Thursday, June 17, 2010

Who's paying for this?

LAPD Trying to Control Crowds After Lakers Victory [UPDATED]

(Disclaimer: this is written on my own computer, on my own time.)

As you know, I work for the City of Los Angeles.
Today, Thursday, 2 days before my tenth anniversary with the City, I was required to layoff two employees. It wasn't for cause. It was because the City is in desperate financial straits.
It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

And now, tonight, the Lakers have won a national championship. Whoopie?
The news is full of reports of massive numbers of police on the streets. Because of the fools who live in the City who are currently rioting around Downtown Los Angeles.
Fucking. Morons.
Thousands of dollars of damage. All those hours of police and fire salary.
And hey! Let's not forget the inevitable "victory parade". Which, I'm sure, will be paid for by the City.
Fan-freaking-tastic.
A victory parade for a bunch of millionaires.
Just awesome.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ugh!! I will never understand how burning cars is a sign of *celebrating*!!

Incredible waste of money.

Hugs.

David Larkins said...

I'm so sorry you had to lay people off. :-/ If you feel like sharing details, I think you have my email.

I'd heard another friend at a different branch got the axe too. This sucks.

I used to feel a twinge of regret for leaving civil service, but no longer. What happened to job security? I have to say, I'm really happy to have gotten the heck out of California. At least New Mexico is used to being poor and doesn't go through these ridiculous boom and bust cycles.

The "victory parade" is more upsetting than the rioting, I think, because that's a voluntary, pre-meditated outlay of money the city doesn't have, rather than responding to moronic behavior, which is something that'll happen no matter what.

Unknown said...

That stinks.
So sorry you had to lay people off. I can't even imagine how difficult that must have been.