Business is good, the price of gas dropped again, and we got some much needed rain. How about you?

I hadn't noticed.

I guess the shutdown hasn't affected me directly yet. Gas has been dropping and is currently at $2.99 but food prices seem to be going through the roof.

Was kind of curious as to this, too.

Its a good reminder that we need some real LEADERS...on both sides of the aisle. Fire them all....

But, have not seen any negative affect in business...only growth.

Business is good. Not worried about the bureaucrabs, they all need to get a real life.

I see the beginnings of a revolution on the horizon if the White house continues on the path it is against the people of this nation. Been talking to and sampling opinions of many folks that we run into and service to see what their thoughts are. Most feel as I do and are fed up with this establishment and are on the edge of their last nerve.

Had a Guardsmen I know call and ask for work and I found work for him.

Great for me. My Tech works for Barry at the Smoky Mtn Park. Now I have him allllllll day! We are getting some stuff done!!!!

Hasn't hurt me yet. Got a new customer that wants me to do year round beaver today. Good timing with a baby on the way.

congrats on the baby etex

Thank you. Starting all over- 2 from my first marriage are teenagers. This baby will be a new adventure.

Don't have to worry about OSHA!

Sounds like everything is positive except for ETex. He's going to have to learn how to wipe poop and change diapers all over again.

Not looking forward to that part! Be fun to have a "little" helper again though.

I'm sorta proud of our Governor on his stand on the situation.

Unless you're one of the folks who just got laid off, I can't see how it would affect most people.

Maybe a little rise in blood pressure.

It's a shame to see how polarized the country has become and watch it being played out in Washington. It's like watching a bunch of spoiled children.

There ya go! "If you're not gonna play by MY rules, I'm taking my ball and going home!"

I just hope everybody wakes up and realizes which side has the biggest cry babbies.

As far as affecting me? If I'd turn off the radio and quit watching the news, I wouldn't even know anything was going on.

FEDS TRY TO CLOSE THE OCEAN BECAUSE OF SHUTDOWN

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/10/05/Feds-Try-to-Close-the-OCEAN-Because-of-Shutdown

Apparently, according to an anonymous Park Service ranger, “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”

Listening to the reports this week I didn't realize how far this goes beyond the folks laid off which is the simple effect that is easily visible.

Folks that are funded through govt. funds including meals on wheels, cancer research and I'm sure a list that includes hundreds of thousands of programs partially or fully federally funded beyond the agencies.

This doesn't necessarily effect us in our businesses, but listening to all these things that if 2 weeks or more lags will have to close their operation and how many of them service communities in small to major ways, there surely has to be an impact.

Listened to the interview with a guy who planned a grand canyon rafting trip for 6+ years with his son and family, 20 days on the river, spent nearly $30K in total to make this happen with all gear, logistics, travel... Showed up on the day of the shutdown to launch and was sent packing...

How many of these agencies that are telling personnel they are "non-essential" can then justify having them on the payroll? And I'm not just cherry picking particular agencies, even a national security interview I heard two days ago, the gentleman said he about 75% of his staff were non essential and he was quickly asked to rethink his statement or adjust his workforce size.

This opens a door to many questions even though it is happening because of the Aff. Health Care Act...

No matter who is in office from the time I can remember, the issues are always one side versus the other and rarely is there a chorus in harmony. Though the issues are often large, politics usually just looks like kids in a sand box fighting over toys. Big expensive toys...

Oh and they still get a paycheck while the rest of the govt. layoffs get to guess if they will be paid or not.

My only rant on the subject ---

Between this and sequester, I'm out about $2000 and counting and predict about $3000 before its over if they cancel my next trip. I'm in the Air Guard but thankfully have a full time job.

Between my civilian job which I'm not getting paid to do even though I go on duty everyday and military stuff that's been canceled, taken a bit of a hit.

But I am glad to see our private sector guys mostly doing well. Its easy for us guys in fed service to forget that our whole purpose of being is to protect enterprise and commerce.

Good thing we catch all we can eat.

I am sipping an adult beverage while I am writing this but if my wife doesn't catch me, this is the way I see things. Why should all of the federal employees get paid during shutdown? This only encourages people to be part of the problem, instead of the solution.

Let them file for unemployment like the rest of us. When I finally realized that I had a few skills that not everyone has, I started my own business. I worked at making a go of it and with positive backing from the rest of my family, we have become bigger taxpayers than ever before.

I guess my experience with the federal government is limited to the time I spent in the US Army. I guess that would account for the fact that as I see it, the only thing the US Army can turn out is alcoholics and body counts. So I guess on a positive note, if any family member is thinking about joining the military, ( usually for a college degree ) there are two options, Air Force and Navy.

