We recognize that this process may have caused uncertainty, and we greatly appreciate your patience, professionalism, and continued commitment during this time.
Sincerely,
Office of Human Resources
U.S. Agency for Global Media (2/2)
Former Distinguished Engineer at IBM; current Toastmaster; happily retired.
I write frequently at https://readthisblog.net (lots of #travel postings, some tech, other random rambling as the spirit moves me).
Current tech projects:
* Getting my photos under control (#LightRoom)
* Getting home automation under control (#HomeAssistant)
* Buying (more likely leasing) an #EV
We recognize that this process may have caused uncertainty, and we greatly appreciate your patience, professionalism, and continued commitment during this time.
Sincerely,
Office of Human Resources
U.S. Agency for Global Media (2/2)
@womble @w7voa Here’s the text as my iPhone saw it:
Good Evening,
This email serves to inform you that the previously issued Reduction in Force (RIF) notification dated June 20, 2025, is hereby rescinded, for the competitive area in Washington, DC.
Please be advised that there will be no change to your current status. If you are currently in an administrative leave status, you will remain on administrative leave. If you were recalled back to duty, you will remain in work status unless otherwise notified.
Please note that the agency will be running another RIF in the near future, and additional information regarding that process will be shared as soon as it becomes available. We understand this may raise additional questions, and we remain committed to communicating transparently throughout the next steps. Please note that the rerunning of the RIF only applies to the competitive area in Washington, DC. (1/2)
@lauren I vaguely remember that book - my elementary school library had several in the series.
@drdrang Is “never” good for you?
Proud owner of several such “walks”, with more to come, I suspect.
@GottaLaff His ego parade started decades ago. This episode is just the latest and most public manifestation.
#NoKings in San Jose
Want to join me for this Hands Off event? https://mobilize.us/s/KPCPNW/o
@andypiper @thisDaveJ I just created a process that needs this - thanks for saving me hours of research and experimentation!
In these trying, modern times, many people are struggling. So here are five helpful tips for Just Fucking Staying Alive In 2025:
1. Focus on shit you yourself can control. If it's not your toilet, it's not your shit. Leave it alone.
2. You can still be a good person without being a nice person. You don't owe your oppressor kindness.
3. Block and bless. At this point you're either on the right side or you're beyond help. We're not wasting energy trying to train you how to be fucking decent anymore.
4. Hope is not fragile. Hope gets knocked down, picks herself back up, spits out a tooth, and throws the next punch.
5. Sleep is the free-est vacation of them all.
@timbray It’s colorful, rhythmic, and sways in the wind.
Rules of the game:
- Grab the nearest book.
- Turn to page 42
- Find the 2nd sentence
- Post the sentence in a toot with the hashtag & write the rules as a comment to it
- Don't look for your favourite, coolest or wittiest book. Go for the closest.
We spent a few minutes this morning looking for salmon at the creek from the Campbell Avenue bridge - didn’t see any, but there were a lot of people looking.
Last Thursday, we saw this guy from the trail near Leigh Avenue. https://mastodon.social/@lemay/113550755275967598
@sgt1372 States can opt out of DST (stay on standard time year-round, like Arizona and Hawaii) but cannot opt into permanent DST; I’m pretty sure the measure was to stay on DST, which would require Federal permission and maybe a new law.
@sgt1372 The feds have to give permission.
@driusan @kcarruthers They were playing a non-Elvis “Blue Christmas” at the Hotel Borg restaurant (Reykjavik) during breakfast today. Too soon!
@jenniferplusplus I’ve reached the point that I only learn a new language if I have a problem to solve that would be awkward or difficult to deal with in one of the too-many languages I already know.
Or to put it more precisely, I use Python for almost everything.
@democratsabroad My wife and I faxed our ballots on 4 October; BallotTrax showed “Ballot Reprinted” status on 7 October. She got confirmation that her vote had been counted on 8 October. I didn’t get a notification so I called the Santa Clara Registrar of Voters on the 11th and they told me that my ballot had been counted.
@democratsabroad California lets you fax your ballot back.
https://www.fvap.gov/citizen-voter/overview has info on how to email your ballot to Federal Voter Assistance and have them fax it back, too.
@michaelrowe01 Sorry to learn that the axe came for you, too. There is life after IBM, but the transition can be painful.
Happy Rosh Hashana 5785 to everyone! May you be inscribed for a sweet and healthy year!
@frumble At my local drugstore, Covid tests run about USD10 each - they were about 14USD a few months ago.