Posts by cosmicskipper39

@Sam Wright21, just reminding you what actual professionals had to say about this guy.

- Anthony and I used to feel bad for him after those useless meetings. We’d sit there thinking he was just torn between some leftover idealism and the pressure from the people who basically forced him into being the face of the campaign—while his handlers are clearly pulling all the strings behind the scenes, according to Vukovic.

Connect the dots.

silentnomad7 said:I really think we ought to view this whole crisis as a massive learning opportunity.

Americans voted for the leadership they chose.

And that leadership certainly wasn't busy building out new power plants or drilling for new oil and gas reserves.

Now, that same leadership has to go out and buy expensive electricity, gas, and oil on the open market.

Which means we'll likely be staring at higher bills for years to come...

If even just 5% of Americans can walk away from this with a lesson learned, then maybe, just maybe, we are moving toward a better future as a society...

There’s actually a plan in place at the EU level. The Green New Deal is such a joke. Seriously..

Here? So, they’ve finally dropped these summarized plans for that project meant to cut our ties to Russian fossil fuels by 2030. It’s all talk about ramping up the LNG terminal capacity and building out new pipelines toward Austria and Ukraine. Typical.

They’re actually going through with it. The whole plan to ramp up renewables just so we aren't completely held hostage by fossil fuels. Finally.

If I remember correctly, you’re an engineer by trade—so please, feel free to set me straight if I’ve completely misinterpreted things here.

Look, when it comes to elections, I honestly think nothing would have changed even if we’d gone with Serena Williams. I'm talking about us regular folks—the everyday people. Nothing moves the needle.
And I'm not even trying to be mean about Serena Williams.

hollowmason64 said:

says: So, is Tom going to pay that $100M out of his own pocket? Just like how the late Bandit used to foot the bill for MTA shows, textbooks, childcare, preschools, independent media, veterans, building the Catholic Church in Canada, Jerry Maguire, and the New York Yankees🤦 New York Yankees

Look, I agree that gas prices have to go up—they definitely will—but if you force me to choose between fixing the deficit caused by people being able to heat their homes during the worst economic crisis this country has ever seen versus paying off guys like Jerry Maguire, the Yankees, the church, clubs back in Canada, or various privileged interest groups... then yeah, I’m always picking the first option.

Exactly...

I just remember him looking down his nose at everyone's grammar and communication style, acting like some small-town bigot whenever a reporter asked him a question he didn't like.
You really think he'd sit there debating a journalist and spend a few minutes answering the same thing two or three times? He would've just insulted them in the most primitive way possible—the only way a guy with that kind of mindset knows how—and wasted just as much time spitting insults as it took to say them.

Yeah, we get it—you're disappointed in the person you voted for.
But maybe realize that this isn't actually about you. Most of us don't really care whether you're personally disappointed or not, and we certainly don't need to read about it on every single damn page.
🙂

It’s just great to see you jumping on board with the Republican party's latest proposals. 👍

The administration is cooking up some "relief" to soften the blow of skyrocketing energy costs. They're claiming hospitals, schools, and daycare centers should see lower bills by basically being reclassified as residential households so they can tap into lower utility rates.

The government says this whole relief package should be ready by next week. The main goal is supposedly protecting public sector users. According to The New York Times, one of the big ideas is to shift schools, hospitals, daycares, and nursing homes into the household category so they aren't getting crushed by commercial rates.

On top of that, small business owners might get some help too, though nobody knows exactly how it'll work or who actually qualifies—will it just be the little guys or everyone? It’s still a question mark. But one thing is for sure: smaller shops will likely get more support, while the bigger players will probably be nudged toward installing their own solar arrays to generate power.

Just as a reminder: right now, public institutions—we're talking hospitals, schools, daycares, nursing homes, and non-profits—are legally lumped in with corporations. That means they're stuck paying these insane, unpredictable utility rates.

Households, however, enjoy regulated electricity and gas prices because the government subsidizes those bills directly through the budget or via Exelon.