Yep.

It really fries my butt that Congress, the very idiots who cause the situation, continue to get paid.

Too bad too sad!! We can learn to live with out them especially the National Park Service.

Over 800,000 federal workers deemed non essential should be a clue for Wash DC where to trim the fat from national budget.

Seeing how efficiently they are handling this shutdown makes me very relieved that they are going to take over my health care. You think a national park barricade is bad, wait till they shut off the lights while your getting a hysterectomy.

That is the most realistic comment thus far...

Don't know how anybody could begrudge the NPS; were it not for them, some of our nation's jewels (wilderness!) would be paved over, full of oil derricks and logging trucks.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.... Don't fall into that trap.

Congress, for once, ain't the problem here. Fact is, they voted to fund all these things that are closed. Yes! The funding for parks and recreation, highways, military, memorials and every thinng else was aproved by Congress. The only thing they weren't funding was the disaster that is Obama Care.

It is Obama himself and his Democrat cronies in the Senate that are acting like little children and shutting everything down because they can't get their way.

Let's not forget that it was Congressional Republicans that went out the other day and moved barracades so the veterans could get in to see their memorial.

Always remember, it was the LEFT that is responsible for the shut downs. They are trying, evidently with some success, to shift the blame on Congressional Republicans. We can't let them get away with that!

I doubt it. I am confident the States themselves will take better care of their own land then the FEDS.

Screw the NPS,and the Dept of Interior. Defund and eliminate their jobs permanently and give all federal land back to the states period. We have 1100 miles of ocean closed by the FEDS preventing private commerce in Florida waters. I wish Florida had a Governor like Wisconsin with a big pair and open up our lands back to the people of Florida.

The Park Service is actually being very systematic and thorough. They appear to be going into every red state they can to punish the people who live there.

And what a great time to eliminate my own nemesis the ever incompetent USDA WILDLIFE SERVICES.

Well said Robb

Muddawg, you are incorrect. The ACA is not affected by this at all. It is a self funding program, same as social security.

The Republicans want the ACA changed and are refusing to allow another continuing resolution to come to a vote unless the Dems. agree to change the law.

It's a high pressure tactic that has been used many times in the past. The Dems used it seven times during the Reagan administration. It's nothing new or special.

The ACA is actually forcing insured americans out of their own insurance plans.

In a very sick twisted way americans are reduced to now working under 30 hours a week bringing in less money and then being dropped by their employers private insurance companies and big business cites the new tax codes are forcing this on them. Most of these americans will end up paying a penalty every year for not being able to afford a insurance plan.

In the case of many formerly insured americans they end up unable to afford the new affordable insurance plans without their employers help and end up uninsured in the process. The supreme court was probably the only arm of the government that has even read the law . The Supreme Court called it a tax not health care. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's position three years ago that the 1,000-page Affordable Care Act should be passed so that we could learn what it says?

ACA is a train wreck for the national economy. I think we can create a new way to tax americans and give all us even better health care. One flat tax on consumer goods at the point of purchase. Germany did it with value added taxes from a bar of soap to auto and everything in between.


Over the last year I have watched the local Winn Dixie [ http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-...ny-reapply-work ] drastically cut full time positions and only keeping few essential top level personnel full time. This week Winn Dixie announced all of its part time employees will lose their health insurance.

The average 8 dollar an hour employee with 4 years of experience went from working 50 hours a week with ten hours ($550) overtime as regular income with health insurance to 29 hours ($232) and no health insurance. These numbers $550 and $232 are actually gross pay before taxes to add further disregard to the american citizen the ACA has added more taxes to americans one of them is a medical device tax.

I live in rural Florida and Winn Dixie is a major employer. I know households personally that went from grossing $1100 a week with insurance to $464 without health insurance. This law is not gonna help anyone as it is written today.

The only winners were big business and government. ACA unlike Robin Hood takes from the poor and gives to the rich!

Kind of ironic the POTUS is always talking about how he is helping the people.

The poor become the poorer, and the middle class become the new poor. My example of Winn Dixie brings in the reality that Corporate America was the only winner and that this never was about anyone ever getting health care. Its just a tax its not health care and I remind you this as an insult was named Affordable Health Care. ACA is just a wolf in sheeps clothing it needs changes and all the details worked out this time. I think Americans are entitled to something better then as it is written as law today.

Our elected representatives need to do the right thing delay ACA sit down and makes changes until it becomes fair to the people. Right now its a recipe for a revolt.

