Here is the proposal my spouse presented on Thursday, February 4, 2009 to the Bored Board of Education. To save cash flow in terms of budgeting which in turn will save teacher positions and class size, my spouse who is also  a member of the AFT the American Federation of Teachers and whose union VOTED concessions on salaries over a two year period, proposed the pay period for the teachers be increased to a three week interval to be phased in if possible.

So for instance, if every two weeks you are paid on Friday, this idea would be phased in so instead of being paid on Friday, a teacher would be paid on Monday which would be a two week and one day paycheck. The next month, a teacher would be paid on Tuesday which would be for two weeks and two days….. and so on until it was equivalent to three weeks.

This would not change any of the raises or increments— all it would change is when a teacher would be paid. This three week pay period results in a cash flow savings of 1.9% of the payroll thus saving teacher positions and preserving class sizes and minimizing impact on the taxpayer.

Eighty percent of the Board of Education budget is attributable to salary and benefits.

THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF NUMBERS THAT WERE FLOATED AROUND–the average teachers pay was roughly $50,000 per year. So for more easy figuring, let’s say the average teacher salary was $52,000 a year or $1,000 a week (God who can live on that)?? And there were 400 teachers. The cash flow savings for the fiscal year could be $1,000 x 400 or $400,000.

So just moving up the pay period ONE week, (if the teachers are currently paid bi-weekly) would amount to up to this $400,000 figure.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CONSTRUCTIVE SOLUTIONS OUTSIDE OF BITCHING AND MOANING??? NO!!!

You have to remember, most bills come in monthly anyway so there would not be much a financial hardship. The raises would be able to stay intact at the 4.4 percent.

LET’S GIVE THIS IDEA SOME SERIOUS CONSIDERATION AND NOT BOOT IT OUT THE DOOR BECAUSE CERTAIN PEOPLE DID NOT COME UP WITH THIS IDEA.

Now to switch gears, I did come across the Government report on this CARS or as it was more popularly known: “Cash for Clunkers” program.

Click here for the report.

You decide: was this program worth it? Were too may good used cars taken off the road that would have afforded lower income people a chance to drive decent cars. I mean look, there certainly were a LOT of clunk out cars that were turned in-I know there were-but there were a LOT of decent used cars, that maybe people had as a second or third car that were DESTROYED because the people wanted the $3500 or $4500-THAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE!!

The Government would have been better off paying people to BUY THOSE CARS!! NOT TAKE THEM OUT OF CIRCULATION AND PUT A DENT IN THE GOOD USED CAR MARKET!! WHAT A SHAME!!

I bet you that these “teabaggers” took advantage of this GOVERNMENT SOCIALIST PROGRAM!! I bet you some of them that are holding out the signs “NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE” or “GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR LIVES” GLADLY took advantage of an opportunity to put an additional three or four thousand bucks in their pockets!!

Oh but that was OK!!

And you want Government out of your lives, then tell the IRS yes the IRS to stop dictating how you can file your income tax especially if you are married and want to file single without getting penalized. HOW COME WE DON’T HEAR THE GOP TEA BAGGERS QUESTIONING THAT?? YOU KNOW WHY!!  BECAUSE IT BENEFITS THEM AND THEIR CORPORATIONS THAT THEY ARE DEFENDING.

A friend of mine made a good point about Socialism Programs in the U.S.-TEAGAGGERS PAY ATTENTION AND NO THERE IS NO TYPO!!

The New National banking system
The VA Hospital
The Post Office
Jails
Medicare
SSI
Unemployment Compensation
Parks (national and city)
Beaches (national and city)
Libraries
Road, Streets, Highways, byways, Freeways
Schools
Street lamps and or any lighting paid by the Gov’t (city included)
The U.S Military (Paid by the Government using tax dollars)
and I’m sure I didn’t get all the programs.

If you are whining about Socialist programs please feel free to not use them, what do you think?
(Capitalism doesn’t pay for any of these programs)

Hilarious!!

Click HERE.

A few months ago, I did bring up this issue of whether or not the Cheshire Police Chief could just be terminated for no reason (as long as the termination wasn’t illegal). This action is also called EMPLOYMENT AT WILL. I did receive a comment from “Robbie” stating that according to Ct State Statute the Police CHIEF NOT ACTING CHIEF-THE POLICE CHIEF-could not be terminated without just cause.

