How's the partial federal government shutdown affecting you?

[DopeyDame]

My trash is handled by a private company. It is not a government service.

I don’t doubt that parts are essential to many in a daily basis. Not so much for me.

Really? That's unusual. I"m not doubting you, but it sounds like your life situation is really very abnormal for most people.
Here, we do have a private company who picks up the trash, but they are contracted by the local government. And the private company takes the trash to the publicly funded and operated landfill and recycling center. So even though the collectors aren't civil servants themselves, trash collection (and recycling, and landfill operations and recycling center operations) would end if the local government shut down.

ETA: It's also important to consider the longer-term impact of a shut down that drags on. So the FDA is shut down for a week or two. Really, no big deal. But imagine a country without food safety inspections and drug approvals for months on end? Now you start having problems.

 

[kdonnel]

Really? That's unusual. I"m not doubting you, but it sounds like your life situation is really very abnormal for most people.
Here, we do have a private company who picks up the trash, but they are contracted by the local government. And the private company takes the trash to the publicly funded and operated landfill and recycling center. So even though the collectors aren't civil servants themselves, trash collection (and recycling, and landfill operations and recycling center operations) would end if the local government shut down.

ETA: It's also important to consider the longer-term impact of a shut down that drags on. So the FDA is shut down for a week or two. Really, no big deal. But imagine a country without food safety inspections and drug approvals for months on end? Now you start having problems.

The local landfills are privately owned as well.

Different parts of the country operate differently.

I figure I could go a month or more before I felt any significant impacts.

 

[GreatLakes]

We had to relocate some staff that work in federal buildings but other than that it hasn't yet.

 

[tvguy]

Trying to think what Federal services I actually have used in 2018:

TSA 4 times. Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

Air Traffic Controllers 4 times Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

IRS Once. Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

Post Office, but that is technically an agency independent from the Federal Government.

 

[LilyWDW]

In my normal life I am not being impacted by the shutdown. While my job does use Federal Funds, we are prefunded for the whole year so we can continue to work as normal.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I would like to get a jump on my federal taxes, but the schedules aren't done (some just have lines that say ...reserved...instead of what they are for). I think the shutdown will delay them more.

It may or may not delay it.

But I do know last year we filed our taxes and then just after that they renewed deducting PMI so we had to adjust our taxes and as we already e-filed and had an electronic refund we had to wait to get a paper check refund (which took longer).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Really? That's unusual. I"m not doubting you, but it sounds like your life situation is really very abnormal for most people.

A private company for trash isn't really abnormal. In my area you normally have a few companies to choose from though sometimes the cities themselves contract out the work to a specific company (seen that in a few cities who stopped using a company because they weren't up to snuff) but normally it's up to the homeowner to set up trash service and they have x,y,z who have service available to their area. I actually feel like I'm living in an unusual situation in my area because my city does the trash themselves rather than a private company.

That said I would absolutely feel the burn quickly if my County, City or State shut down because I use the services on a daily basis in some way or another (roads is a biggie). I do think it will also though depend on how much reserves a specific place has in funds and resources, how something would be impacted (meaning if a project was already funded), and many more variables.

 

[DopeyDame]

Trying to think what Federal services I actually have used in 2018:

TSA 4 times. Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

Air Traffic Controllers 4 times Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

IRS Once. Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

Post Office, but that is technically an agency independent from the Federal Government.

Did you know not to eat romaine lettuce recently? Then you used federal services.
Did you trust that the antibiotics and vaccines you or a family member used was safe and effective? Then you used federal services.
Did you look at the weather report any day for any city anywhere in the world? Then you used federal services.
Did you wonder at the amazing images from the universe provided by Hubble, Chandra, Mars Rovers, etc., etc.? Then you used federal services.
Did you breathe relatively clean air? Then you used federal services.

 

[tvguy]

Did you know not to eat romaine lettuce recently? Then you used federal services.
No, we got a press release from Adams Brothers Farming in Santa Barbara at the same time THEY notified the Feds of the recall
Did you trust that the antibiotics and vaccines you or a family member used was safe and effective? Then you used federal services.
Flu Vaccine.
Did you look at the weather report any day for any city anywhere in the world? Then you used federal services.
Nope. We have our own staff of Meteorologist and contract with Private Weather Service data and satellite image providers.
Did you wonder at the amazing images from the universe provided by Hubble, Chandra, Mars Rovers, etc., etc.? Then you used federal services.
Nope
Did you breathe relatively clean air? Then you used federal services.
Nope. I'm in California, our state standards are much stricter than the Feds, and our state has been fighting with the Feds over Federal efforts to weaken air standards.

.

 

[Christine]

Just curious...are weather satellites commercially operated now? I always thought they were solely run by NOAA.

 

[DopeyDame]

.
Did you know not to eat romaine lettuce recently? Then you used federal services.
No, we got a press release from Adams Brothers Farming in Santa Barbara at the same time THEY notified the Feds of the recall
Adams Brothers Farming does not have the ability to issue a national recall. The feds do. And did. Adams Brothers Farming cooperated *with* the CDC (ie the Feds) to perform the e.coli testing and investiagation. So you may have happened to have first heard about it from their press release, but no - Adams Brothers did not issue the recall.

Did you trust that the antibiotics and vaccines you or a family member used was safe and effective? Then you used federal services.
Flu Vaccine. Not sure what you mean here? That you knew the flu vaccine was safe and effective? Awesome! If you're saying that because your great aunt got the flu shot and still got sick, then you just don't really understand how vaccines work. Which is OK. You don't have to, because the researchers at the NIH and at federally grant-funded institutions around the country do.

