March 8, 2018:

Your Prompt: EXPLAIN how modern bureaucracies both enhance and

undermine quality of life in complex societies?

"Exhibit A" "A Full Day of Regulation"

" Exhibit B " The cartoon of the bicycle. Consider the two ways of viewing/thinking about the Consumer Product Safety Commission by contrasting this cartoon to the article in "Exhibit G."

"Exhibit C" The cartoon about America's emergency response efforts (in reference to Hurricane Katrina).

"Exhibit D" The organizational chart of the Dept. of Homeland Security. If you look carefully, you'll notice that in some instances these departments/sub-departments have over-lapping jurisdictions/responsibilities/powers. What is a logical outcome of this organizational structure?

"Exhibit E" The best dam letter you'll ever read. Read and enjoy, but then see if you can get to the heart of what is so frustrating about bureaucracies. It's not far away from what the artist in "Exhibit B" is saying.

"Exhibit F" Brief article about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"Exhibit G" Brief article about the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

"Exhibit H" This is a Wall Street Journal article about Obama's stimulus package (from 2010). As you skim this article, identify the central theme/concern of the author.

"Exhibit I"

A quick overview of Federal Child Labor laws.

"A "

"B"

"C"

"D"

"E" Dear Mr. DeVries: SUBJECT: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023-1 T11N, R10W, It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity: Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's files show that no permits have been issued. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301,. Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws annotated. The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially, failed during a recent rain event, causing debris dams and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all unauthorized activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the strewn channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 1998. Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with this request, or any further unauthorized activity on the site, may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action. We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter. Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions. Sincerely, David L. Price, District Representative, Land and Water Management Division

RESPONSE BY MR. DEVRIES:

Dear Mr. Price: Your certified letter dated 12/17/97 has been handed to me to respond to. You sent out a great deal of carbon copies to a lot of people, but you neglected to include their addresses. You will, therefore, have to send them a copy of my response.

First of all, Mr. Ryan DeVries is not the legal landowner and/or contractor at 2088 Dagget, Pierson, Michigan - I am the legal owner and a couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of constructing and maintaining two wood "debris" dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, nor authorize their dam project, I think they would be highly offended you call their skillful use of natural building materials "debris". I would like to challenge you to attempt to emulate their dam project any dam time and/or any dam place you choose. I believe I can safely state there is no dam way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic.

As to your dam request the beavers first must fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity, my first dam question to you is: are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers or do you require all dam beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request? If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, please send me completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Michigan Compiled Laws annotated. My first concern is - aren't the dam beavers entitled to dam legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said dam representation - so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer.

The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event causing dam flooding is proof we should leave the dam Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling their dam names. If you want the dam stream

"restored" to a dam free-flow condition - contact the dam beavers - but if you are going to arrest them (they obviously did not pay any dam attention to your dam letter -- being unable to read English) - be sure you read them their dam Miranda first. As for me, I am not going to cause more dam flooding or dam debris jams by interfering with these dam builders. If you want to hurt these dam beavers - be aware I am sending a copy of your dam letter and this response to PETA. If your dam Department seriously finds all dams of this nature inherently hazardous and truly will not permit their existence in this dam State - I seriously hope you are not selectively enforcing this dam policy - or once again both I and the Spring Pond Beavers will scream prejudice!

In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their dam unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam right than I to live and enjoy Spring Pond. So, as far as I and the beavers are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more dam elevated enforcement action now. Why wait until 1/31/98? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then, and there will be no dam way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them then. In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention a real environmental quality (health) problem; bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the dam beavers alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! (The bears are not careful where they dump!) Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office.

"F"

FDA Warns of Salmonella Contamination in Peanut Butter

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter Thursday, February 15, 2007 12:00 AM

THURSDAY, Feb. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Consumers should not eat certain jars of Peter Pan peanut butter or Great Value peanut butter because they may be contaminated with SalmonellaTennessee, a bacterium that causes food-borne illness, U.S. officials said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning is based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC, there have been 288 cases of food-borne illness in 39 states tied to eating Peter Pan peanut butter.Salmonella is carried by animals, but somehow was transferred during the manufacturing process to the peanuts.

People can identify the affected jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter by looking for a product code -- located on the lid -- that starts with the number 2111. Both brands are made in a single plant in Georgia by the ConAgra company. Great Value peanut butter made by other manufacturers is not affected, according to the FDA. The FDA is recommending that all affected jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter purchased since May 2006 be discarded.