Personally this will not affect me but it affects every other working member in my immediate family. I got a letter in the mail this week that says "You are enrolled in the VA health care system, which means you have health coverage that meets the standards under the health care law."

I think whatever health plan we have needs to be the same as every federal employee from the POTUS on down with no exceptions to anyone.

Anything less is just un-american.

As far as the shutdown I think its time for every State Governor to give their own State Law Enforcement Agencies broad powers to arrest and detain any federal officials trampling the rights of US citizens in their own respective states on land and at sea.

The feds out of work don't need back pay they are non essential period. They should be using this time seeking new employment not involving federal funds anyway!



http://www.skinnymoose.com/wildlifepro/2...nsurance-plans/

Robb, would I be wrong in stating that Obamacare would pose a larger problem for most Obama voters than for conservatives? I don't know all the ins and outs of this plan but it seems to me that the young workers that are uninsured are going to get hit the worst. ( And they are the likely Liberals )

Now I know what you're going to say next, that we will end up paying for their health insurance with our tax dollars. You may be right but we are already paying for their uninsured medical bills one way or the other.

However this turns out, as an employer, you can bet that I will voice my opinion loud and clear. ( Probably because my hearing sucks )

I think my local example of Winn Dixie employees is representative of Americans anywhere. It won't be long and these young liberals will rethink by sheer survival their own political ideals.

If ACA doesn't get them the new Immigrations Laws proposed will.

SENATE BILL INCENTIVIZES EMPLOYERS TO FIRE AMERICANS AND HIRE AMNESTIED IMMIGRANTS
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/...tied-Immigrants

Dave, I find myself really having to defend the Catholic Church an awful lot in the last decade. And when you consider that I have always been Lutheran, that's saying a lot.

I once asked our pastor, who I could expect to find in heaven. "well, I know you're going to be meeting a lot of Catholics," was his answer.

Brother/sister.

This shutdown has shown us that if the government can use parks, fishing rights and other taunting tactics now.

The last thing we need to give them is control of our lives via another weapon "our health care" .

Even SEN Harry Reid D, a proponent of ACA spoke that he did not care about children's health care when he said this week " Help kids with cancer? Reid asks: 'Why would we want to do that? http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/02/why-would-want-to-do-that/ "

ACA is a noble concept but what about the health care part? Fix it, change it make it fair.

Kill the 29 hour part time incentives to drop health care for employees. This was dumb very dumb.

New immigration laws to encourage employers to fire americans and hire newly amnestied immigrants is not only dumb but insane.

I question the social engineering here as faulty and anti US Citizen. We are taking a work force and making it idle and then encourage mass immigration at the same time.

God bless the USA !! Why are we sending this nation into a ever promising train wreck?

I've not said anything about the ACA. Okay. If it's a self funded program then it has nothing to do with the budget or the shut down. Frankly, I never herd of the American Counseling Association or ACA until now. I had to look it up to see what ACA was.

But I tell you now, that's NOT what all this is about. Plain and simple, the house Republicans, WITH a lot of Democratic support, I might add, decided not to fund Obama Care. Everything else on the budget passed! Let me say that again so you'll understand, "EVERYTHING on the new budget EXCEPT Obama Care, PASSED!". That means that EVERYTHING that our government spends money on, EXCEPT Obama Care was still going to be funded.

Again, Obama and his henchmen in the Senate are not interested in compromise, meeting halfway or even discusing the matter. They want ALL or NOTHING! And if they can't get their way then they want to make it as hard and misserable on the American people as they possibly can and try to blame it on the house Republicans.

You, yourself are proof that their plan is working. But you have to remember, one; the house republicans could not have defunded Obama Care without a lot of help from the house Democrats and, two; they DID fund the whole budget EXCEPT Obama Care. And if there is a three, it would be that it was house Republicans who went out and physically MOVED the barriers so that the Veterains could get in to see their memorial. THEN, out of spite, Obama and his thugs had BARBED WIRE strung up around the mall so that they couldn't do it again!

This man we have in charge will do anything to get his way and he does not care who it hurts! I don't believe a word that comes from his mouth and wouldn't turn my back on him if there was a hundred dollar bill on the ground behind me. You would be wise to do the same.

Team Obama and the Democrats are trying to make this hurt as much as possible. They have even shut down the amber alert web site... ambe ralert

Harry Reid the man who tried to pass the last batch of gun control laws saying if it only saves one child, is against funding cancer research for children http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/02/why-would-want-to-do-that/

Muddawg the reason it is a part of the budget is because the Democrats could not get it passed without using parlor tricks.... If they tried to pass the ACA the proper way we would not be in this mess.... I am not a fan of the GOP to many progressives, but the Democrats should take 100% blame for this mess. The House has passed all sorts of budgets in the past 5 years. Not one has come out of the Senate.