Here is the statute from Robbies comment:

Sec. 7-278. Hearing prior to dismissal of municipal police head. Just cause requirement. Appeal. No active head of any police department of any town, city or borough shall be dismissed unless there is a showing of just cause by the authority having the power of dismissal and such person has been given notice in writing of the specific grounds for such dismissal and an opportunity to be heard in his own defense, personally or by counsel, at a public hearing before such authority. Such public hearing, unless otherwise specified by charter, shall be held not less than five nor more than ten days after such notice. Any person so dismissed may appeal within thirty days following such dismissal to the superior court for the judicial district in which such town, city or borough is located. Service shall be made as in civil process. Said court shall review the record of such hearing, and, if it appears upon the hearing upon the appeal that testimony is necessary for an equitable disposition of the appeal, it may take evidence or appoint a referee or a committee to take such evidence as it directs and report the same to the court with his or its findings of fact, which report shall constitute a part of the proceedings upon which the determination of the court shall be made. The court, upon such appeal, and after a hearing thereon, may affirm the action of such authority, or may set the same aside if it finds that such authority acted illegally or arbitrarily, or in the abuse of its discretion, with bad faith, malice, or without just cause.

This is a real convoluted issue. Remember the ASSISTANT Police Chief was SUSPENDED NOT FIRED HE LATER RESIGNED-I AM SORRY FOR THE ERROR THANK YOU ROBBIE FOR CORRECTING in New Haven. He was an at-will employee.

And as I have stated before there IS a difference between AT WILL and JUST CAUSE. Let us look at the difference:

EMPLOYMENT AT WILL v JUST CAUSE.

Now let us look at “Just Cause Requirement for Police Chief Dismissal”

I know the few times I have been down at the Cheshire Police Department since this issue arose with the Cheshire Police Chiefs “management style” I saw several different things. I mean look, I don’t work at the Police Station so I really don’t know what really goes on. I WISH I DID and not in a bad way.  Most paramilitary organizations have tensions because the rank really cannot express their discontent or concerns to the management.

I know I have heard the Chief compliment the work of different officers to me-NO YOU ARE NOT ONE OF THEM SO THERE!!

I also have seen Officers acknowledge the Chief and ask him questions about procedure. But I did witness an small incident when I was getting the police logs last summer. I was with an Officer who was going over the police logs with me when the Chief came in and said “why don’t you drive her home (unnamed officer).”

The meaning of the statement may have come out convoluted because the unnamed officer was talking to me about my scooter that I had driven to the station. Maybe the Chief felt I should not drive it home I don’t know.    I did not know how to take the comment.

Most of the time when I go to the station, the Chief will come out. But when he says something to me, most of the time he is kidding around and I know it.

All of the time when I say something to him I AM KIDDING AROUND BUT HE DOESN’T KNOW IT!!

When you deal with military or paramilitary organizations as I have many many times, you get these bravado types. You have to walk a fine line. A lot of the so called “talk” or threats of actions are just that–macho power monger TALK.

But that is no reason to get rid of a person. We in the private sector that are not in unions have to deal with this CONSTANTLY!! When I work in the chiropractic office I talk right back to the doctor if I think she has overstepped her bounds. By talking back, I mean I tell her how I feel. If she tries to accuse me of something I did not do (that she did) I tell her straight up. She does the same thing. But you know what-our relationship is OK!!

You don’t have to be buddy buddy with a supervisor to get along with him or her-but I think a good airing out of the laundry once in a while does a body good. That is the problem with unions sometimes. The worker can’t confront the management head on.

If this Assistant Chief in New Haven was doing something ILLEGAL or UNETHICAL maybe the firing was justified. But if he was just “a jerk” now the taxpayers will spend approximately $85,000 a year for this guy to sit home!!! Was it worth it-I don’t know-maybe it was.

I would rather have the person doing something-even if he/she had to be reassigned-then be lame duck or sitting home collecting a big pension and doing no work.

Japanese for “Toyota Motor Corporation.”

I know many of you enjoyed the “Cash for Clunkers” article. I can’t believe it but there are STILL what I consider “clunkers” being manufactured. One of them is that GMC YUKON. THIS IS A CLUNKER. IT GETS 18 MPG!! WHY IS GM STILL MAKING THIS VEHICLE!!

No matter what you think of Toyota, I still like their vehicles. But Toyota also fell victim to profit margins over quality the past several years. I also think Toyota lost track of what made them rise to the top-AFFORDABLE QUALITY TRANSPORTATION. I think Toyota needs to remember”QDR”–QUALITY DEPENDABILITY RELIABILITY!!!

I really felt bad seeing some of these so called “clunker” cars from the late 90’s being trashed.  There were only a few Toyotas but still-I sold cars in the late 90’s and early 2000’s and these cars were considered JUNKS???

I hope Toyota will learn from its mistake-and GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TOYOTA-THE STARLET; THE COROLLA; THE CAMRY; NO MORE BIG CLUNKER TRUCKS, VANS AND SUV’s.

This is why I believe this “cash for clunkers” was just a ploy to get the economy moving. LOW MILEAGE BIG SUV TRUCK VANS ARE STILL BEING MADE. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE YEAR!!