Link.

As for what gas will cost families, here is what the director of Con Edison had to say:
"We have the gas quantities locked in. So, that part is set. Regarding public services, the prices are guaranteed and won't change until April 1st of next year, when the new rates kick in," said Thomas.
Link.

Sam Wright21 said:When you aren't busy answering to a boss, you have plenty of time to sit around philosophizing and pretending you've gained some profound insight. It’s easy to act like you’ve mastered life when your biggest struggle is deciding which latte to order.🤷

The guy was busy reading Forbes while all those idiots were out there making a scene.

Every lesson comes with a price tag. 😉

Casey Cook10 said:But I mean, how can you even trust people who haven't actually accomplished anything real in their lives? They're basically living in a completely different world from regular folks. Honestly, they probably look down on people like us and secretly despise everything we stand for, they just don't want to be politically incorrect about it.

Just a reminder: along with Eric Adams, the frontrunners were right here—the last politician mentioned and the closest associate to this politician.

So, who did you decide to believe?

Jeffrey Long said:Of course they do. 😉

I’m keeping a close eye on how this unfolds, especially since the Democrats already promised they wouldn't vote to sell off the city gas company. It would be quite the twist if the Možemovci ended up teaming up with the Republican Party to push the sale through. 😁

X 😉

Kyle Nelson2 said:I read it. 🙂

I know. 🙂
Even Bongo reads. I saw him hanging around NSB about two months ago.

Is nobody actually reading the business section? 🤔

Scott Perez57 said:They’ll probably just start closing the windows now—and that'll be the end of it.

Man, you really put some effort into this, but clearly you’ve got a much better handle on how to actually solve things than they do.

In this video clip, they’re talking about the AC issues over at AKZ and how an employee even passed out because of it.

This video might be worth a look for anyone following the mess happening with NYC sanitation. We're talking less trash pickup, zero truck drivers, no sanitation workers, missing garbage trucks... the whole nine yards.

They supposedly "addressed" the hiring issues for sanitation workers and drivers.
Public job openings have been posted for sanitation workers and drivers.

Luka k is promising that sanitation will improve and claims everything is going to be just fine.

Alex Roberts4 said:They just merged the offices and called it a day; everything else remains exactly the same. You think the coefficient for a deputy commissioner is some trivial little number? Try doing the math. Just look at the merged offices and see the absolute mess of these "new" sectors—every single one comes with its own assistant, and of course, it's the same old crowd. On top of that, you've got at least two more people floating around at the office level just waiting for some cushy, low-effort job. So much for "savings," right? Everything else is untouched. You still have all these services, departments, and sub-units with barely two employees each. It's pure parasitism. What are we even talking about here? This is massive amounts of money being thrown down the drain. It's spread so thin it's insane—everyone is a "boss" or a "junior boss," and they're all perfectly fine. If this is what they call a reform, then yeah, sure. That's not a reform; that's a fairy tale. And of course, this is what happens when you hand the task of restructuring over to the exact same crew you found when you started. God help us...

lujka_x, I really hope you don't talk like this at work.
If you did, they'd label you as someone just resisting necessary progress.

The MTA union guys are claiming they're hiking up individual pay grades and padding the ranks of high-level management.
Link 1.
Link 2.

darkhawk30 said:What exactly are these "decorative brooms" /03 — 1,000 units?
🙂

I just hope management actually uses them for some flashy promo stunt like this one. 🐔

Gary Cox2 said:So, which company is actually supplying the brooms?
Edit: Ah, never mind, apparently they still haven't decided. It’s stuck in the red tape.

Just go ask someone who's actually registered! Here? Seriously? Just "here"? That’s all we're getting now? Unbelievable..

Jack Hill2 said:So it's based $8.25per broom, yet she just fabricated this whole narrative about $67per broom costs.

At the very least, an apology is overdue...

How many was Bandić's procurement actually for?

