New York City, 1977. That was a hell of a year. The Son of Sam out in the night with his little...
Once you go in, you don't come out
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New York City, 1977. That was a hell of a year. The Son of Sam out in the night with his little .44. The crime rate making for the stratosphere like a Saturn V and drugs flooding the streets. One hot night in July, the lights went out everywhere except the Rockaways and the ensuing chaos led to the largest mass arrest in the history of the city.
But the cherry on the sundae, the chicken in the chimichanga, the bacon in the BLT, came on the night of January 5th, 1977. ABC, NBC, and CBS went on the air and told us that every storybook monster we'd stopped believing in when we were eight was real as Walter Cronkite and twice as serious. They'd watched us fitfully since the Cuban Missile Crisis and after the end of Vietnam War decided they needed a political voice in the human world if they wanted to survive the next two decades.
To that end, an Interspecies Exchange Program has been established to promote understanding and integration between our two worlds and New York City has been chosen as the first test case in the USA.
You step into the badly worn out shoes of David Glaser, the angriest social worker in the Tri-State Area, the man who has been charged with keeping the whole set-up from crashing down around everybody's ears. Mayor Abraham Beame has made you the City Commissioner for the Interspecies Exchange Program. Your Interspecies Exchange Commission is funded by a city that nearly ran out of money in 1975, has about half the staff it needs, and operates out of a recently condemned building in Hell's Kitchen. Let's just say it's going to be an uphill battle.
Oh, one more thing. One of the Commission's rules states that each employee (their living situations permitting, of course) must take in an extraspecies homestay. In your case, this comes in the form of an ultra-serious lamia who goes by the name Sersia.
Besides your sense of civic duty, you might ask, why are you doing this? The carrot you and every civic employee under you are running for is total forgiveness of NYC's outstanding debt to the Federal Government. Remember how the city almost ran out in 1975? At the last minute President Gerald Ford loaned the city enough to run its basic services. A loan, not a grant.
Basically get this to work, and New York City is on its feet again. If not, well...
So congratulations, Commissioner.
First things first, the IEC doesn't pay for itself. The City of New York gives you a budget every month and it's up to you to spend it wisely. Once you've used up the budget for the month, that's it, there is no more.
For the purpose of keeping it simple, let's say that you get 1000 Gimmes every month which you use to do things like set up homestays, run PR campaigns, and resolve legal issues. As another concession to simplicity, let's assume that part of the budget has already been earmarked for employee salaries and the like.
Be very careful that you don't outstrip your budget consistently, otherwise you will be open to a criminal investigation and possible jail time.
One decision you need to make immediately is just how you will trim the department down. Your budget is sufficient to pay for roughly half of the departments. It's up to you to determine what you can lose. You've determined that the three positions enumerated below you absolutely cannot do without. You'll leave staffing to the new heads over the course of the week, but right now you need to decide who those heads are. Then you'll pick up your first homestay and get her settled in.
Vote for three people, one in each category: The Deputy Commissioner, General Counsel, and the Department of Homestay Services.
The Deputy Commissioner- Your first mate, your strong right hand. Basically, their job is to both advise you on the running of your operation and see to the day-to-day details of the Commission
[] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
[] Micheal O'Neil- yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner, Mike is a family man from Brooklyn. He has a few years under his belt, but has been strictly mid-level since he started his career. Many consider him unambitious but quite competent.
[] William Poole- and yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Poole is a Manhattan-born old school New York politician, from the days when fisticuffs was a legitimate way to settle administrative disputes. He is extremely conservative but knows the city government well.
General Counsel- The wheels of government need grease to turn and that's what this respectable representative of the US legal system provides . Their job is to untangle all the tedious legal details that keep you from moving ahead with your plans and create new ones to keep you out of court.
[] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
[] Mary Pressman- Also potentially your attorney. Counselor Pressman is a newly-minted Harvard law grad with a flawless report card and a serious itch to do some good in the world. While highly intelligent and ambitious she has little real-world legal experience, but she's quick on the uptake and adaptable.
[] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
Department of Homestay Services- The point of this little endeavor. The DHS is charged with organizing homestays, making the necessary arrangements to implement them, and cleaning up the messes when they go wrong. While nominally under the purview of the Deputy Commissioner, the essential nature of their work means you will be dealing with them directly when issues arise.
[] Lamar Jackson- a community organizer from Harlem. Always one to fight for social justice, Lamar has plenty of first hand experience with the prejudices that those who don't fit the mold face. He can be overbearing at times, but he is used to working with very little and has a good street-level understanding of how the city works.
[] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully.
[] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
But the cherry on the sundae, the chicken in the chimichanga, the bacon in the BLT, came on the night of January 5th, 1977. ABC, NBC, and CBS went on the air and told us that every storybook monster we'd stopped believing in when we were eight was real as Walter Cronkite and twice as serious. They'd watched us fitfully since the Cuban Missile Crisis and after the end of Vietnam War decided they needed a political voice in the human world if they wanted to survive the next two decades.
To that end, an Interspecies Exchange Program has been established to promote understanding and integration between our two worlds and New York City has been chosen as the first test case in the USA.
You step into the badly worn out shoes of David Glaser, the angriest social worker in the Tri-State Area, the man who has been charged with keeping the whole set-up from crashing down around everybody's ears. Mayor Abraham Beame has made you the City Commissioner for the Interspecies Exchange Program. Your Interspecies Exchange Commission is funded by a city that nearly ran out of money in 1975, has about half the staff it needs, and operates out of a recently condemned building in Hell's Kitchen. Let's just say it's going to be an uphill battle.
Oh, one more thing. One of the Commission's rules states that each employee (their living situations permitting, of course) must take in an extraspecies homestay. In your case, this comes in the form of an ultra-serious lamia who goes by the name Sersia.
Besides your sense of civic duty, you might ask, why are you doing this? The carrot you and every civic employee under you are running for is total forgiveness of NYC's outstanding debt to the Federal Government. Remember how the city almost ran out in 1975? At the last minute President Gerald Ford loaned the city enough to run its basic services. A loan, not a grant.
Basically get this to work, and New York City is on its feet again. If not, well...
So congratulations, Commissioner.
First things first, the IEC doesn't pay for itself. The City of New York gives you a budget every month and it's up to you to spend it wisely. Once you've used up the budget for the month, that's it, there is no more.
For the purpose of keeping it simple, let's say that you get 1000 Gimmes every month which you use to do things like set up homestays, run PR campaigns, and resolve legal issues. As another concession to simplicity, let's assume that part of the budget has already been earmarked for employee salaries and the like.
Be very careful that you don't outstrip your budget consistently, otherwise you will be open to a criminal investigation and possible jail time.
One decision you need to make immediately is just how you will trim the department down. Your budget is sufficient to pay for roughly half of the departments. It's up to you to determine what you can lose. You've determined that the three positions enumerated below you absolutely cannot do without. You'll leave staffing to the new heads over the course of the week, but right now you need to decide who those heads are. Then you'll pick up your first homestay and get her settled in.
Vote for three people, one in each category: The Deputy Commissioner, General Counsel, and the Department of Homestay Services.
The Deputy Commissioner- Your first mate, your strong right hand. Basically, their job is to both advise you on the running of your operation and see to the day-to-day details of the Commission
[] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
[] Micheal O'Neil- yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner, Mike is a family man from Brooklyn. He has a few years under his belt, but has been strictly mid-level since he started his career. Many consider him unambitious but quite competent.
[] William Poole- and yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Poole is a Manhattan-born old school New York politician, from the days when fisticuffs was a legitimate way to settle administrative disputes. He is extremely conservative but knows the city government well.
General Counsel- The wheels of government need grease to turn and that's what this respectable representative of the US legal system provides . Their job is to untangle all the tedious legal details that keep you from moving ahead with your plans and create new ones to keep you out of court.
[] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
[] Mary Pressman- Also potentially your attorney. Counselor Pressman is a newly-minted Harvard law grad with a flawless report card and a serious itch to do some good in the world. While highly intelligent and ambitious she has little real-world legal experience, but she's quick on the uptake and adaptable.
[] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
Department of Homestay Services- The point of this little endeavor. The DHS is charged with organizing homestays, making the necessary arrangements to implement them, and cleaning up the messes when they go wrong. While nominally under the purview of the Deputy Commissioner, the essential nature of their work means you will be dealing with them directly when issues arise.
[] Lamar Jackson- a community organizer from Harlem. Always one to fight for social justice, Lamar has plenty of first hand experience with the prejudices that those who don't fit the mold face. He can be overbearing at times, but he is used to working with very little and has a good street-level understanding of how the city works.
[] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully.
[] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
- Location
- America
reserved
- Location
- America
reserved
- Location
- America
Reserved. You may now begin posting.
[X] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
[X] Mary Pressman- Also potentially your attorney. Counselor Pressman is a newly-minted Harvard law grad with a flawless report card and a serious itch to do some good in the world. While highly intelligent and ambitious she has little real-world legal experience, but she's quick on the uptake and adaptable.
