This is the title of a book by William C. Ramsgard, Wiley, 1977-09-29 and the quotes that follow are from various scraps of paper that have been gathering dust on my desk.
“The successful information system provides all the related and general xpj requirements for operating personnel, based on normal organizational activity. New information requirements are always modifications to the existing information system and are fulfilled by a minimum caretaker staff without disruption to existing informational and organizational structure or substantial additional resource allocations.”
From a note in ABC Stenoscript and http://books.google.com/books/about/Making_systems_work.html?id=RkBZAAAAMAAJ
From another note on this book
“Peasecod’s Parameter
When the time recorded in the maintenance log approaches the original systems development time, the existing system is dying and the systems cycle should be repeated for a complete new development of the system.”
From another note in ABC Stenoscript
“Systems should be built not to solve problems but to provide opportunity.”
Showing posts with label development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label development. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Republicans and reality; the only thing they have in common is starting with RE
As a former Republican party activist, I am so disappointed with the Republicans since Reagan (another name starting with RE). The latest disappointment was the attitude of Minnesota Republican legislatures towards light rail, specifically the Southwest line out of Minneapolis. See "Critics rail about state money for Southwest light rail line", Pat Dole, Star Tribune, 2012-03-09.
Despite many businesses saying that light rail aids development, the state Republicans are still opposed to the light rail line. Hey, I thought Republicans were pro-business. I think they are more pro-Koch and pro-oil than anything else.
The most egregious comment was by Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, "We like our independence and having our own car to drive where we want and when we want." He also said. " I think buses…are working very, very well." Excuse me, is anyone telling him that he can't drive? Oh, yes! The Republican Party is not "pro-choice".
He is so wrong on two counts.
Once I drove out of Chicago on I-90 towards O'Hare airport. It was on a Sunday(!) and stop-and-go. In the middle was a commuter train. The highway traffic would stop, and a train would catch up. The highway traffic would stop, and a train would catch up. The highway traffic would stop, and a train would catch up. Eventually the train pulled ahead and was gone. So much for "when we want".
As for the efficiency of buses, for two years I drove a suburban bus into the Twin Cities from Maple Grove!!!! Rare were the times it was a steady 55 mph from Maple Grove to downtown Minneapolis. Sometimes I had to drive on the shoulder. What was my supposed maximum speed? 35mph! What does light rail go? I don't know, but probably better than 35 mph between stations. And the light rail drivers generally have all the green lights in their favor. I had to slow down for merging traffic.
Despite many businesses saying that light rail aids development, the state Republicans are still opposed to the light rail line. Hey, I thought Republicans were pro-business. I think they are more pro-Koch and pro-oil than anything else.
The most egregious comment was by Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, "We like our independence and having our own car to drive where we want and when we want." He also said. " I think buses…are working very, very well." Excuse me, is anyone telling him that he can't drive? Oh, yes! The Republican Party is not "pro-choice".
He is so wrong on two counts.
Once I drove out of Chicago on I-90 towards O'Hare airport. It was on a Sunday(!) and stop-and-go. In the middle was a commuter train. The highway traffic would stop, and a train would catch up. The highway traffic would stop, and a train would catch up. The highway traffic would stop, and a train would catch up. Eventually the train pulled ahead and was gone. So much for "when we want".
As for the efficiency of buses, for two years I drove a suburban bus into the Twin Cities from Maple Grove!!!! Rare were the times it was a steady 55 mph from Maple Grove to downtown Minneapolis. Sometimes I had to drive on the shoulder. What was my supposed maximum speed? 35mph! What does light rail go? I don't know, but probably better than 35 mph between stations. And the light rail drivers generally have all the green lights in their favor. I had to slow down for merging traffic.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Fable about a king's palace
A fabulously rich king decided to build a fabulously magnificent palace. He got his privy council to agree because he argued that doing this project would create many jobs for the five years it would take to build it and for the years beyond that to maintain the palace.
For starters, he took by eminent domain 10,000 acres of prime farmland by the river. People said it would reduce the food the country could grow to feed itself. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
He had 10,000 acres of prime forest cut down to supply the lumber for his palace. People said it would decrease wildlife habitat and increase flooding. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
He hired 1,000 workers to build his palace. People said it would decrease the number of workers to build and repair houses. The king replied that these workers would be paid high wages.
He had a million gallons of water per day diverted from the river to supply all the fountains, to water his extensive lawns, and many other uses. People said it would practically dry up the river reducing the water downstream for drinking, washing, and irrigation. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
He built no sewage treatment system to handle the garden runoff or the flushing of 1,000 toilets. He said it would cost too much money. People said sewage would make the river downstream unsuitable for drinking and washing, and irrigation. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
And so it came to pass that many people were hungry because there was insufficient farmland to feed them.
And so it came to pass that many people became homeless as the cost of existing houses skyrocketed because no new house were being built.
And so it came to pass that many people became sick because of the lack of clean drinking water.
And so it came to pass that many people migrated to lands where there was plenty of farmland and clean water.
And so it came to pass that tax revenues dwindled because there were fewer people to pay them.
And so it came to pass that the banks foreclosed on the king's palace because he couldn't pay back all the loans he had taken out to build the palace.
And so it came to pass that after an unusually heavy rain, a mudslide from the former forest buried the partially built palace.
What's the point of this fable? It can't happen here. Oh, but we are a nation populated by people who immigrated from lands that did not have good governance. Will we follow as we lack the foresight to rein in the indulgences of the wealthy as they create short-sighted projects using jobs as a justification without regard to all the other costs?
