Is That a Rhetorical Question?

WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2010


Is That a Rhetorical Question?

Often when I am working on my computer I have to ask myself this question. Sometimes even twice. Frequently, my computer is asking me if I am certain that I want it to do what I just told it to do. This is very polite and it is kind of it to inquire.

Excuse me while I change the options again so that “When selecting, automatically select entire word” is not selected. :ROLLEYES:

Did you want to change the default font to (default) Arial?” All this time as I click the Yes button I am asking myself if that might or might not have been the reason I had Arial 12 Pt selected and depressed the Default Radio selecting button with that left click of my mouse several times already.

It is possible I intended to do something else. But, if I could find it in the first place and then consciously depress it; possibly it is a good bet I wanted to select it. I think computer programmers could dump a little code if they thought that what I did was likely what I intended to do rather than the other way around. Whoda thunk?

However, this also might be a case of the worker insuring that he collects his pay for an entire 40 hours instead of for 39. What does that have to do with anything?


George used to do that when he worked for me. God Bless his soul. George knew at all times precisely how many hours, minutes and milliseconds were required on any given Monday so that the total after working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (and of course the previous Friday when he left early) would total 40 or more. George always hoped for more than 40 because then he could get deeply involved in high math calculations. George was a Math Major when he graduated university. If you have a little time I can try to explain his Theory of the Universe. Also how he could utilize his knowledge of this theory and the added bonus of you not knowing how to build a perpetual motion machine, to make a full week. “Can I tell you about my theory of the universe?” Would you hit me between the eyes with a hammer?

Like government and private enterprise (in this day in time); I caught on quick. I made George a contract worker. George would decide if he wanted to do something by a certain date. Once he accepted the task I did not care if he got it done in a day or if it took a month. As long as it was done by the agreed time; he would get the agreed remuneration. If not, we were deep into high math and contract renegotiations. Are you ever going to finish that?

I would not monitor the time he came and went or some other Federal Labor Law and IRS regulation dealios. This insured George was not someone that got a W-2 but instead he would get a 1099. George was not an employee. George was now a subcontractor. There was still a lot of paperwork and contracts and things to do and attempt to keep up with. But, it changed me from an employer and the tax collector for the government (a person that collects the money, does all of the work for the government so they need fewer employees, then sends the checks to IRS... of course, also fills out numbered forms, lots of filled out numbered forms and some with DASH vowel or consonant and then becomes legally liable and punishable by the full weight of the law if a mistake appears in calculations or some other related form is not filed or is filed late). This also stimulated the economy because it kept a large number of CPA’s and attorneys very happy, busy and rich as they figured out ways not to have to pay taxes themselves. Am I missing a form? Do I have to file even that form? Am I missing anything? Jesus, will You please throw these people out of the temple?

When I did it; I required my subcontractors to get their own occupational licenses and sign all kinds of documents and have insurance. Then, it was called illegal by an IRS directive to stop the underground economy it fostered under the Ronnie RayGun administration. Can a service industry have a subcontractor?


Now they simply call it OPS. “Other Personnel Services.”


This gives our governments (it is not just the feds) ways to circumvent our own Federal laws. Retirement, insurance and other benefits can be averted. It is cheaper than the old way when government workers were always employees instead of how it is now when government is less and less likely to have employees.

Private enterprise has also jumped on this OPS thing with both feet. It enables them to dance around the new requirements for health insurance. Now that it took decades for the ruling parties even to reach a compromise; all that work simply won’t mean a thing. Not that it is all that great any way. But, before we have a chance to see if it will work; we already have the methodology in place to insure that it won’t. Do government workers really work 40 hours a week? Most that I know, if they don’t, sure work hard enough to get the job done even if, like George, they took off early the previous Friday.

This also means Mr. or Ms. Average OPS worker has no paid Federal Holidays. When it is time for vacation, instead; there is a family visit. This is why small town America is dying! People are trying to get as far away from family as possible. They ask: "If we live further away than Phyllis, do you think they will drive that far?” Will the cost of gas seal her fate? OPS workers usually can’t afford real vacations so now they are freeloading all across America, the nearer to home, the better.

A real vacation will cost even more because OPS workers will be losing money because they are not back at the grindstone. There is a lot about this OPS thing that looks like what was happening to children at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Or, right now where ever they are making our shoes, clothing, and tools or painting our toys with lead based paint. Except now, this time, it applies to adults. Mr. Smith can you crawl under that machine and reach that bobbin there?


So does that matter? I suppose that could be a rhetorical question.

I am constantly bombarded by rhetorical questions. I feel obliged to answer most of them. I do on occasion pop back with a question in response to a question rather than an answer. This can be real fun. Do you really want to know?

Do you think it can work? Are you really going to wear those pants? Does this milk taste bad to you? Is that a rhetorical question?

And the Ultimate Indignity: a rhetorical question in answer to a rhetorical question. Typically what happens in Congress when we are faced with a national emergency or crisis. Can we insure there is accountability?


Are you going out? Is your zipper up?


Under one page following an outline (Default font to (default) Arial, Size 2. Left click the Default radio button. Left click the Yes radio button.)… Thanx editor.

Are you sure you really want this webpage to access your clipboard? Is this what I really wanted to do? Should I left click the Allow Access radio button or the other Don't Allow button?

Can you hit me between the eyes with the really big hammer? Will the indentation look like it was made by a peanut butter cookie?


I am so confused.


The heck with it. Left click: PUBLISH POST

POSTED BY SRPLUS AT 7:21 AM 0 COMMENTS