The outbreak appears to have started in August 2006. As a result of testing and recent case control studies, the CDC was finally able to identify Peter Pan peanut butter as the likely cause of illness. ConAgra announced Thursday that it was recalling all varieties of Peter Pan Peanut Butter and Great Value Peanut Butter beginning with product code 2111.

"Although none of our extensive product tests have indicated the presence of salmonella, we are taking this precautionary measure because consumer health and safety is our top priority," Chris Kircher, a ConAgra spokesman, said in a prepared statement. "We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed to ensure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products."

"G" Generation 2 crib recall: Stop using your crib

now, CPSC warns US consumer watchdog orders a recall on half a million Generation 2 cribs. By David Grant Correspondent posted February 9, 2010 at 4:27 pm EST

All Generation 2 Worldwide and "ChildESIGNS" drop-side cribs, an half a million units, are being recalled by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) after three infants died of suffocation after being between the mattress and a broken side panel. A further hazard is posed by potential for the mattress to separate from its underlying support, creating a could trap toddlers.

In addition to the three fatalities, the CPSC reported 20 incidents involving drop side and eight involving problems

with the mattress.

Parents are advised to stop using their cribs immediately, the CPSC says in a

estimated

trapped the space that

the crib's

press

release. While previous incidents, like the November 2009 recall of 2.1 million Stork Craft cribs, have included the promise of a safety- repair kit for affected cribs, no kit will be forthcoming from Generation 2 because the company went out of business in 2005.

The CPSC did not return calls seeking comment. Instead, consumers are directed to contact the retailer from whom they purchased the crib in order to obtain a refund, a replacement crib, or store credit. The CPSC asks consumers to "report any difficulties in obtaining a remedy from their place of purchase." The CPSC's recall hotline can be reached at (800) 638-2772. These retailers include K-Mart, Wal- Mart, and Buy Buy Baby. The cribs initially cost between $60 and $160.

According to the CPSC release, the name "Generation 2 Worldwide" appears on a label affixed to the crib's headboard or footboard. Some labels identify the place of manufacture as Dothan, Ala. Others identify China as the country of manufacture. The name "ChildESIGNS" appears on the teething rail of some of the cribs. Some of the known model numbers, with an "X" inserted to mark a space where any number could be, are as follows: 0-110X, 10-210X, 21-110X, 20-710X, 64-315X, 26-110X, 90-257X, 20-810X, 46-715X, 64-311X, 74- 315X, 21-815X, 21-810X, 20815X, 308154 and 54915.

"H"

Article from Fox News about Stimulus Spending (2010)

Millions in Stimulus Spending Being Doled Out for Questionable Jobs

Federal agencies are spending stimulus money at the rate of $196 million an hour. And they will do so every hour for the next eight months until a September 30, 2010, deadline. "When you put that kind of money out the door that fast, there's a possibility of $55 billion dollars of waste, fraud and abuse connected with it," Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said Thursday before a Senate Finance Committee hearing examining the lack of oversight in the $878 billion dollar economic stimulus bill passed a year ago.

Grassley said he fears much of the money is going to some individuals and businesses that don't qualify for it and projects that do not serve taxpayers best interests. Judge for yourself:

-- $233,000 to the University of California at San Diego to study why Africans vote. Jobs created: 12, but seven of those are Africans in Africa. -- In Nevada, $2 million in stimulus money built a new fire station, but because of budget cuts, the county can't afford to hire firefighters to work there. -- Penn State University got $1.5 million to study plant fossils in Argentina. Of 5 jobs created, 2 belong to Argentines. -- Researchers the State University of New York at Buffalo got $389,000 to pay 100 Buffalonians $45 each to record how much malt liquor they drink -- and how much pot smoke each day. Consumption is then reported via an automated phone hotline. Cost per job: almost $200,000. -- The Obama administration is spending $5 billion to weatherize homes. But one Texas county spent $4 million to weatherize just 47 homes. That's $78,000 per house. Each retrofit is supposed to save homeowners $500 a year in energy costs. That means taxpayers will recoup their investment in 156 years, long after the home is probably torn down. -- Two Arizona universities got almost $1 million dollars so 3 grad students can study how ants work. That's more than $300,000 per job. -- Companies that raise tropical fish, shellfish, catfish, alligators and even turtles qualify for $50 million in tax money to buy fish food. -- North Carolina public schools received $4.4 million to hire math and literacy coaches, not for students, but teachers. That's 64 people paid $70,000 each to teach teachers how to teach reading and math.

