Mike Causey

The Persons of The Year

So were you surprised at Time Magazine\'s Person of the Year? Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says the honor should have gone to a former Air Force fighter pil...

Federal News Network Staff

December 18, 2009 4:00 am

4 min read

When it comes to positive feelings about the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, I am second to none in my admiration for Ben Bernanke. I’m delighted he was recently renominated. I mean who wasn’t?

I have followed his career for years. I collect pictures of him. Last year I tried, and failed, to grow a Bernanke-like beard. I would kill (figuratively) for a bobble-head of himself to put next to my Alan Greenspan and Frank Howard (of the old Washington Senators baseball club) dolls.

And when it comes to Time Magazine few can rival its track record for excellence. And I say this as someone who, for years, worked for the company that owns Newsweek.

That said…

Time Magazine, what were you thinking?

Ben Bernake Person of the Year. Say what? This year, 2009? What? Hello!

Maybe last year. Maybe next year. But this year? I don’t think so. Do you guys follow the news?

Had I been on Time‘s editorial board, I would have nominated, and filibustered until I won, US Airways Capt. Chesley B. Sullenberger. He’s the guy who, on January 15, landed Flight 1549 in the Hudson River after its engines had been knocked out.

The controlled crash landing in the river was said to be the first such water landing in 45 years where no one was killed. The Captain and the flight crew made sure that everybody got out. He went through the aircraft – twice – and was the last to leave his ship.

The former Air Force fighter pilot, nicknamed “Sully”, used his skills as a weekend glider pilot to bring the airplane safely into the river. It was Mission: Impossible, but he obviously didn’t see it that way!

None of the passengers was injured and he and the flight crew stayed to make sure everyone got out before they exited the airplane. I’d also nominate his flight officer, the crew and the air traffic controllers who were on duty that day. Listening to a tape of them, talking with the in-big-trouble-pilot, is a lesson in professionalism.

In a year when just about everybody involved in the financial markets has done almost nothing right, or if they did, they did it too late, the captain, the crew and the air traffic controllers in the area deserve to be honored. Big time.

To see how calmly and professionally he and the FAA folks did their jobs, click on the image below. Take two minutes to decide who really was the Person (or Persons) of the year. Maybe of the decade.

(If you’re not able to view the video from YouTube, it may be because some federal agencies block streaming video at work.)

2010 Pay Tables

You can’t find them and we haven’t published them for a very good reason. They aren’t ready. Figuring the impact of the 1.5 percent national raise and the .5 percent locality component for 31 cities isn’t easy. But it will be done. Meantime, here’s the situation.

Nearly Useless Factoid
by Suzanne Kubota

This tidbit via Asylum.com: Billboard has named Nickelback its band of the decade.

OTHER PAY AND BENEFITS NEWS FROM FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

USPS cutting losses, targets Saturday delivery
The Postal Service says they’ll have to ask Congress to end Saturday mail delivery next year in order to save money. More details here.

Tips on ethical gift giving
People love to give each other gifts during the holiday season, but that can pose problems for federal workers who have to follow strict guidelines when it comes to accepting those presents. Tips on how to get through the season can be found here.

Federal pay raise signed into law
(In case you missed it yesterday) The annual year end rush to complete work on legislation affecting the federal workforce is in full force. President Obama has signed the spending bill funding some agencies and giving feds a pay raise with a locality pay provision. Defense feds are a step closer to their pay raise. And benefits for domestic partners of federal employees has advanced, but still has a long way to go. A Morning Newscast recap can be found here.

ALSO ON FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

An In Depth Conversation: Filling the Federal Workspace
More and more people are applying for jobs in the federal government. But do agencies have the tools they need to bring in large numbers of qualified people in short periods of time? Francis Rose, host of In Depth with Francis Rose, which airs from 1-3 p.m. on Federal News Radio will be examining this issue in a special “In Depth Conversation” this afternoon at 1 p.m. For full coverage, click here.

DorobekInsider: Sens. Collins, McCaskill, Bennett introduce acquisition workforce bills
UPDATED with the text of the bills… Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), and Bob Bennett (R-UT) have just introduced two bills that seek to improve the federal acquisition workforce. The full story here.