Note to self: get job as California state official

For the umpteenth time I am asking myself why take a job at a privately-owned newspaper, when I could get a job at a publicly-owned state for more pay, benefits, and wildly-overpriced parties.  From the Sacramento Bee, on a $43,000 November bash thrown by the state-owned California lottery:

"Billed as an employee recognition and training event, the expenses actually went to entertainment, prizes and black-peppered prime rib dinners for Lottery employees, retires and guests," Controller John Chiang said in a statement.

Nearly $30,000 was spent on the Nov. 8 event, intended to celebrate the Lottery's $20 billion contribution to education. Besides a dinner and dessert, guests received silver-framed photo frames, and the Lottery hired a D.J. and photographer.

An additional $17,262 was spent on mock Lottery games for entertainment. Among the costs were $5,000 paid to a former Big Spin host as master of ceremonies and $10,932 worth of prizes, including a Nintendo Wii, i-Pods and digital cameras.