Category: PSA

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“Type 1” Bureaucrats Only Want to Do Their Jobs

Pournelle’s Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people”:

First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization. Examples are dedicated classroom teachers in an educational bureaucracy, many of the engineers and launch technicians and scientists at NASA, even some agricultural scientists and advisors in the former Soviet Union collective farming administration.

Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself. Examples are many of the administrators in the education system, many professors of education, many teachers union officials, much of the NASA headquarters staff, etc.

The Iron Law states that in every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization. It will write the rules, and control promotions within the organization.

For the last three years, contacts with the public works department here at Third World County™ Central have been rather. . . pleasant, ever since the new director of public works has come on board. It’s exceedingly pleasant to deal with a member of ANY government bureaucracy who just wants to do what his job description asks of him and actually behave as a public servant. Heck, I’ve seen the guy actually get down and use a shovel himself to help get things done faster. Shocking, I know!

Kicker: he’s available, and pleasant to deal with even on a Sunday, and even via his personal cell phone. (And a good thing, too, because the one remaining sore point–poor funding for public works–means that public works has had to keep patching a water line that should be replaced. False economy, of course, because multiple calls for water leaks on public works’ own supply line have ended up costing more than replacing the line once would have been. That’s not on the public works director. It’s on cirty government and its other, non-infrastructure priorities.)

 

Note: None of the above addresses the issue of whether any given bureaucracy has a legitimate reason for existence. That’s a whole different critter.

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GHWB, Bye-Bye

I know, I know. . . it’s just me, but I had to mute the GHWB funeral when the truly awful choral music came on1. I mean, seriously, what director–fully knowing the choir will be performing in a setting that’s really not acoustically well suited to choral music–does not stress again and again that exceptionally clear, even exaggerated enunciation of the lyrics is a MUST? *sigh* Unmuted, and the serial eulogies weren’t all THAt bad, and scriptures, although poorly-read, were appropriate.

What was a wee tad amusing was the sprinkling of pretentious “Mid-Atlantic” pronunciations that a couple of speakers dropped willy-nilly into their Mid-American accents.

Apart from that, it was a good celebration of an American hero, so-so president2, and seemingly nice guy.

R.I.P., GHWB.

1Alan Simpson’s rendition of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” was better.

2Coulda done a much better job as president, IMO, but I was at least satisfied with his character (and profoundly dissatisfied with the character of those running against him).

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FWIW (a brief note on worship)

Many, many people worship Satan without ever considering their actions as such worship. As an Authority on the subject once said to some such,

“You are of your father, the devil (diabolos = slanderer, false accuser), and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of lies.”

Just sayin’. . .

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PSA–You Are Hereby Warned. . .

Reminder: my “scanable” medalert bracelet lists a SEVERE allergy to being repeatedly asked the same question. I’m serious. Don’t do it. It chaps my gizzard, makes me irritable, and results in raucous mocking of whatever doofus engages in the activity.

Thatisall.

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Appropriate Technology

For years I have seen all kinds of neat lil gadgets and hacks to aid in driving nails without smashing one’s fingers, and I chuckle at them all. The problem with hammering fingers from a missed hammer blow is caused by two factors: poor hammer technique and holding a nail “pinched” between one’s forefinger and thumb.

The “appropriate technology” for preventing smashed finger/thumb is present on almost everyone’s own hands. Simply turn the hand used to hold the nail for starting palm up and hold the nail between the index and middle fingers. Even if one misses the nail strike, a starter blow (should be a light tap) will not hit bone and fingernails directly but a cushion of flesh.

In the decades I have used this technique, since being shown by my paternal grandfather, I’ve not even had any noticeable bruising in the few times I’ve missed an initial hammer strike.

And yeh, few times. PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT (or nearly so, at least). Practicing holding a hammer correctly, striking correctly, holding nails correctly: all these make for a much better experience, and not just in lessening injuries from missed initial hammer strikes but also in lessening fatigue during long (whatever “long” is to the user *heh*)sessions hammering nails.

Sometimes, the appropriate technology is right at the end of one’s arms.

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A Giant Has Left Us

Jerry Pournelle August 7, 1933 – September 8, 2017

He was a giant who answered his own mail.

A “well-wishing” page to express appreciation, loss, and words of condolence. Be patient. The server is frequently swamped.

I knew him only through his writing–his fiction and non-fiction (columns, books, blogging)–and through a few, too few, emails, but I appreciated and benefited greatly from his depth and breadth of knowledge, his wisdom, and especially his generosity and graciousness of spirit.

He has left behind a legacy both of a body of work and a family composed of folks who are accomplished and shining examples in their own right.

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So Long, Farewell, auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

Parting is such sweet sorrow.

My most recent experience of the death of a loved one was about a year and a half ago when my dad “graduated”. Sixteen and a half years ago, my Wonder Woman “died” (well, that’s what the doctors called three separate occurrences within a day of “sudden cardiac death”). . . for a bit, but that only counts as a wee sample of separations to come. I thought long and hard then, as I did later with my dad’s passing, of just what death of someone I love means to me.

Personal loss, of course. Since all my loved ones are Christians they, naturally, gain/will gain. 1 Corinthians 15 explains pretty clearly:

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

and. . .

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Now, my Aunt Bettie is nearing her own “graduation”. Of course I am impelled to think of the loss, not only to me but to everyone she has touched, of her loving kindness, her wit and her own special wisdom. I cannot count the generosity she has poured out on just me from the days of my childhood, not the least the way she generously hosted the rehearsal dinner for our wedding at her own home (*heh* Blew my inlaws-to-be away. Righteous, dudette! :-)) or the times she served as a surrogate mom for me in the days before expensive Long Distance calls and slow snail mail bit the dust and my own mom was just not quite reachable–she was THE first person in my family to learn of my engagement to my Wonder Woman, for example. I needed that immediate, face-to-face family touch more than I really knew, and she was as thrilled for me as my own mom was later.

Now, Aunt Bettie, I hold the hope for you that I believe you hold for yourself:

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea.

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home!

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For though from out our bourn of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

Happy trails! Vaya con Dios. Until we meet again, Aunt Bettie.

sisters

Mom and Aunt Bettie, holding hands at the hospice.

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A Heads Up for Windows Users

careful with computer use and practice safe computing, but you may want to pass this on to other Windows users, since the scam referenced in the linked article is aimed at that demographic.

Security alert: Bogus tech-support phone calls (https://windowssecrets.com/top-story/security-alert-bogus-tech-support-phone-calls/)

The article details the scam. I’ve actually received a call like this recently. It boggles my mind that whole call centers (I heard the typical cheap, mass call center sounds in the background) can be run funded by suckers who fall for this scam, but there you are: one born every minute, I suppose.

Microsoft offers a simple security audit (referenced in the article linked above) that can get casual computer users started.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2534555/en-us

Be aware: if you prefer managing your Windows Updates manually, the Fixit applet will tag that as a security problem. It’s not IF you are faithful in performing your manual updates.

If you want to perform a more detailed security scan, consider Secunia PSI (“Personal Software Inspector”– http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/). It’ll scan for any known security holes in installed software and prompt you to update the software. Good stuff, Maynard.

Feel free to pass this along to folks you feel might need the information.