[X] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
[X] Mary Pressman- Also potentially your attorney. Counselor Pressman is a newly-minted Harvard law grad with a flawless report card and a serious itch to do some good in the world. While highly intelligent and ambitious she has little real-world legal experience, but she's quick on the uptake and adaptable.
[X] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
- Location
- Pittsburgh PA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[x] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully.
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully.
- Location
- italy bologna
[x] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully
- Location
- St. Petersburg
[X] William Poole- and yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Poole is a Manhattan-born old school New York politician, from the days when fisticuffs was a legitimate way to settle administrative disputes. He is extremely conservative but knows the city government well.
[X] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
[X] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
[X] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
[X] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
[x] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors can result from not checking carefully.
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors can result from not checking carefully.
- Location
- Brazil
[X] William Poole- and yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Poole is a Manhattan-born old school New York politician, from the days when fisticuffs was a legitimate way to settle administrative disputes. He is extremely conservative but knows the city government well.
[X] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
[X] Lamar Jackson- a community organizer from Harlem. Always one to fight for social justice, Lamar has plenty of first hand experience with the prejudices that those who don't fit the mold face. He can be overbearing at times, but he is used to working with very little and has a good street-level understanding of how the city works.
[X] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
[X] Lamar Jackson- a community organizer from Harlem. Always one to fight for social justice, Lamar has plenty of first hand experience with the prejudices that those who don't fit the mold face. He can be overbearing at times, but he is used to working with very little and has a good street-level understanding of how the city works.
- Location
- America
Right then, I will close voting later this evening.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
GM requested tally. Winners are in bold.
Vote Tally : Once you go in, you don't come out | Sufficient Velocity
##### NetTally 1.7.4
[X] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
No. of Votes: 4
veekie
EtchedSteel
giodan
tygerbright
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
No. of Votes: 3
tygerbright
EtchedSteel
giodan
[X] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
No. of Votes: 2
veekie
Nevill
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully.
No. of Votes: 2
tygerbright
giodan
[X] William Poole- and yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Poole is a Manhattan-born old school New York politician, from the days when fisticuffs was a legitimate way to settle administrative disputes. He is extremely conservative but knows the city government well.
No. of Votes: 2
Nevill
Zaratustra
[X] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
No. of Votes: 2
Nevill
Zaratustra
[X] Mary Pressman- Also potentially your attorney. Counselor Pressman is a newly-minted Harvard law grad with a flawless report card and a serious itch to do some good in the world. While highly intelligent and ambitious she has little real-world legal experience, but she's quick on the uptake and adaptable.
No. of Votes: 1
veekie
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors can result from not checking carefully.
No. of Votes: 1
EtchedSteel
[X] Lamar Jackson- a community organizer from Harlem. Always one to fight for social justice, Lamar has plenty of first hand experience with the prejudices that those who don't fit the mold face. He can be overbearing at times, but he is used to working with very little and has a good street-level understanding of how the city works.
No. of Votes: 1
Zaratustra
Total No. of Voters: 6
There is no clear winner for the Department of Homestay Services. It's tied between Angela Cole and Linda Chang.
Vote Tally : Once you go in, you don't come out | Sufficient Velocity
##### NetTally 1.7.4
[X] Costanza "Connie" Sachetti- a possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Connie is a tough-as-nails veteran of the City Government from Queens. She is more than capable of rising above her current level, but has been held back for years by the boy's club atmosphere at City Hall and sees this position as a chance to change that.
No. of Votes: 4
veekie
EtchedSteel
giodan
tygerbright
[x] Louis Rothstein- This guy can be your attorney too. Lou is a former prosecutor with high moral standards and a low tolerance for corruption, and while his refusal to play political games has held him back in the past he is considered very trustworthy by the city. He can be rigid, and something of a blowhard, but his experience usually carries the day.
No. of Votes: 3
tygerbright
EtchedSteel
giodan
[X] Linda Chang- A PR specialist, Linda decided to use her skills for the public good after a social worker helped her get out of an abusive relationship. She is a fast talker who can gab her way past any locked door. Though she doesn't have much experience with social services, she is great convincing the reluctant to see things her way.
No. of Votes: 2
veekie
Nevill
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors that can result from not checking carefully.
No. of Votes: 2
tygerbright
giodan
[X] William Poole- and yet another possible choice for Deputy Commissioner. Mr. Poole is a Manhattan-born old school New York politician, from the days when fisticuffs was a legitimate way to settle administrative disputes. He is extremely conservative but knows the city government well.
