Latest news with #publicservice
BBC News
an hour ago
- General
- BBC News
Sir Kenneth Bloomfield: Former Northern Ireland Civil Service chief dies aged 94
Sir Kenneth Bloomfield, one of the most distinguished civil servants in Northern Ireland's history, has died at the age of retiring from full-time work, he remained committed to public service and took on roles helping victims of violence and their career as a civil servant started during the Stormont Parliament in the later became cabinet secretary to the short-lived 1974 power-sharing executive and head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service from 1984 to to follow.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dear Abby: My coworker has been filling the office drinking fountain with lead-filled water
DEAR ABBY: The floor I work on has a cluster of offices surrounding a central kitchen area. Fifteen of us share the appliances, including a hot water reservoir with a tap. The building is old and has lead pipes, so a service brings in large plastic bottles for a water cooler. Usually, whoever arrives first in the morning fills the tank on the water heater from the cooler, and we all use it to make hot drinks during the day. I just found out that a new employee has been filling the tank from the contaminated tap! When I asked her about it, she said that the microplastics in the water jugs were more dangerous than the lead in the pipes. She's very committed to this idea and is not going to budge. I don't think this is right. I will heat my own water from now on, but how should I warn the others in the office? The source of our tea water seems like a silly thing to start an office tiff over, but I also think people need to know their water is unsafe. — NOT DRINKING IN NEW YORK DEAR NOT DRINKING: I agree the employees in your office should know about this. At least they will be on notice about which 'poison' they are consuming. Report this to HR or your employer, so the announcement can come from on high and you can stay out of the line of fire. DEAR ABBY: I have spent 40 years serving the public and my country, putting other people first and feeling guilty if I didn't. However, I am becoming resentful of the demands for my time. I'm retired, and my husband still works. We have always split the expenses 50-50, even though I make less than 40% of his income. Once I retired, my share of the household chores and errands increased from 75% to 90%. I wanted to make life easier for my husband, but now he expects me to run personal errands for him, too. All the wear and tear and gas usage is borne by my car, which is considerably older than his. I have a friend and walking partner who has been having different issues she needs help with. She has always talked about the close friends she has known for decades and sees regularly. They all live about 20 minutes away and are retired, in good health and able to drive. I offered her my help in the past, but now she and her friends think I should be her go-to person since I live closer to her than they do. I have my own schedule and routine now. I like having some days free to do what I feel like and not have to fulfill demands from others. How do I let people know my time is valuable and discourage them from expecting me to help them? — TOO NICE AND HELPFUL DEAR TOO NICE: It is not a crime to tell someone you don't have time to do what they want you to do. It's time to sign up for some assertiveness training so you can learn how to say no. (No, I'm not kidding.) If you do as I suggest, it might even improve your marriage. Your doctor or health insurance company can refer you to someone qualified. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
MSNBC Host Shuts Down Musk's Whining About His Many Critics
MSNBC's Ari Melber didn't shed any tears Friday over Elon Musk's complaints about all the negative feedback he received for his work with the Trump administration. The anchor of The Beat, noting that the tech billionaire said in a recent interview that he's 'stuck in a bind' regarding how much credit and blame he gets for the Trump administration's actions, replied bluntly: 'Welcome to public service.' Musk, in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, said, 'It's not like I agree with everything the administration does. I'm a little stuck in a bind where I'm like, well, I don't want to, you know, speak out against the administration. But I don't want to because I also don't want to take responsibility for everything the administration is doing.' On MSNBC, Melber said Musk just didn't grasp the nature of his work. 'The difference between Musk and virtually everyone else who signs up to work for a president is most people treat it like the serious, full-time job that it is,' Melber noted. 'They take an oath to the Constitution. They understand as long as you're in that job, you do do the thing he said he didn't want to do. You have to go along with the values and plans of the person you work for—in this case, the president. Or, if you reach a breaking point, you quit.' Melber said Musk is 'trying to have it both ways.' 