Night on the Town with the Boys

Just got home from supper - went to the Island Pub with some former colleagues from the ol' department. It was quite fun. Jerry Fuller was in town from Anchorage. He's a hell of a good egg...the department's lead dog on state/federal Medicaid stuff.

The point of the get-together was to congratulate Kevin Henderson and Kurt West on the filing of 800 or so pages of regulations updating and rationalizing the hodge-podge of the department's Medicaid book of business. It was a monumental task. And they pulled it off. It was done professionally in all repsects - it was open and transparent. They did a damn fine job.

Jon Sherwood, another old Medicaid hand also joined us. Four of my favourite folks from the office. The pizza was excellent. I had a great time. Hope they did too.

There are some damn fine folks who work for the State of Alaska. Sadly, (for the State) retirement is on the horizon for many of the best minds and most conscientious employees. And the bench ain't that strong. There's a missing generation of public servants - public service is not that attractive for younger people. It's not financially rewarding and all too often it is actually stigmatized. That suits many pols just fine, no doubt, but they may not be too happy with the consequences. But...as the Good Book says..."They have sown the wind..."

The reality, of course, is that the pols who have made state service unattractive will not, for the most part, be held accountable. Rather, the burden of poor public services will be be borne by the citizenry...and then the bureaucrats will be taken to task by the pols. Such it is...as Grandma Newman used to say...

On a more positive note...preparations proceed apace for Elmer the Elder's 95th birthday bacchanalia to be held this Friday. The festivities will commence at 4:30 PM when he and I enjoy a VO and 7-Up cocktail. This will be followed by a steak dinner. And for dessert - chocolate sundae pie and a rousing game of Rummy Cube. Living large at 95!