No. of Votes: 2
Nevill
Zaratustra
[X] Damian McConsidine- Potentially your attorney. Damian is a slick legalistic huckster with roots in Hell's Kitchen. Gabby and charismatic, there has always been a faint whiff of corruption following him around. However, he has an impeccable track record in the courtroom and a history of taking rights-related cases where he stood to gain nothing.
No. of Votes: 2
Nevill
Zaratustra
[X] Mary Pressman- Also potentially your attorney. Counselor Pressman is a newly-minted Harvard law grad with a flawless report card and a serious itch to do some good in the world. While highly intelligent and ambitious she has little real-world legal experience, but she's quick on the uptake and adaptable.
No. of Votes: 1
veekie
[x] Angela Cole- An experienced social worker, Angie has little to learn when it comes to sizing up a home and had to go through hell to learn it. While she can be overly cautious and quick to dismiss potential homes if even the slightest thing seems off, she has worked with less than ideal home situations for most of her career and knows all to well the horrors can result from not checking carefully.
No. of Votes: 1
EtchedSteel
[X] Lamar Jackson- a community organizer from Harlem. Always one to fight for social justice, Lamar has plenty of first hand experience with the prejudices that those who don't fit the mold face. He can be overbearing at times, but he is used to working with very little and has a good street-level understanding of how the city works.
No. of Votes: 1
Zaratustra
Total No. of Voters: 6
There is no clear winner for the Department of Homestay Services. It's tied between Angela Cole and Linda Chang.
- Location
- America
As there is no clear victory in the Department of Homestay Services, I am left with no other recourse but to roll a die. Results forthcoming.
- Location
- America
The twos have it, Angela Cole is now leading the Department of Homestay Services.
- Location
- America
David Glaser adjusted his old-fashioned wire-rim spectacles and took a sip from what must have been his eight cup of coffee in that hour alone. He'd finally culled the three best candidates from the small mountain of crisp manila envelopes that had turned up in his inbox. He had known he was going to regret accepting this gig, but just how much he'd had no no idea.
Nine days prior, Glaser had been called into Mayor Abraham Beame's office. The call had come on one of the rare days off that Glaser was permitted by his job to enjoy. Almost anyone else or anything short of horrific child abuse and Glaser would have cordially invited them to go fuck themselves but when the mayor calls, you come running. Besides, the city was still putting itself back together father the catastrophic blackout a couple of weeks before and Glaser was lucky to have had any time off at all. He pulled a wrinkled suit on over his dirty boxers and caught a cab to City Hall.
The ride over gave him time to wonder what it was the mayor could possibly want with him. After all, Glaser was only a mid-level Social Services employee. A glorified case worker. While he investigated abuse, neglect, and a million other social ills on the city dime, he was hardly the only one doing so and certainly not the most important. He was dedicated, but not as much as some. He got results, but unalloyed victories were rare. His thoughts started to turn onto the opposite course. Perhaps he was in trouble with the city government? He couldn't imagine why. He bent the rules on occasion, but not dramatically. He was known or having a temper on him, but nobody had ever pressed charges after one of his outbursts. He picked at the conundrum a little more, but the answer was beyond him.
The cab got stuck in traffic two blocks from city hall and Glaser had to walk the rest of the way. When he finally reached City Hall he found himself ushered directly to Mayor Beame's office. If he wasn't worried before, he certainly was now. Things like this, being summoned to the halls of power, just didn't happen to people like him.
In the office, he discovered Mayor Beame at his desk, a heavy wooden number that looked as old as Manhattan Island, bent over a thick sheaf of documents. Glaser stood awkwardly in the doorway and waited for the mayor to acknowledge him. He couldn't very well blame Mayor Beame for his inattention, the city's ongoing financial woes and the fallout from the riots were enough to overwhelm anyone.
The mayor was a small man, only somewhat over five feet in height. He possessed a wide face with eyes that were likewise set far apart from each other. His hair was graying, partially from age and partially from seeing the city thought some of its darkest times yet. He wore a formal three-piece suit that had acquired the stale appearance of clothing that has gone unchanged for two days or more.
Mayor Beame glance up and saw Glaser standing in the doorway like a man trying to hide from a surprise party he was about to be thrown.
"Pull a chair up to my desk and make yourself comfortable," said the mayor, "I'll be with you in a minute."
Glaser did as he was told, dragging a heavy leather-upholstered chair up to the mayor's desk.
Mayor Beame read thought a few more Xeroxed documents before setting them down and composing himself.
"What I'm about to tell does not leave this office," he said without preamble, "our city has been selected as the first in the United States to host an Interspecies Exchange Program."