And this guy went and dragged an innocent man through the mud too. Just completely trashed him for no reason. 🤣

Even the official New York City gazette and the city's own websites don't play around with decisions the way my colleague does. She’s out here making up her own rules!
Just one look at this is enough. Seriously. July 7, 2022 | Issue No. 21

Feel free to set me straight. Nobody actually knows everything happening here anyway. 🙂

I found this expense report.

It says they’re ordering 73,330 brooms.

Based on what the news has been saying about past purchases of those Brezov brand brooms, it looks like they're buying them for all the different branches under the New York City municipal umbrella and the sanitation department.

Gary Cox2 said:Absolute gold! 🎉

Hang in there, Ginger. Things will turn around eventually... maybe.

Oh, they sure will. 🎉

Just wait until digitization kicks those party loyalists right out of the New York City bureaucracy.

Or once they put out a public tender for high-tech electric brooms.

After that, all those perpetually miserable special interest groups—you know, the actual citizens, workers, unions, and reporters will start singing their hearts out on every street corner in the city.

Harold Phillips54 said:Well, look at that—Eric Adams is actually getting things done.
Check this out, the latest news from just a couple of days ago:

POINT: 28.
Subpoint: 28.

- -DECISION- -
Reference Number: UP/I-081-03/22-01/97
Reference Number: 251-01-02-22-1
New York City, July 8, 2022.

Under the authority granted by Article 5, Section 3 of the Civil Service Act, and in accordance with Section 8, Subsection 5 of the principles governing the internal structure and operations of municipal administrative bodies as outlined in the New York City Official Gazette, the Mayor of New York City, representing the City of New York, is acting in an official capacity. Regarding the subject matter Chris Ladešić The official notice regarding the termination of employment—it’s finally coming through.

RESOLUTION
[URegarding the dismissal. [/U]

Chris Ladešić, Law graduate here. It's being resolved. Effective July 11, 2022, this transition marks a move from the Assistant Director position (Category I, subcategory Senior Manager, Rank 2) within the Department of Administration and Property Affairs to a new role outside of its current organizational structure.

THE MAYOR
New York City

Eric Adams, MPA

Milomir Bandić's appointee was finally removed from their leadership position by Eric Adams.

Eric Adams appointed him to the other leadership position at that same level.
A strategic reshuffle.

POINT: 28.
Subpoint: 28.

- -DECISION- -
File Ref: UP/I-081-03/22-01/98
Reference Number: 251-01-02-22-1
New York City, July 8, 2022.

Pursuant to Section 5, Subsection 3 of the Civil Service Act, and in accordance with Section 7, Subsection 4 of the Principles regarding the internal organization and operations of municipal administrative bodies as published in the Official Gazette, the Mayor of New York City, acting on behalf of the City of New York, hereby issues the following official decision regarding the appointment of Chris Ladešić.

REPLY

Chris Ladešić, I'm a lawyer. It’s being appointed, As of July 12, 2022, Assistant Director for Non-Profits (Category I, Senior Manager subcategory, Rank 2) within the Department of Non-Profit Organizations at the Department of Administration and Property Affairs.

MAYOR
New York City

Eric Adams, MPA.

I?
What's the catch?
So, did TT finally realize that Milomir Bandić’s old crew actually knows how to get things done?
It feels like Eric Adams doesn't actually have any of his own people who know how to get things done, so he’s just stuck relying on the old crew left behind by Milomir Bandić.
Does TT actually have the legal authority to fire everyone Milomir Bandić left behind?

At the exact same time, Deputy Mayor Dolenc is out there pulling the trigger on a new street sweeper for $550,000. $0.00 $1,850 for a broomstick? You've got to be kidding me. $0.00 - excluding sales tax—we're looking at roughly 20,000 brooms if they actually settle the bill. $33 Man, if they actually pay them by... $17 It's not actually 30. Usually, if you're looking to pick them up at any of the trade shows, they go for around $40,000.

