The weather...I'm calling shenanigans.

[kiri2tsubasa]

I live in Western Mass and where I live I have no power, yet others due.  The only reason that I am online is due to the attwifi at a nearby (only one with power within 20 miles) Starbucks.  The problem is that where I live the city is actually doing their jobs in regards to putting lines back up and turning them on, but it was decided that tree removal would be done by private contractors.  They suck.  They begin at noon and stop at 5.  Because of that, the city workers are being hindered by the contractors that are not doing their jobs.  You can easily point out times when private groups do a better job then the state or city does with disasters (home depot with Irene).  With the rest of the state I do not know how they are doing things, but this is one time that I actually wish that the city was doing all the work.  Maybe I would have power by now, maybe not.  This is simply disgraceful that the city is working harder and faster then private groups.  Shouldn't it be the other way around?

I hope I get power soon, so do not take it personal if I do not respond for some time.

[MrBogosity]

Not with government contractors. Government contractors are much more inefficient than government employees, even though government employees are much more inefficient than private contractors.

[Ibrahim90]

Not with government contractors. Government contractors are much more inefficient than government employees, even though government employees are much more inefficient than private contractors.

that would explain a few things I learned about the French army in the 1750's (which was logistically controlled by just such contractors):

1-the doctors were good, but the supplies to them were non-existent, and mortality was high as a result (40%, with another 20% invalided or unable to campaign for a year)

2-food (in a nutshell): http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=French_Army_Provisioning ( I wrote the article XD)

morals: it is indeed better to have a a government employee doing these things in the army than a government-contracted agency. and it is better that purely private means handle these matters than either of the previous.

of course, if you want an example from the same period of a purely governmental running in France:

http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=Administration_of_the_French_Army
http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=French_%C3%89tat-Major_Organisation

little wonder that the French Revolution happened, eh?

[Travis Retriever]

Government contractors are much more inefficient than government employees,

Really now?  I did not know that.