Glaser's reaction to the news was significantly lower key than he would have expected. He was still at the point in his life when all he really knew about Liminals from what he saw on TV, having no sense of their reality besides some vague notion of it. If you had told him that the Klingons were bringing their baseball team to Yankee Stadium, you probably would have elicited a similar reaction. Some mellow disbelief, sure, but mostly just dumbfounded acceptance.
Many hadn't taken it so well. In fact, besides the Son of Sam, unease over the revelation of the existence of nonhuman creatures with their own civilizations was thought to have been a major contributing factor to the blackout riots in July. The networks had televised endless debates on the subject, making sure that it was never far from the public's mind. There was even talk of trying to get Gore Vidal and Timothy Buckley back on CBS together to debate the implications. Fortunately for Gore and Tim, CBS killed that notion before it even left the studio.
Glaser had numerous questions for the mayor at this point but the one that rose above all the others in terms of the desire to have an answer was:
"Why New York?" said Glaser, scratching his slightly oversized head in consternation, "I mean, I love this city but if you want to give another species a positive impression of humanity, this is the last place you'd send them. Hell, if you want them to survive getting any kind of impression of humanity at all you don't send them here!"
Mayor Beame plucked his cheaters from his nose and set them down over the papers on his desk. Glaser could now see just how dark the circles under the mayor's eyes were. They looked like makeup, they were so dark.
"Because it's also one of the most diverse cities in America, not to mention one of the oldest, a cultural and artistic center" he said, "if they want to truly experience humanity, this is the place. It's dirty, dangerous, and can barely manage itself but it's been here since the seventeenth century and it's done nothing but grow. Much like our species."
"I they've conclusively proven our species well predates the seventeenth century," said Glaser trying to lighten the mood.
Mayor Beame ignored his joke.
"That was the way it was presented to me by our dear governor," he continued, "along with a very powerful incentive, if the program succeeds in New York City then the federal government is willing to forgive the loan we took out in '75."
Glaser's jaw hit the varnished wood of the mayor's desk. In 1975 New York had literally run out of money and was unable to pay for basic city services. Borrowing more money was out of the question as the outstanding debt incurred by the city stood at about 600 million already. At the very last minute the Teacher's Union had dipped into their pension fund and bought up the debt while the Ford administration had loaned the city government enough money to get them back on their feet. A loan New York was still paying off to the Carter administration. If that debt were to vanish, then NYC would be on Easy Street. Or at least off Skid Row.
"Which brings us to you, David Glaser," he smiled, "as of now you no longer work for the Department of Social Services. You are now head of the New York Interspecies Exchange Commission," He stood and extended his hand with the expectation Glaser should shake it, "congratulations Commissioner."
Glaser shot to his feet.
"Excuse me sir," he said.
The mayor kept his arm extended "Yes Comissioner?"
"This is an honor and all but I ain't sure I understand why I'm getting this positon," Glaser pushed his glasses back up my nose, "I'm just an administrator, you need a sounding line to find my link in the chain of command, I am buried that deep in the bureaucratic mishegoss. I've never been anywhere near real power, I'm inexperienced, and I can barely keep my own little slice of hell from sinking into chaos most days. So, why me?"
Mayor Beame let his arm fall back to his side.
"Because, despite everything you just mentioned, your little slice of hell still manages to do its job," he sat back down and rubbed his temples, "you've been mentioned positively by most of the officials who have worked with you, I thought it was time you were given a chance. You're passionate about doing your job, so I know you will work hard to prevent anything untoward befalling anyone under your care, but you're not overly idealistic. Besides, I can't spare anyone higher ranking right now thanks to the hiring freeze."
Glaser sighed. If he was it, then he was it. The mayor was right.
Mayor Beame extended his hand again and this time Glaser shook it.
Nine days prior, Glaser had been called into Mayor Abraham Beame's office. The call had come on one of the rare days off that Glaser was permitted by his job to enjoy. Almost anyone else or anything short of horrific child abuse and Glaser would have cordially invited them to go fuck themselves but when the mayor calls, you come running. Besides, the city was still putting itself back together father the catastrophic blackout a couple of weeks before and Glaser was lucky to have had any time off at all. He pulled a wrinkled suit on over his dirty boxers and caught a cab to City Hall.