"We have to know that people at the Office of Management and Budget and the various agencies that are shoveling this money out the door, that they're on top of it," Grassley told Fox News. "And we need transparency and information on all of this."

Senate sources say privately many inspectors general are understaffed and overwhelmed, and mechanisms to stop fraud and disqualify tax cheats, criminals and others aren't always working.

Take the Napa Valley Wine Train. The county received $54 million to build a railroad bridge, relocate a half-mile of track and build a flood wall to protect a wine train passenger station. The no-bid contract went to a minority-owned business operated by an Eskimo tribe outside Anchorage.

The company then hired a real construction company for a fraction of what they were paid by the government to actually do the work. The tribe's CEO has no construction experience. His last business, a Web site for sailors, went bankrupt after spending $13 million in investor money.

"That wine train is sort of the perfect storm of practically all of the things that is wrong with government contracting," said Danielle Brian, director of the Project on Government Oversight.

Other dubious contracts include:

-- $6 million in stimulus money to a California contractor under federal investigation for overcharging San Diego for cleanup after the 2007 wildfires -- A Denver developer received $13 million in tax credits to help build a senior housing complex despite being sued as a slumlord for running decrepit, rodent-infested apartment buildings in San Francisco. -- Kentucky gave $24 million to a contractor on trial on for bribery. -- An aerospace company received $15 million to monitor water quality in a Ventura County creek it was already fined for polluting.

"What we have is already a broken system. The federal government is just lousy in its contracting. When you add these elements of speed where the contracting officers or the agencies are being pushed to hurry up and get these dollars out and these grants out quickly, all you're doing is making it harder for them to make good choices," said Brian.

Some inspectors general are spending less than one percent of stimulus expenditures on oversight.

"I"

Excerpts from stopchildlabor.org

Fair Labor Standards Act: An Overview of Federal Child Labor Laws

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes child labor standards (as well as minimum wage, overtime pay, equal pay, whistleblower, and record keeping standards). These standards affect full-time and part-time workers in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.

The FLSA's child labor provisions are designed to protect the educational opportunities of minors and prohibit their employment in jobs and under conditions detrimental to their health or well-being.

The FLSA regulates child labor by (a) setting minimum ages for jobs that have been determined to be particularly hazardous, (b) setting minimum ages for all other jobs (that is, jobs that are not considered particularly hazardous), and (c) limiting the hours that children are permitted to work. There are also exceptions to some of these requirements.

Minimum Age for Particularly

Hazardous Work:

The FLSA distinguishes between particularly hazardous work for children and other work that is not considered particularly hazardous.

The minimum age for particularly hazardous work in agriculture is age 16, whereas the particularly hazardous work in all other sectors of the economy is age 18. These minimum ages are established by law, and would require an act of Congress to be changed.

The FLSA gives the Secretary of Labor the discretion to issue regulations describing what occupations in agriculture and in all other sectors of the economy are particularly hazardous to children. These regulations are called Hazardous Occupation Orders (or more commonly Hazardous Orders or HOs).

There are 11 Hazardous Orders in agriculture that forbid children under age 16 from doing any of the following jobs:

1. Operating a tractor in most situations. 2. Operating or assisting to operate trenchers or earth-moving equipment, fork lifts, potato combines, and power-driver circular, band, or chain saws. 3. Working on a farm in a yard, pen, or stall occupied by a bull, boar, or stud horse maintained for breeding purposes; a sow with suckling pigs; or a cow with newborn calf (with umbilical cord present). 4. Felling, bucking, skidding, loading, or unloading timber with a butt diameter of more than 6 inches. 5. Working from a ladder or scaffold at a height of over 20 feet. 6. Driving a bus, truck, or automobile while transporting passengers, or riding on a tractor as a passenger or helper.

There are 17 Hazardous Orders pertaining to all industries (other than agriculture) that forbid children

under age 18 from doing any of the following jobs.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Manufacturing or storing explosives. Driving a motor vehicle and being an outside helper on a motor vehicle. Coal mining. Logging and sawmilling. Operating power-driven wood-working machines. Exposure to radioactive substances and to ionizing radiations. Operating power-driven hoisting equipment. Operating power-driven metal-forming, punching, and shearing machines. Mining, other than coal mining. Operating power-driven meat-processing machines, and slaughtering, meat packing or processing, and rendering.