I would add to Bill R.'s quiz (which made me laugh out loud) the 
contracting out (outsourcing) of some of the functions!  As for Doug's 
comment, as an entry level Fed 33 years ago, I always envisioned 
eventually having all kinds of "staff" to help me as I rose up in rank. 
  Little did I envision that in 2006, at GS-14, I mostly would have 
software to help me,  LOL!  "Not that there's anything wrong with that."

As for the minions, consider Edward Marks's comments in Slate at
http://www.slate.com/id/2083920
and on H-Diplo, as reposted on the Archives List at
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0104d&L=archives&P=11989
or
http://shrinkster.com/cmd .  Dr. Marks is a U.S. Air Force historian.

Have a good weekend, all!

Maarja

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