractors as opposed to tenured staff, retired officers, etc is a great example of what is wrong with the the government today. The academies used to be a beacon of excellence.

No longer.


Ridiculous....travel for those games was booked long ago.

A cotton headed ninny muggins made that call.

[Catonahottinroof]

The Naval Academy has its own athletic association to fund athletics. I would think the other academies do this as well through their alumni networks, tickets sales etc.
I doubt athletics at the service academies are on a federal credit card.


All kinds of government travel was booked a long time ago. But today is new year's day--the first day of the Federal government's fiscal year and there is no budget.

I am surprised this is happening but it is a good pressure point to resolve this crisis.

Use of contractors as opposed to tenured staff, retired officers, etc is a great example of what is wrong with the the government today. The academies used to be a beacon of excellence.

No longer.

[uklandrn]

One of my son Alec's best friends is a cadet at the Air Force Academy. He posted on facebook today how football had been cancelled and how upset he was about it. His mom posted another memo stating that the academy would be doing its best to continue with classes using non furloughed personnel. I feel sorry for the kids - but my biggest concern is for the deployed troops. I have some good friends who are in Afghanistan and Africa, and they just got word AFN has been cancelled due to the shut down. I understand AFN is not a necessity - but for a soldier who is putting their life on the line everyday - a little bit of home - like watching a football game - can help keep you sane. I hope this shutdown ends soon - and things are resolved in a way that is best for the country - politics aside.

[CitizenBBN]

This is all for the same reason employees were paid today to go put up blockades around monuments that the rest of their history have not been staffed or blockaded - to score political points during the "shutdown" (considering how much of the government is in fact operating it's not really a shutdown). Same thing that happened when the White House tours were canceled but there was enough money for the First Family's vacation in the hamptons that would fund years worth of tours by itself. The agencies have been directed to close down the most visible and emotional services possible.

I'm not defending the shutdown or praising it, but it is pretty obvious to observe the way in which services are being chosen. These guys wont be running out of money for their drivers and golf outings, but cutting those doesn't bring anything home to Americans. If they can get a big splash with cutting into college kid's lives few will ask if it was really necessary even in the midst of a spending battle.

[UKHistory]

Citizen,

I love you to death. 800,000 people who filled out time cards today before leaving their offices writing in code "103 Furlough Days" for Tuesday through Friday disagree with you.

There is no guarantee of pay. No idea when we get to go back to work.

[QUOTE=CitizenBBN;112581](considering how much of the government is in fact operating it's not really a shutdown). QUOTE]

[dan_bgblue]

History, I do feel for the folks that have been furloughed. The point I would like to make is that more private sector working folk than that have been laid off from jobs or had their hours trimmed to the point they can not pay their bills working just one job. The federal employees know they will be going back to work in the same jobs at the same location as soon as this cartoon scenario ends. That can not be said for the other folks I mentioned.

I do agree with CBBN in that some of the layoffs and closures are political theater designed to elicit a public reaction. Many government department websites have been turned off. Those websites are for information only and have no need for human interaction behind the scenes. The only thing they cost to stay open for the populace and the business that require them to operate their businesses efficiently and correctly, is a little electricity, yet they were shut down with no warning.

[CitizenBBN]

History, that's not to dismiss the struggles of those people. A couple of my friends are among those 800,000 from the last I heard, and others will immediately feel the impact b/c they have jobs in DC that depend on that economy.

But the federal government employees more than 4.5 million including military, over 2.75 million civilian workers alone. When that much of the workforce is still active that's not a "shutdown". No factory that is operating at 70% of labor capacity is "shut down", the term just isn't accurate.

thats' why I said I'm not dismissing its significance, but I won't call it what it isn't either. Military personnel, law enforcement, large chunks of the government are still operating. I don't know what we call it, other than us all agreeing it's not terribly useful and hurts a lot of people who are innocent in all of this, but I just can't bring myself to call it a "shutdown". I don't want to call it a "slimdown" as Fox has done, that seems dismissive of its severity, but "shutdown" seems a reach as well in the other direction.

[CitizenBBN]

I do agree with CBBN in that some of the layoffs and closures are political theater designed to elicit a public reaction. Many government department websites have been turned off. Those websites are for information only and have no need for human interaction behind the scenes. The only thing they cost to stay open for the populace and the business that require them to operate their businesses efficiently and correctly, is a little electricity, yet they were shut down with no warning.

The ones being so heavily reported are almost all just theater, having little to do with real savings or need and if anything are in fact being picked inverse to at least perceived need in order to elicit the desired response. I bet every one of those servers are still up, the internet connections to them and the servers themselves are largely on contract and no contractor is going to shut them off the first day of this process for non payment even if payment were due, which it likely isn't. It's nothing more than to create a spectacle, finding any way possible to impact as many Americans as possible in their day to day lives so as to put pressure on the other side to "re open" a government that isn't really completely closed.