The ride over gave him time to wonder what it was the mayor could possibly want with him. After all, Glaser was only a mid-level Social Services employee. A glorified case worker. While he investigated abuse, neglect, and a million other social ills on the city dime, he was hardly the only one doing so and certainly not the most important. He was dedicated, but not as much as some. He got results, but unalloyed victories were rare. His thoughts started to turn onto the opposite course. Perhaps he was in trouble with the city government? He couldn't imagine why. He bent the rules on occasion, but not dramatically. He was known or having a temper on him, but nobody had ever pressed charges after one of his outbursts. He picked at the conundrum a little more, but the answer was beyond him.
The cab got stuck in traffic two blocks from city hall and Glaser had to walk the rest of the way. When he finally reached City Hall he found himself ushered directly to Mayor Beame's office. If he wasn't worried before, he certainly was now. Things like this, being summoned to the halls of power, just didn't happen to people like him.
In the office, he discovered Mayor Beame at his desk, a heavy wooden number that looked as old as Manhattan Island, bent over a thick sheaf of documents. Glaser stood awkwardly in the doorway and waited for the mayor to acknowledge him. He couldn't very well blame Mayor Beame for his inattention, the city's ongoing financial woes and the fallout from the riots were enough to overwhelm anyone.
The mayor was a small man, only somewhat over five feet in height. He possessed a wide face with eyes that were likewise set far apart from each other. His hair was graying, partially from age and partially from seeing the city thought some of its darkest times yet. He wore a formal three-piece suit that had acquired the stale appearance of clothing that has gone unchanged for two days or more.
Mayor Beame glance up and saw Glaser standing in the doorway like a man trying to hide from a surprise party he was about to be thrown.
"Pull a chair up to my desk and make yourself comfortable," said the mayor, "I'll be with you in a minute."
Glaser did as he was told, dragging a heavy leather-upholstered chair up to the mayor's desk.
Mayor Beame read thought a few more Xeroxed documents before setting them down and composing himself.
"What I'm about to tell does not leave this office," he said without preamble, "our city has been selected as the first in the United States to host an Interspecies Exchange Program."
Glaser's reaction to the news was significantly lower key than he would have expected. He was still at the point in his life when all he really knew about Liminals from what he saw on TV, having no sense of their reality besides some vague notion of it. If you had told him that the Klingons were bringing their baseball team to Yankee Stadium, you probably would have elicited a similar reaction. Some mellow disbelief, sure, but mostly just dumbfounded acceptance.
Many hadn't taken it so well. In fact, besides the Son of Sam, unease over the revelation of the existence of nonhuman creatures with their own civilizations was thought to have been a major contributing factor to the blackout riots in July. The networks had televised endless debates on the subject, making sure that it was never far from the public's mind. There was even talk of trying to get Gore Vidal and Timothy Buckley back on CBS together to debate the implications. Fortunately for Gore and Tim, CBS killed that notion before it even left the studio.
Glaser had numerous questions for the mayor at this point but the one that rose above all the others in terms of the desire to have an answer was:
"Why New York?" said Glaser, scratching his slightly oversized head in consternation, "I mean, I love this city but if you want to give another species a positive impression of humanity, this is the last place you'd send them. Hell, if you want them to survive getting any kind of impression of humanity at all you don't send them here!"
Mayor Beame plucked his cheaters from his nose and set them down over the papers on his desk. Glaser could now see just how dark the circles under the mayor's eyes were. They looked like makeup, they were so dark.
"Because it's also one of the most diverse cities in America, not to mention one of the oldest, a cultural and artistic center" he said, "if they want to truly experience humanity, this is the place. It's dirty, dangerous, and can barely manage itself but it's been here since the seventeenth century and it's done nothing but grow. Much like our species."
"I they've conclusively proven our species well predates the seventeenth century," said Glaser trying to lighten the mood.
Mayor Beame ignored his joke.
"That was the way it was presented to me by our dear governor," he continued, "along with a very powerful incentive, if the program succeeds in New York City then the federal government is willing to forgive the loan we took out in '75."
Glaser's jaw hit the varnished wood of the mayor's desk. In 1975 New York had literally run out of money and was unable to pay for basic city services. Borrowing more money was out of the question as the outstanding debt incurred by the city stood at about 600 million already. At the very last minute the Teacher's Union had dipped into their pension fund and bought up the debt while the Ford administration had loaned the city government enough money to get them back on their feet. A loan New York was still paying off to the Carter administration. If that debt were to vanish, then NYC would be on Easy Street. Or at least off Skid Row.
"Which brings us to you, David Glaser," he smiled, "as of now you no longer work for the Department of Social Services. You are now head of the New York Interspecies Exchange Commission," He stood and extended his hand with the expectation Glaser should shake it, "congratulations Commissioner."
Glaser shot to his feet.
"Excuse me sir," he said.