Obama Ready To “Shutdown” 16 U.S. States

http://freepatriot.org/2013/10/06/obama-ready-shutdown-16-u-s-states/?fb_source=pubv1

So what is this magical transformation that takes place when you become a Senator? Herb Kohl was my first boss and like every other employee at the time, he hired me personally. He was one of the most intelligent people I have ever met.

When he ran for the Senate, I thought he was perfect for the job. You couldn't buy him because he already owned everything. You couldn't count on him to go along with the rest of the Liberals because he was a Jewish businessman. What a huge disappointment!

With all the years the man spent in Washington, I cannot tell you one thing he ever did for anybody with his name on it. Apparently being elected to a seat in the Senate means you have retired!

Robb, you've made my point perfectly! As the masthead clearly states, politics are prohibited here, so that's all I have to say about that...

Dave, politics for the sake of arguing politics is just a little bit different than what my post asked for. ( However, I got carried away as usual with my last post, for which I apologize )

P.S. I'm sure I've said this a number of times before: Politics does not enter into our business in any way, shape, or form. Our job is to take care of your problem and we really don't care about your color, religion, race, sex, or anything else. ( If however, I am your technician and you just happen to be a very good-looking young lady, please don't report me for being extra nice )

Well my glad to see its not my duck hunting dragging down the goverment thanks DU and wildlife guys I bet your most happy on this


U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Reopens Waterfowl Production Areas
SIGN IN    PRINT    AAA
Due to the ongoing lapse in Congressional appropriations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision to close all facilities and lands to public use.  The closure comes at an extremely difficult time with hunting seasons just underway, fall migratory bird migrations at their peak, and hundreds of communities forced to cancel events as part of National Wildlife Refuge Week.  With approximately 78 percent of its employees furloughed, we determined it would be difficult for the remaining, non-furloughed workforce to ensure the safety of facilities, lands, and resources, in a manner that incurs no further financial obligation to the U.S. Government.

Despite limited staffing, the Service has undertaken an assessment to determine what, if any, potential exists to open lands to public use consistent with our obligations under the government-wide shutdown.  It has been determined that allowing public access to Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) will not incur further government expenditure or obligation and is allowable under a government shutdown.  Therefore, effective immediately, all WPAs will reopen to public use.

As the shutdown continues, if the Service determines that maintaining the WPAs in open status, individually or cumulatively, would likely cause Service expenditures or obligations to be made in violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act, the Service will close public access.

Additional information about the Service’s efforts to support conservation on national wildlife refuges can be found at http://www.fws.gov/ which will be operational after the shutdown ends.  Shutdown-related information continues to be available at www.DOI.gov/shutdown.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service.

Contact: Bruce Decker
703-358-2521
bruce_decker@fws.gov

There sure are a lot of US GOVT web sites that used to work great and now point at a special web page that says the site is shutdown and it's really not shutdown or it would not be there!.

Then there are sites like healthcare.gov that they left up online and should of never been online in the first place.
http://hotair.com/archives/2013/10/11/ad...v-this-weekend/

I am starting to think the NPS works harder when they shutdown then any other time of the year!

If you are vising our parks & memorials . Remember to bring your own water because the NPS removed all the water handles.

http://rare.us/story/spiteful-nps-removes-handles-from-water-sources/

Writing this I am hopeful this thing called a shut down will be soon behind all of us within the next 24 hours?

I learned one thing about a new profession I never considered before the "barricade installer".

All my life I looked for jobs with survivability in hard times and I never would of dreamed one of the most essential jobs in the world would not be in the medical field or having access to food but as a barricade installer.




God Bless THE USA

Thats a good one Robb! I always thought as I see one of the franchises in Santa Fe as I roll through that the dog pooper scooper business model was the one that would always "provide."

In hard times and not that dog is still going to poop in your back yard and I think once you've paid someone to take care of it for so long, your likely not going to stop!

read in the paper that the local brewery is idle because of federal shutdown,,,,,,,Now this could be a problem......

Vinke, I guess our federal workers see things differently. Since they have nothing else to do, sitting at the bar with their co-workers is the only thing left. ( They don't have any money, so they just run up a tab. Well they're government workers; what do you expect? )

Okay, the shutdown's over. Everybody back to work. ( Until 2014, which happens to be next year )

Some how I wonder if it will all be dejavu in 90 days again.