White House tours, monuments that AREN'T STAFFED being blockaded so you can't walk by them, college football games already paid for that MAKE money. The only thing more absurd would be if they paid people to go around taking down street signs b/c somehow leaving them up there swinging on poles was costing us too much.

Think we canceled the contracts into cranberry research or all the bridges to nowhere? We could cover all the obvious public stuff easily by taking from areas that impact fewer people, projects that in fact 90% of Americans would agree should never have been funded at all, but then Americans wouldn't be all outraged about the situation.

[Darrell KSR]

It's small potatoes in the grand scheme, but if, by chance, you chose one of the military schools in Oledon's Stupid Underdog Picks game, you might want to choose an alternate pick.

[dan_bgblue]

I bet every one of those servers are still up, the internet connections to them and the servers themselves are largely on contract and no contractor is going to shut them off the first day of this process for non payment even if payment were due, which it likely isn't.

That is correct. The websites are still there, still open, but when one gets there, all one sees is a page that says we are closed due to government shut down. We will reopen when the budget process refunds the website. That is not the exact language but you get the idea.

[dan_bgblue]

It's small potatoes in the grand scheme, but if, by chance, you chose one of the military schools in Oledon's Stupid Underdog Picks game, you might want to choose an alternate pick.

Man we are talking bragging rights for a year. That ain't no small potatoes

[UKHistory]

I need to get a copy of the budget but entitlement programs and defense take up the lion's share of the budget. Those are going to continue. Which is good.

The whole thing is theatre. Real people with real lives that are being put on hold trying to figure how on what day do I need to access which emergency/savings fund and when should I start looking for a part time job?

Things are relative. My understanding is that the DC area economy is scheduled to lose millions every day that this shutdown continues.

For the 800,000 civilians in my shoes this is a shutdown--I can use the time to slim down; and will by best to keep my spirits from being down. My last name is Downey so the down term is kind of fun here.

Today a group of veterans was about to be denied access to the WWII memorial. A group of Congressmen moved the barriers as if they were being heroic when their decisions along with the President and the Senate put the damn barriers up in the first place. That was pure theatre.


The ones being so heavily reported are almost all just theater, having little to do with real savings or need and if anything are in fact being picked inverse to at least perceived need in order to elicit the desired response. I bet every one of those servers are still up, the internet connections to them and the servers themselves are largely on contract and no contractor is going to shut them off the first day of this process for non payment even if payment were due, which it likely isn't. It's nothing more than to create a spectacle, finding any way possible to impact as many Americans as possible in their day to day lives so as to put pressure on the other side to "re open" a government that isn't really completely closed.

White House tours, monuments that AREN'T STAFFED being blockaded so you can't walk by them, college football games already paid for that MAKE money. The only thing more absurd would be if they paid people to go around taking down street signs b/c somehow leaving them up there swinging on poles was costing us too much.

Think we canceled the contracts into cranberry research or all the bridges to nowhere? We could cover all the obvious public stuff easily by taking from areas that impact fewer people, projects that in fact 90% of Americans would agree should never have been funded at all, but then Americans wouldn't be all outraged about the situation.

[CitizenBBN]

I need to get a copy of the budget but entitlement programs and defense take up the lion's share of the budget. Those are going to continue. Which is good.

The whole thing is theatre. Real people with real lives that are being put on hold trying to figure how on what day do I need to access which emergency/savings fund and when should I start looking for a part time job?

Things are relative. My understanding is that the DC area economy is scheduled to lose millions every day that this shutdown continues.

For the 800,000 civilians in my shoes this is a shutdown--I can use the time to slim down; and will by best to keep my spirits from being down. My last name is Downey so the down term is kind of fun here.

Today a group of veterans was about to be denied access to the WWII memorial. A group of Congressmen moved the barriers as if they were being heroic when their decisions along with the President and the Senate put the damn barriers up in the first place. That was pure theatre.

For those impacted it is a shutdown. As I said I didn't like the "slim down" term at all b/c it sounds like a diet and does IMO dismiss the problems it causes for a lot of people. It sounds like everyone is going jogging and having a coffee, but overall it's not a shutdown when 70% of the company is still open and running.

Re the barriers, those were put up purely to make a show of things and was the most obvious of all the contrivances thus far. The President's office ordered them up to create political imagery, the Congressmen moved them to create/negate that imagery as well. yes it was a pure contrivance.

But this is a democracy, which means it's driven largely by imagery b/c the vast majority of voters are only half paying attention. Close down all of NASA and it doesn't raise an eyebrow, but cancel a college football game and you'd think the zombies were roaming the streets.

[Catonahottinroof]

And some Obama nitwit staffer must have realized that the service academies use their athletic association funds for coaches salaries, travel etc.

http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/decision-bc-army-afa-navy-games-thursday-20445824

[Doc]

All kinds of government travel was booked a long time ago. But today is new year's day--the first day of the Federal government's fiscal year and there is no budget.

I am surprised this is happening but it is a good pressure point to resolve this crisis.

Use of contractors as opposed to tenured staff, retired officers, etc is a great example of what is wrong with the the government today. The academies used to be a beacon of excellence.