The mayor kept his arm extended "Yes Comissioner?"
"This is an honor and all but I ain't sure I understand why I'm getting this positon," Glaser pushed his glasses back up my nose, "I'm just an administrator, you need a sounding line to find my link in the chain of command, I am buried that deep in the bureaucratic mishegoss. I've never been anywhere near real power, I'm inexperienced, and I can barely keep my own little slice of hell from sinking into chaos most days. So, why me?"
Mayor Beame let his arm fall back to his side.
"Because, despite everything you just mentioned, your little slice of hell still manages to do its job," he sat back down and rubbed his temples, "you've been mentioned positively by most of the officials who have worked with you, I thought it was time you were given a chance. You're passionate about doing your job, so I know you will work hard to prevent anything untoward befalling anyone under your care, but you're not overly idealistic. Besides, I can't spare anyone higher ranking right now thanks to the hiring freeze."
Glaser sighed. If he was it, then he was it. The mayor was right.
Mayor Beame extended his hand again and this time Glaser shook it.
- Location
- America
Glaser let the memory fade and returned to his attention to the work on his desk, to the org chart he'd drawn up.
When the city had seen this in the proposal they had been very clear that he could have roughly half of these. Time to start trimming.
What can we lose?
[] Liaison to the NYPD: Because monster people somtimes get out of hand, we might have to work with the police frequently enough to justify having this office.
[] Customized Assistance Services: There are times when the home we send the monster person to just doesn't fit then, that's where these guys come in. They assess the situation and make the necessary recommendations to the contractor.
[] Community Inspection Services: this department checks the suitability of the households that apply for the homestay program. They also have routine check-ins to make sure everything's copacetic.
[] Special Intervention Services: sometimes, things just don't work out and the extraspecies homestay must be separated from the family. That's what this department does.
[] Extraspecies Employment Services: Remember, the goal of this program is integration with human society and one of the best ways to do that is work. This department matches homestays and employers with the goal of getting extraspecies into gainful employment.
[] Department of Information: The thinking organ, divided into two deparments: Research and Analysis. These guys are responsible for collecting and analyzing everything that has anything to do human-extraspecies relations.
[] Research: these guys collect the information. They do everything from learning about extraspecies biology to conducting opinion poles.
[] Analysis: these guys make sense of the data collected by research. One of their primary jobs is to create and publish statistics.
[] Department of Communications: People need to know about you and what you do. This department tells them. Designing brochures, managing publicity, getting you that prime time spot on local TV to talk up the program, they do it all.
[] Multimedia Services: existing under the auspices of the Department of Communications, these guys prepare information for dissemination via the various forms of media available. Basically, they negotiate deals with printing companies, bring in the freelance artists, and try to facilitate the whole exposure process.
[] Internal Affairs: there are people within any organization that think the rules don't apply to them. And then there are the people whose job it is to dispel that notion. Simply put, these guys are here to keep you honest by rooting out corruption wherever they find it.
[] Audit Services: your own in house watch dogs. Audit Services reviews procedure and sees to it that it is followed. Or else.
[] Fiscal Integrity: Every crooked accountant's nightmare, Fiscal Integrity makes sure that the books are properly balanced at the end of the day.
[] Investigation, Revenue, and Enforcement: The hounds. Whenever Audit Services or Fiscal Integrity catches any sign of corruption, this is the department that gets sent in to eliminate it. With extreme prejudice.
[] Department of Finance: a busy professional like you doesn't have time to count their own money, that's what accountants are for! They tell you how much money is currently in the coffers (hint: not much)
Voting open! Closes in two days.
When the city had seen this in the proposal they had been very clear that he could have roughly half of these. Time to start trimming.
What can we lose?
[] Liaison to the NYPD: Because monster people somtimes get out of hand, we might have to work with the police frequently enough to justify having this office.
[] Customized Assistance Services: There are times when the home we send the monster person to just doesn't fit then, that's where these guys come in. They assess the situation and make the necessary recommendations to the contractor.
[] Community Inspection Services: this department checks the suitability of the households that apply for the homestay program. They also have routine check-ins to make sure everything's copacetic.
[] Special Intervention Services: sometimes, things just don't work out and the extraspecies homestay must be separated from the family. That's what this department does.
[] Extraspecies Employment Services: Remember, the goal of this program is integration with human society and one of the best ways to do that is work. This department matches homestays and employers with the goal of getting extraspecies into gainful employment.
[] Department of Information: The thinking organ, divided into two deparments: Research and Analysis. These guys are responsible for collecting and analyzing everything that has anything to do human-extraspecies relations.