With just 40,000 street sweepers, New York City is supposed to be shining like a Christmas ornament.
Look, they’ve planned for 40,000 brooms over two years, not just one.
How many sanitation crews with those three-wheeled carts actually use birch brooms?
".....and alongside 30 new electric ones, we still have the mechanical vehicles, which number 296.
That brings the total to 330.
And if they need brooms for all that—we're talking 40,000 to 50,000.
That averages out to about 20,000 or maybe 25,000 brooms a year for 300 carts.
Honestly, this feels no different from how Milomir Bandić used to handle procurement.
It looks like each one is going to cost $50.

Just look at the price of a single birch broom—they aren't cheap:
So, try doing the math on how many tens of thousands of brooms you can get for $1.8 million at those prices.

https://www.google.com/url?esrc=s&q=...w98Wk1alyZeMWO

https://www.google.com/url?esrc=s&q=&rct=j&sa=U&url= s2J8BJ_1cViydmCF

Am I just failing at basic math here? Because, seriously, I don't get it.

218 🤔

Gary Cox2 said:Why on earth would you think this is some kind of reward? Just because he was named project manager? So what?
Plenty of random people get appointed as project managers without seeing a single dime extra from it.
I don't get why anyone thinks this is controversial. He got the title. That's it.
That's how the system works. If he wasn't officially appointed but was still running the whole show, would that be "okay" with you?

Why wouldn't he be? It's not like he has some magical superpower.

Being named a project manager isn't exactly winning an Oscar. Seriously. It's not even a big deal. Nobody actually cares about this stuff.

Except for the media, obviously—and they're only making noise because his sister is that failed, overweight socialite.

I just hope this NYC official takes managing this project more seriously, so we don't end up with another disaster like the activity on the Sava.

Sam Wright21 said:Well, I wasn't dreaming after all. Project Vesna is one thing—people claim absolutely nothing is happening there—but without even a single sign posted they’re already tearing up the intersection at Okićka-Bosiljevska. The heavy construction is moving so fast it’s actually left the locals stunned. There is zero space there, and frankly, it’s just more of the same old devastation.
Then you have Dubrava Avenue, where this nightmare of a building has been crawling toward completion for three years now. It’s the same spot where the late Dragec used to live; he was a man who would wander the roundabout in nothing but his skin, even in the dead of winter, turning down offers from local thugs who tried to push an apartment on him. My impression is that they have maybe three workers on-site whenever they feel like showing up. No signage, no transparency, nothing.

Has the new administration passed some kind of decree exempting them from posting basic project details and permit numbers? Or has the building inspectorate simply ceased to exist?

Now THAT was a real stoic, not this little punk in cheap sneakers posing for photos with the big shots.

Sam Wright21 said:We didn't cast our votes just to watch them follow the path laid out by Bloomberg.

I'm not even sure if it was ever actually "Bloomberg style."

Up until August 12, 2008, the head of the administration was Gavin Newsom.
Starting August 13, 2008, the guy running the administration was George W. Bush.

Melissa Bailey5 said:They never actually did the job classification thing, which is mandatory under labor law, and I mean, the unions have been flagging this from the start, basically agreeing there’s way too much administrative bloat. The new management just completely dropped the ball on it—even though it probably would've been pretty easy and quick to sort out—so I suppose we should all just wait for the inevitable lawsuits to start rolling in.
And honestly, you can just take all those other fancy corporate buzzwords they used in the announcement and shove them.

The whole point was to give Rachel Barrett8 some actual answers from management regarding her questions and to fix the errors concerning employee headcount.

I already posted links about the union negotiations in that other thread about Eric Adams, so if you want to see my humble contribution to that mess, go check it out.

All that talk about "corporate games" and "bad boys" has vanished, so here's the link to the 2008 report from when they first established these corporate departments.

Looking at what's provided, it’s pretty obvious that this "corporate governance" and restructuring stuff isn't some new trick from the current administration.