No longer.

There has been no budget for the last five years! Repeat, there has been no budget for the last five years. All that really needs to be done is an "executive order" decree because that's how one by passes the government procedures and this president has had no problem with doing that in the past

[Doc]

Citizen,

I love you to death. 800,000 people who filled out time cards today before leaving their offices writing in code "103 Furlough Days" for Tuesday through Friday disagree with you.

There is no guarantee of pay. No idea when we get to go back to work.


(considering how much of the government is in fact operating it's not really a shutdown).

The govt isn't shutdown. If it is my wife some explaining to do since she has been going to work the last 3 days. As chuck stated, the closures are for show, nothing more. Barricades around monuments that are outdoors and free to the public?

[Doc]

Interesting that there is a focus on lost jobs. Many of the current administrations actions are private job killers yet that's received very little attention from the left. I actually chuckled out loud on Tues roll out of the exchanges when Obama lamented about the woman who lost her job a year ago could now get insurance. Wow, what a wonderful thing that the tanked economy resulted in a privately employees individual getting canned can go on a website to sign up for insurance to be paid for by somebody else. Personally I'd rather she have an actual job because we have an environment where businesses are hiring full time employees and providing insurance as a benefit to their employees rather than toxic plan who's consequences are fewer jobs, fewer hours and fewer benefits. But that's just me.

[dan_bgblue]

Obama Administration Forces Hundreds of Privately Funded Parks to Close Amid Shutdown (http://www.foxbusiness.com/government/2013/10/03/obama-administration-forces-hundreds-privately-funded-parks-to-close-amid/)

[CitizenBBN]

Obama Administration Forces Hundreds of Privately Funded Parks to Close Amid Shutdown (http://www.foxbusiness.com/government/2013/10/03/obama-administration-forces-hundreds-privately-funded-parks-to-close-amid/)

The owner of what sounds like COA type campgrounds was forced to close despite not getting any federal money and only being a tenant of the Parks Service who leases land. So now do all the logging and mining and cattle operations out west need to close too? they all lease federal land. He said he's been through the other shutdowns in the past and was never forced to close. But Parks Service sent people in to clear the place out and blockade it. It also said some of these orders at least have come straight from the White House.

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/04/ariz-gov-rejected-in-offer-to-reopen-grand-canyon/

[Doc]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/04/ariz-gov-rejected-in-offer-to-reopen-grand-canyon/

Next thing you know they will be kicking the wildlife out of Yellowstone.

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/07/lawmakers-probe-reports-property-owners-kicked-off-federal-land-amid-partial/

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/07/all-about-power-and-leverage-feds-shut-down-major-roadway-block-access-to/

[Catonahottinroof]

How does the saying go? A government big enough to give you everything is also big enough to take it away.
Wait till this squabble happens and we are healthcare dependent on the gubment....

[CitizenBBN]

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/07/all-about-power-and-leverage-feds-shut-down-major-roadway-block-access-to/

“We already had the codes on the gates and we were getting ready to open it up without notifying them,” the mayor said. “Wiser heads prevailed.”

Cooler heads, maybe not wiser heads. What Obama is doing with the Parks Service in this shutdown is criminal, evicting people from lawfully occupied land without cause or need.

Think "it can't happen here" when people talk about an American repressive government? Look how the media has gone along with these tactics and covered for obviously unnecessary government intrusion into people's lives. Look how the government, with no real state of emergency, has turned on the citizens it is supposed to serve and used what we are always told are innocuous things like ownership of the roads to intentionally create hardship on people for political ends.

"It can't happen here"???? It's happening right before our eyes, it just hasn't reached the point of being obvious to everyone yet. Of course if history is any indicator by then it will be too late.

Forcing kids to take dangerous roads to school for no other reason than to prove a point that they have the power and we'd better vote the money they want so they can continue their growth and the media falls silent. Is that smoke I smell in the Reichstag? We're not there yet, but it's increasingly easy to see how these things gradually creep from liberty to repression and you barely even notice.

PS - this is a good reason to forcibly sell off federal land holdings, at least vast parts of it. The federal government owns way too much land out West, giving them far too much say in those states.

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2013/10/07/tourists-trapped-in-small-montana-town-as-government-slimdown-cuts-off-road/?intcmp=HPBucket

[CitizenBBN]

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2013/10/07/tourists-trapped-in-small-montana-town-as-government-slimdown-cuts-off-road/?intcmp=HPBucket

I'll tell you right now, I'd go through that blockade and dare them to shoot me. That's crap.

[dan_bgblue]

Uhm, this one may really tick you off (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/08/pentagon-freezes-death-benefits-for-fallen-soldiers-families/) It did me

[Catonahottinroof]

That will rile up a faction of people best left alone...


Uhm, this one may really tick you off (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/08/pentagon-freezes-death-benefits-for-fallen-soldiers-families/) It did me

[dan_bgblue]

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/08/2013-battle-yorktown-restaurant-owner-defies-feds/