[] Research: these guys collect the information. They do everything from learning about extraspecies biology to conducting opinion poles.
[] Analysis: these guys make sense of the data collected by research. One of their primary jobs is to create and publish statistics.
[] Department of Communications: People need to know about you and what you do. This department tells them. Designing brochures, managing publicity, getting you that prime time spot on local TV to talk up the program, they do it all.
[] Multimedia Services: existing under the auspices of the Department of Communications, these guys prepare information for dissemination via the various forms of media available. Basically, they negotiate deals with printing companies, bring in the freelance artists, and try to facilitate the whole exposure process.
[] Internal Affairs: there are people within any organization that think the rules don't apply to them. And then there are the people whose job it is to dispel that notion. Simply put, these guys are here to keep you honest by rooting out corruption wherever they find it.
[] Audit Services: your own in house watch dogs. Audit Services reviews procedure and sees to it that it is followed. Or else.
[] Fiscal Integrity: Every crooked accountant's nightmare, Fiscal Integrity makes sure that the books are properly balanced at the end of the day.
[] Investigation, Revenue, and Enforcement: The hounds. Whenever Audit Services or Fiscal Integrity catches any sign of corruption, this is the department that gets sent in to eliminate it. With extreme prejudice.
[] Department of Finance: a busy professional like you doesn't have time to count their own money, that's what accountants are for! They tell you how much money is currently in the coffers (hint: not much)
Voting open! Closes in two days.
- Location
- Brazil
So how many departments we need to discard again ?
- Location
- Victoria
*Stares at list. Twitches*
This is going to be a tricky choice.
This is going to be a tricky choice.
- Location
- italy bologna
How much to cut? In any case i start whit this:
[] Multimedia Services: existing under the auspices of the Department of Communications, these guys prepare information for dissemination via the various forms of media available. Basically, they negotiate deals with printing companies, bring in the freelance artists, and try to facilitate the whole exposure process
[] Multimedia Services: existing under the auspices of the Department of Communications, these guys prepare information for dissemination via the various forms of media available. Basically, they negotiate deals with printing companies, bring in the freelance artists, and try to facilitate the whole exposure process
- Location
- Pittsburgh PA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
If the roughly half is what we need to cut, then we have to vote for six or seven of the departments... Honestly I can only see three or four that are really expendable.
- Location
- italy bologna
Then.
[X] Research: these guys collect the information. They do everything from learning about extraspecies biology to conducting opinion poles.
[X] Analysis: these guys make sense of the data collected by research. One of their primary jobs is to create and publish statistics
Those two are sub division we just have the main one: Department of Information
[X] Multimedia Services: existing underthe auspices of the Department of Communications, these guys prepare information for dissemination via the various forms of media available. Basically, they negotiate deals with printing companies, bring in the freelance artists, and try to facilitate the whole exposure process
[X] Liaison to the NYPD: Because monster people somtimes get out of hand, we might have to work with the police frequently enough to justify having this office
Not really needed.
[X] Audit Services: your own in house watch dogs. Audit Services reviews procedure and sees to it that it is followed. Or else.
[X] Investigation, Revenue, and Enforcement: The hounds. Whenever Audit Services or Fiscal Integrity catches any sign of corruption, this is the department that gets sent in to eliminate it. With extreme prejudice.
Hate to cut those two but is needed.
[X] Research: these guys collect the information. They do everything from learning about extraspecies biology to conducting opinion poles.
[X] Analysis: these guys make sense of the data collected by research. One of their primary jobs is to create and publish statistics
Those two are sub division we just have the main one: Department of Information
[X] Multimedia Services: existing underthe auspices of the Department of Communications, these guys prepare information for dissemination via the various forms of media available. Basically, they negotiate deals with printing companies, bring in the freelance artists, and try to facilitate the whole exposure process
[X] Liaison to the NYPD: Because monster people somtimes get out of hand, we might have to work with the police frequently enough to justify having this office
Not really needed.
[X] Audit Services: your own in house watch dogs. Audit Services reviews procedure and sees to it that it is followed. Or else.
[X] Investigation, Revenue, and Enforcement: The hounds. Whenever Audit Services or Fiscal Integrity catches any sign of corruption, this is the department that gets sent in to eliminate it. With extreme prejudice.
Hate to cut those two but is needed.
- Location
- America
Okay, after some thinking it occurs to me that I have definitely made a mistake with my last post and I apologize for that. So, my thought is to back time to just after we selected our department heads and begin again from there. Any Takers?
- Location
- Brazil
I will take that.
- Location
- italy bologna
Ok.... no problem!