Did you look at the weather report any day for any city anywhere in the world? Then you used federal services.
Nope. We have our own staff of Meteorologist and contract with Private Weather Service data and satellite image providers. Ahh... now you've hit on my area of expertise. All that raw data that your own meteorologists and private weather service provides? Thank NOAA satellites. Within the last several years, there have been some private imaging satellites launched, which are doing awesome work. But they *augment* the GOES satellites, not replace them. And they were launched on government-subsidized launch vehicles, from government-subsidizes launch facilities.

Did you wonder at the amazing images from the universe provided by Hubble, Chandra, Mars Rovers, etc., etc.? Then you used federal services.
Nope Oh that's sad! You really should. It's amazing. Two of my favorites are hubblesite.org and https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Did you breathe relatively clean air? Then you used federal services.
Nope. I'm in California, our state standards are much stricter than the Feds, and our state has been fighting with the Feds over Federal efforts to weaken air standards. Fair enough on this point. Although air does cross borders, so you're still at the mercy of Nevada (and hence federal standards).

 

[DopeyDame]

Just curious...are weather satellites commercially operated now? I always thought they were solely run by NOAA.

Most are built and launched by NASA and then operated by NOAA. (Primarily the GOES series of satellites: https://www.nasa.gov/content/goes-overview/index.html if you want to learn more)
Within the last ~10ish years, there have been some private companies who have launched imaging satellites, which are used for many things (think google earth) including weather predictions. While I *love* seeing the privatization of space, the imagine satellites still don't replace the GOES satellites (as well as GPS, which is critical space infrastructure for most satellites) Those companies generally take the private data and combine it with the publicly accessible NOAA/NWS data. So NOAA no longer has exclusive weather satellite data, but is still the primary provider of space-based weather data.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

The local landfills are privately owned as well.

Different parts of the country operate differently.

Same here.

 

[tvguy]

Actually, no. Most recalls start with the manufacturer. Certainly an uncooperative manufacturer can be ORDERED by the Fed but most recalls start at the manufacturer.
https://cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Recall-Guidance/Be-Prepared-Recall-Planning/

 

[tvguy]

Just curious...are weather satellites commercially operated now? I always thought they were solely run by NOAA.

Both.
https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060072159

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-weather-noaa-idUSKCN11L2R8

 

[Christine]

Most are built and launched by NASA and then operated by NOAA. (Primarily the GOES series of satellites: https://www.nasa.gov/content/goes-overview/index.html if you want to learn more)
Within the last ~10ish years, there have been some private companies who have launched imaging satellites, which are used for many things (think google earth) including weather predictions. While I *love* seeing the privatization of space, the imagine satellites still don't replace the GOES satellites (as well as GPS, which is critical space infrastructure for most satellites) Those companies generally take the private data and combine it with the publicly accessible NOAA/NWS data. So NOAA no longer has exclusive weather satellite data, but is still the primary provider of space-based weather data.

DopeyDame,

Back in the late 1980s, I worked as an intern for NOAA on the GOES satellite program!!! My boss was very instrumental in all the launches. I haven't kept up with them in quite some time and was just wondering if there were any private satellites now doing weather so as to be able to stop using the government services for it.

 

[Ellie008]

Really? That's unusual. I"m not doubting you, but it sounds like your life situation is really very abnormal for most people.
Here, we do have a private company who picks up the trash, but they are contracted by the local government. And the private company takes the trash to the publicly funded and operated landfill and recycling center. So even though the collectors aren't civil servants themselves, trash collection (and recycling, and landfill operations and recycling center operations) would end if the local government shut down.

I've owned homes in two different states. In both cases we contracted for trash pickup ourselves and had several choices in providers. The local town/city whatever did not provide that service. I don't think it is all that unusual. Our local landfill is also privately owned and operated.

The recycling pickup is a town service, so that could end. But the recycling center is private and I could take my recycling there myself. Inconvenient, but not life changing.

 

[bcla]

Trying to think what Federal services I actually have used in 2018:

TSA 4 times. Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

Air Traffic Controllers 4 times Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

IRS Once. Which I think is an essential service and exempt.

Post Office, but that is technically an agency independent from the Federal Government.

National Park Service is the one that a lot of people use. They not closing all sites (like in 2013) but they're not having any trash pickup and their restrooms are closed. It would take longer before federal highway funding becomes an issue.

 

[DopeyDame]

DopeyDame,

Back in the late 1980s, I worked as an intern for NOAA on the GOES satellite program!!! My boss was very instrumental in all the launches. I haven't kept up with them in quite some time and was just wondering if there were any private satellites now doing weather so as to be able to stop using the government services for it.

Awesome! I’m sure it was fun.
Private space industry has really flourished since the 80s, especially in the last 5-10 years (thanks, Elon!). But as a matter of public space policy, private satellites/forecasting will not replace noaa/nws- it’s considered a critical infrastructure capabiiity. As a country, the ability to predict hurricanes, monitor weather and climate, etc. are critical to national security. It’s also actually a foreign policy question, because there are other countries he use our data and with whom we share information. This is probably a lot more than you wanted to know, but I’m a space policy Geek – sorry!

 

[DopeyDame]

I've owned homes in two different states. In both cases we contracted for trash pickup ourselves and had several choices in providers. The local town/city whatever did not provide that service. I don't think it is all that unusual. Our local landfill is also privately owned and operated.

The recycling pickup is a town service, so that could end. But the recycling center is private and I could take my recycling there myself. Inconvenient, but not life changing.

Huh. I’ve lived in four states and have never had private trash pickup. Love learning about how different places operate!