'He has clearly basked in some of the power and attention of being tied to the president and donating a lot of money to the president when they were running last year, while also wanting to make the break in ways that benefit or matter to him,' Melber said of the tech billionaire, who opposed Trump's budget proposal, his tariffs, and visa crackdowns for highly skilled workers. Musk's role in the administration as a 'special government employee' ended Friday, after he had to severely lower his expectations for the amount of government spending that DOGE could cut—a turn of events that caused him to feel disillusioned. Meanwhile, Musk's popularity took a major hit, as evidenced by lagging Tesla sales and vandalism. An April poll found only 35 percent of Americans approved of his management of DOGE.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
DEAR ABBY: Retiree is finally ready to make time for herself
DEAR ABBY: I have spent 40 years serving the public and my country, putting other people first and feeling guilty if I didn't. However, I am becoming resentful of the demands for my time. I'm retired, and my husband still works. We have always split the expenses 50-50, even though I make less than 40% of his income. Once I retired, my share of the household chores and errands increased from 75% to 90%. I wanted to make life easier for my husband, but now he expects me to run personal errands for him, too. All the wear and tear and gas usage is borne by my car, which is considerably older than his. I have a friend and walking partner who has been having different issues she needs help with. She has always talked about the close friends she has known for decades and sees regularly. They all live about 20 minutes away and are retired, in good health and able to drive. I offered her my help in the past, but now she and her friends think I should be her go-to person since I live closer to her than they do. I have my own schedule and routine now. I like having some days free to do what I feel like and not have to fulfil demands from others. How do I let people know MY time is valuable and discourage them from expecting me to help them? — TOO NICE AND HELPFUL DEAR TOO NICE: It is not a crime to tell someone you don't have time to do what they want you to do. It's time to sign up for some assertiveness training so you can learn how to say no. (No, I'm not kidding.) If you do as I suggest, it might even improve your marriage. Your doctor or health insurance company can refer you to someone qualified. DEAR ABBY: The floor I work on has a cluster of offices surrounding a central kitchen area. Fifteen of us share the appliances, including a hot water reservoir with a tap. The building is old and has lead pipes, so a service brings in large plastic bottles for a water cooler. Usually, whoever arrives first in the morning fills the tank on the water heater from the cooler, and we all use it to make hot drinks during the day. I just found out that a new employee has been filling the tank from the contaminated tap! When I asked her about it, she said that the microplastics in the water jugs were more dangerous than the lead in the pipes. She's very committed to this idea and is not going to budge. I don't think this is right. I will heat my own water from now on, but how should I warn the others in the office? The source of our tea water seems like a silly thing to start an office tiff over, but I also think people need to know their water is unsafe. — NOT DRINKING IN NEW YORK DEAR NOT DRINKING: I agree the employees in your office should know about this. At least they will be on notice about which 'poison' they are consuming. Report this to HR or your employer, so the announcement can come from on high and you can stay out of the line of fire. — Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Florida State University President and House Speaker John Thrasher Dies
Former Florida State University President and House Speaker John Thrasher, whose career in politics and public service spanned more than three decades, died Friday after a battle with cancer, his family announced. Thrasher, 81, served in the House and the Senate before being tapped in 2014 as president of FSU, where he had earned his bachelor's and law degrees. During his tenure in the Legislature, Thrasher, a Republican, was a close ally of former Gov. Jeb Bush and helped carry out Bush's overhaul of the state's education system that included a controversial school-grading system and rigorous testing of student performance. 'I am heartbroken. John was one of my best friends in life. I loved the guy. I am praying hard for the wonderful Jean and his children and grandchildren,' Bush said in an email Friday morning to The News Service of Florida, referring to Thrasher's wife of 60 years, Jean. Thrasher, with Bush's backing, was elected to lead the Republican Party of Florida in 2010 after its former chairman, Jim Greer, was forced out amid a probe into the party's finances. Thrasher became speaker in 1998, the same year Bush was first elected — and as Republicans cemented what remains a dominance of state government. Thrasher died Friday morning in Orlando surrounded by his family, according to a statement released by spokeswoman Sarah Bascom. 