To further cut costs and boost efficiency during the final quarter of 2008, a new organization and job classification for the directorate company was prepared, taking effect on January 1, 2009. Under this new setup, core activities were grouped into utility, transport, and market sectors, and for the first time, specialized corporate services were created as part of the directorate company.

Rachel Barrett8 said:God isn't going to help Mustard regarding the holding management, and honestly, what he wrote is messed up on so many levels.
First off: he set a completely fabricated political goal. He didn't give the new management a real task; he gave them a partisan decree.
Out of 12,000 employees, he claims 700 are redundant. But based on what logic? How did he even land on the number 700? Is it just Eci-peci-pec-ti-si-mali-zec? What if the surplus is actually only 200 people? Or what if there are 4,000 extra workers at the holding? What then?
That should have been determined by the new management working alongside unions and other agencies, but doing it this way just looks incredibly distorted.

Then there's this other classic, dangerous delusion common in America: talking about EARNING 500 million dollars. It's not hard to guess what that actually implies.
Just like at the federal level, Mustard isn't writing about cost-cutting; he's writing about profits. He's talking about revenue instead of expenses. Why?
Since they set taxes at the national level as if we were living at a Scandinavian standard, Mustard is also sending bills to businesses as if every single company has a tiny gold mine or an oil well in its backyard.

Basically, they aren't doing anything at all, which is exactly what we see happening on the national stage.
It’s almost cute reading people on this forum trying to defend a big fat NOTHING.

This stuff is right there on the official websites. Link.

As of December 31, 2021, the employee count stood at... 7633.

So, back in the final quarter of 2021, the whole Group kicked off this massive organizational restructuring. Basically, they’re tearing apart and rebuilding how all the corporate functions work—we're talking accounting, finance, controlling, HR, procurement, and all that good stuff—just to try and actually be efficient for once. By merging and streamlining these corporate roles, starting in May 2022, the subsidiaries are finally going to be able to focus on their actual core business. All the heavy lifting for the functional corporate side is getting moved over to these centralized units. Finally!

So, after digging through all the corporate functions at the Group level to see where we could tighten things up, they finally flagged a surplus of... 797 So, here’s the deal with the workers in the roles hit by this whole operational restructuring mess. To stay in line with American labor law, they kicked off talks with the unions at the end of last year. Basically, they're trying to hammer out a deal regarding the massive layoffs planned for the New York City holding and its subsidiaries—trying to figure out how to cut the workforce or just find some way to settle things. Those union negotiations are still grinding along after the reporting period, and they expect the whole thing to wrap up by the end of the first half of 2022. Long term? Well, obviously, slashing the headcount like this is going to tank personnel costs for years to come. Typical.

kiss me said:Wait, what? Eric Adams? What does the Mayor have to do with some random GP's employment contract?

Look, New York City is the founder and owner of those health clinics.
The owner picks the Board of Directors, and then they're the ones who appoint the clinic director.

Gregory Hall66 said:What a fascinating little journey through time.

If we pause for a moment to linger in that year of 2007 and cast a brief retrospective glance, what exactly do we see staring back at us?
- Joe Biden leading the Democratic Party
- Sanders
- Linić
- Adams, still a full decade away from facing federal indictment.

Who truly possessed the authority to redirect those funds, and more importantly, what was the underlying motivation?
It seems everyone today—from the casual forum observer to the current and former political heavyweights—is suddenly playing the part of the innocent bystander.

Was that decision truly "solely" Adams's doing? Was it limited strictly to the New York City branch of the Democratic Party?
(Yes, the Democratic Party, comrades and friends.)

On December 20, 2005, during the 7th session, the New York City Council passed this
RESOLUTION
regarding the transfer of founding rights and business shares of companies owned by New York City to the New York City Housing Authority, along with increasing the capital of the New York City Housing Authority.

For anyone who actually wants the facts, here are the minutes from that 7th City Council session. Check out pages 46 through 49.

To make a long story short—it wasn't just Bandić making the calls. 😬