Normally I am suspicious of polls or surveys unless they have a margin of error of plus or minus 20 points. The answers you get (or want to get) depend on whom you are asking and how you phrase the question. That may explain why Democratic polls show the Democrat will win, while Republican polls inevitably indicate a GOP victory. It’s enough to make a body cynical. But…

I’ve found one I believe is right on the money. Ironically, it happens to be our recent would-you-like-the-day-before-Christmas-off? poll. And the answer is an overwhelming YES, YES, YES!

Some time back, at the urging of a number of readers, we began inquiring about what holiday plan (if any) the White House has for feds. We all know that Christmas this year falls on a Tuesday. We also know that more often than not, the White House has given feds a bonus day off when Christmas is either on Tuesday or Thursday.

The four-day weekend is not chiseled in stone. But even the most Scrooge-like chief executives (no names, but you can check the record) have usually caught the Christmas spirit.

Normally if it is going to happen, feds have been informed either in late November or very early December. If nothing else, it helps them plan for Christmas trips or Christmas company. Do they need to take another day of annual leave around the 25th? And will the boss honor last-minute requests?

Earlier this week, we put it to feds. And they put it right back at us. Every single vote (and there is also a White House petition drive) said yes: Show me the Monday! For example:

• “I absolutely believe the president should give federal employees Christmas Eve off with pay. We have been in a pay freeze for over two years. Job openings are very scarce (at least in my agency, the IRS). Upper management now wants to take away the ability for lower-level managers to reward employees with 59 minutes off. We get slammed regularly by members of Congress who love a good sound bite. My fellow federal employees deserve at least this day off. I continue to believe federal employees are not the problem but can be a great help with the solution if the powers that be would listen more closely to us.” — Duncan Giles
• “Of course I would like the extra day off, but I what I really want is a decision. I want to be able to plan my leave status one way or the other (I have use or lose).” — The Unnamed Fed
• ” Here at my office, I received an email regarding a petition going to the White House requesting we get the day off. My thought on that (being a lifetime Republican and federal employee) is why those who entrusted the president to run the country for another four years feel compelled to start a petition? We should get the day off! I think it is a good thing that I will be retired by Jan. 3.” — Anon
• “I’m a former fed and a spouse of a fed. I hope the president follows the precedent and gives feds the Monday before Christmas off! They deserve it after having to do more with less and more while getting less during the current belt-tightening. If the president doesn’t give feds the extra holiday, I sure hope he asks Santa for a spine for Christmas because he is going to need one in 2013! (Not sure if Santa thinks he is good or bad though. ;-) )” — Hoping For The Right Thing
• “You would think that with the federal pay freezes over recent years and the threat of continuing to freeze federal pay, that a Christmas Eve holiday might be a bone worth throwing.” Terry L.

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID

By Jack Moore

The longest word in the English language takes more than three hours to pronounce. The word, which describes the largest known protein titin, contains 189,819 letters. See the full word here.

(Source: Huffington Post)

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