I remember going to a seminar for Toyota in 1999. It was at the old Oakdale Theater in Wallingford. A gentleman was speaking to us. He said he used to work for GM but decided to jump ship and go to Toyota. He told us that when he arrived at CALTY (a Toyota manufacturing facility in California) he asked where the “repair lot” was. This is where cars that were not made correctly or had problems were put until the issue was resolved.

He told us Toyota’s answer-WE DON’T HAVE ANY REPAIR LOTS!!!

WHAT HAPPENED TOYOTA?? U.S. CORPORATE GREED-THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED!!

Go back to your old ways Toyota and you will once again be successful. The American carmakers STILL WILL NOT PRODUCE A SMALL DECENT CAR. Toyota FORCED them to do so. I will say the BEST AMERICAN SMALL CAR EVER MADE WAS THE FORD FESTIVA!! EXCELLENT CAR. NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT -BUT EXCELLENT. Mazda-junk-low quality base metals. NOT TOYOTA. TOP SHELF FOR ALL TRIM LEVELS. I HOPE TOYOTA SOLVES THIS PEDAL PROBLEM.

FORD, GM, WILL NEVER BEAT A CAR LIKE THE COROLLA-NEVER!! NEITHER WILL HONDA OR NISSAN. or SUBARU.

Toyota always made the consumer feel that even if they bought a low budget car-it would be made with the same quality as a high end car. NOT THE U.S. AUTOMAKERS!! That is why they were so successful.

The Nissan Altima is a piece of garbage. The Honda Civic is OK but it is touch and go-you might get a good one, you might get a bad one. That is why I don’t like Volkswagen-it is hit or miss.

Now I bought my daughter the Kia Rio-I don’t know. It SEEMS OK but I know it won’t ever be a TOYOTA COROLLA OR CAMRY-IT WON’T LAST 300,000 MILES!!

In the early 80’s 60 Minutes did a show about Toyota. Dan Rather went over to Toyota City in Japan. I remember the show. The workers would sing about Toyota before their day started. Toyotas back then at Century Toyota in Wallingford were selling OVER LIST PRICE AND GETTING IT!!!

Toyota needs to get a grip. We need not lose a trusted friend. I turned every close friend and relative I know over to Toyota-THEY HAVE NOT BEEN DISAPPOINTED!!

I did like Chevrolet. The CRAPPO VAN was a disaster but the Chevy TAHOE is probably one of the best vehicles made. But too big for my likes. I actually had an accident with my Corolla several years ago. A Tahoe hit the side of my car-ONLY A FEW SCRATCHES.

A Dodge CRAPANGO hit my 1991 Camry a few years ago on 495 near Marlboro Mass. We sent that piece of shit skidding across three lanes into a ditch. The damage-some of the moulding fell off of the left side of the car-NO DENTS.

Incidentally, the driver was drunk.

About 10 years ago, my spouse was turning into the Hamden Post office on Dixwell Avenue  driving MY 1989  Toyota Corolla when he was broadsided (on the drivers side) by a Ford Econoline van. My spouse walked away from the accident!!

This is what made Toyota what it is today. I hope they remember where they came from and who brought them there.

TOP TEN POPULAR CARS FOR 2010.

When you read the list you will know why the US Automakers are AFTER TOYOTA. They did this same thing (try to discredit) Honda several years ago. WHY?? BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE TOOK PRIDE IN THEIR WORK!! THE US AUTOMAKERS MADE YOU BELIEVE FOR YEARS A CAR COULD NOT LAST 100,0oo MILES IF IT WERE FOUR CYLINDER OR  A SMALL CAR WAS “CHEAP AND JUNKY” Toyota proved them wrong. Now this is their revenge.

NOW FOR THE:

TOP TEN GAS GUZZLERS FOR 2010.

My question: WHY AREN’T THESE CARS “CLUNKERS” AND HAVING THEIR ENGINES DESTROYED?? READ THE LIST AND YOU WIL SEE WHY!!!

Least Fuel Efficient 2010 Car Models
As for the worst:

1. Lamborghini Murcielago (manual) 8/13
2. Bugatti Veyron 8/14
3. Lamborghini Murcielago (automatic) 9/14
4. Bentley Azure Bentley Brooklands 9/15
5. Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (automatic) 10/17
6. Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (manual) 10/16
7. Maybach 57 10/15
8. Bentley Continental Flying Spur Bentley Continental GTC 10/17
9. Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 11/15
10. Too many to name

That’s right, coming in 10th are a slew of cars, each that get 11 miles per gallon in the city and 17 on the highway–your BMWs, Aston Martins, Porches and so on. Needless to say, these gas guzzlers are the least green on the road–but they’re also some of the most expensive. According to the LA Times, it costs “$392,400 and burns 34.3 barrels of oil a year,” compared to the 6.9 barrels and $770 a Prius would burn. Good thing–we’ll probably see far more people driving home Priuses and Ford Fusions than such exhaust barons.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT INCOME LEVEL FOLKS!!