'The family would like to thank everyone for their well wishes, visits and prayers during the last month and express their deep gratitude for the doctors and nurses who cared for him at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Orlando Health and Cornerstone Hospice,' the statement said. In addition to his wife, Thrasher is survived by daughter Jennifer Jordan and her husband, Don; son Jon Thrasher and his wife Millie; and daughter Julie Weinberg and her husband Mark. He also was a 'proud and devoted grandfather' to eight grandchildren, Bascom said in an email. Accolades for Thrasher, who represented parts of Northeast Florida in the Legislature and was fiercely devoted to FSU, poured in after the announcement of his death. Thrasher's bid to become FSU president initially drew some opposition, in part, because of his lack of an academic background. But Thrasher, who as a lawmaker took numerous steps to support the university, such as helping start its medical school, became a widely respected president. Thrasher's presidency, which lasted until 2021, 'marked a period of historic momentum for the university,' according to FSU President Richard McCullough. 'As an alumnus, legislator, trustee and president, he devoted his life to elevating FSU's national reputation and helping the university reach new heights in student success, academic excellence and research,' McCullough said in a statement. 'Jai (McCullough's wife) and I feel incredibly fortunate and blessed to have known him and will always cherish the time we spent together at university events, out on the golf course or sharing a meal. John had a remarkable ability to bring people together with his warmth, humor and unmistakable charm.' Thrasher was 'one of the greatest men I've ever known,' Gus Corbella, a lobbyist who served as director of the House Majority Office during Thrasher's two-year term as speaker, told the News Service in a text. 'He was a mentor to me more than just in public service, but also as a shining example of what a man of integrity, courage and conviction can be in this often challenging world. He was a gentleman of the highest order worthy of every respect accorded to him,' Corbella said. Kathy Mears, who has held a series of high-level staff positions in the Legislature and state government and served as Thrasher's government-relations director at FSU, offered similar praise. 'No words can adequately capture the deserved honor Florida owes to John Thrasher,' Mears said. 'He was a gentleman warrior. He led with quiet strength and firm resolve. He did so much good for so many — as a lawmaker, as a leader, as a mentor, but most of all as a friend.' Gov. Ron DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis also praised Thrasher, who served in Vietnam and was elected to the state House in 1992 from Clay County. After a time out of the Legislature following his term as speaker, Thrasher joined the Senate by winning a special election to succeed the late Jim King, R-Jacksonville, in 2009. 'John was a decorated combat veteran, served the state well as both Speaker of the House and as a Florida senator, and provided great leadership as the president of his alma mater, Florida State University. John lived a remarkable life — and he made a big difference in the lives of so many in our state. We send our condolences to Jean and the entire Thrasher family,' the governor said in a post on X. Thrasher 'made a huge impact' on the state GOP 'from his time in public office to his willingness to step in and chair the party during a difficult time,' Republican Party of Florida Chairman Evan Power said in an X post. 'Florida is better for his service,' added Power, calling Thrasher 'a legend.' Senate President Ben Albritton also lauded Thrasher, who after leaving the House helped found The Southern Group, one of the capital city's most influential lobbying firms. 'Integrity, perseverance, and strength propelled John to success at every level of public service and private industry. His life was rooted in devotion to public service, patriotism, a love of the law, and a passion for education. From the battlefields of Vietnam where he returned as a highly decorated officer, to years of honorable service as speaker of the House, Rules (Committee) chair of the Senate and president of Florida State University, John was regarded by all as a strong, fair leader with unquestionable judgment, timeless principles of honor, and a gentleman all the way through,' Albritton said. The family will hold a private burial for Thrasher in Orange Park. A celebration of life is scheduled on Aug. 19 at Florida State University's Ruby Diamond Concert Hall in Tallahassee. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