For starters, he took by eminent domain 10,000 acres of prime farmland by the river. People said it would reduce the food the country could grow to feed itself. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
He had 10,000 acres of prime forest cut down to supply the lumber for his palace. People said it would decrease wildlife habitat and increase flooding. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
He hired 1,000 workers to build his palace. People said it would decrease the number of workers to build and repair houses. The king replied that these workers would be paid high wages.
He had a million gallons of water per day diverted from the river to supply all the fountains, to water his extensive lawns, and many other uses. People said it would practically dry up the river reducing the water downstream for drinking, washing, and irrigation. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
He built no sewage treatment system to handle the garden runoff or the flushing of 1,000 toilets. He said it would cost too much money. People said sewage would make the river downstream unsuitable for drinking and washing, and irrigation. The king replied that the project would create jobs.
And so it came to pass that many people were hungry because there was insufficient farmland to feed them.
And so it came to pass that many people became homeless as the cost of existing houses skyrocketed because no new house were being built.
And so it came to pass that many people became sick because of the lack of clean drinking water.
And so it came to pass that many people migrated to lands where there was plenty of farmland and clean water.
And so it came to pass that tax revenues dwindled because there were fewer people to pay them.
And so it came to pass that the banks foreclosed on the king's palace because he couldn't pay back all the loans he had taken out to build the palace.
And so it came to pass that after an unusually heavy rain, a mudslide from the former forest buried the partially built palace.
What's the point of this fable? It can't happen here. Oh, but we are a nation populated by people who immigrated from lands that did not have good governance. Will we follow as we lack the foresight to rein in the indulgences of the wealthy as they create short-sighted projects using jobs as a justification without regard to all the other costs?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Who "destroyed" free markets?
Which of the following do you have in your area?
Independent, locally owned grocery store
Independent, locally owned drug store
Independent, locally owned stationery store
Independent, locally owned movie theater
Independent, locally owned book store
Independent, locally owned department store
Independent, locally owned daily newspaper
Independent, locally owned lumber yard
Independent, locally owned hardware store
By independent, I mean that there is only one location and that often the owner works in the store.
Grocery stores and drug stores are most likely chains, either national or state-wide. Stationery stores are most likely national chains. Movie theaters have been done in by technology, either television or VHS/DVDs. Independent book stores have been done in both by large chains and technology, the latter being e-books. Department stores multiplied with large shopping malls and then got gobbled up by large chains. Daily newspapers have been part of large syndicates before I was even born. Lumber yards have been replaced by three or four large chains. And local hardware stores are dwindling.
So much for a large number of sellers, an integral part of the classical free market.
If it wasn't technology that did in a retail outlet, what or who was responsible?
How about a Republican president? Dwight Eisenhower pushed the interstate highway system which led to urban sprawl. City neighborhoods were decimated when people in large numbers moved to the suburbs. Dwindling neighborhoods led to fewer customers who walked to do most of their shopping.
How about large corporations? With their greater buying power, large corporations can easily undercut small stores on prices. Greater buying power also gives an advertising edge to large corporations. In Duluth, a locally owned group of drug stores went out of business this year. Walgreen's was just too much for it. Only about three or four owner-operated pharmacies are left. When I was a teen-ager, I lived in a Cleveland neighborhood that had three owner-operated pharmacies.
How about development-hungry city governments? Duluth made a big splash about getting an Office Depot to locate downtown. Guess what, the locally-owned, downtown stationer went out of business. Guess what again, Office Depot corporate closed the store within a year or so.
How about ourselves? We would rather go to a big store with a big selection. We would rather go to a chain we know than try something unknown. I know when I travel I favor one hotel chain and too often eat at a chain restaurant. The latter I do because too often the only restaurants around chain hotels are chains themselves. Fortunately, I do find pleasing exceptions now and then.
Take heart, true believers in true free markets. There are many businesses still around that are local and numerous. There are the craftspeople - plumbers, carpenters, electricians, and so on. Despite the proliferation of chain restaurants and coffee shops, there are quite a few local restaurants and coffee shops. There are still plenty of local barbers and hairdressers. Local breweries are making inroads on mega-breweries by providing better taste. And at least in Duluth and Superior, most liquor stores are locally owned. I'll drink to that!
Independent, locally owned grocery store
Independent, locally owned drug store
Independent, locally owned stationery store
Independent, locally owned movie theater
Independent, locally owned book store
Independent, locally owned department store
Independent, locally owned daily newspaper
Independent, locally owned lumber yard
Independent, locally owned hardware store
By independent, I mean that there is only one location and that often the owner works in the store.
Grocery stores and drug stores are most likely chains, either national or state-wide. Stationery stores are most likely national chains. Movie theaters have been done in by technology, either television or VHS/DVDs. Independent book stores have been done in both by large chains and technology, the latter being e-books. Department stores multiplied with large shopping malls and then got gobbled up by large chains. Daily newspapers have been part of large syndicates before I was even born. Lumber yards have been replaced by three or four large chains. And local hardware stores are dwindling.
So much for a large number of sellers, an integral part of the classical free market.
If it wasn't technology that did in a retail outlet, what or who was responsible?
How about a Republican president? Dwight Eisenhower pushed the interstate highway system which led to urban sprawl. City neighborhoods were decimated when people in large numbers moved to the suburbs. Dwindling neighborhoods led to fewer customers who walked to do most of their shopping.
How about large corporations? With their greater buying power, large corporations can easily undercut small stores on prices. Greater buying power also gives an advertising edge to large corporations. In Duluth, a locally owned group of drug stores went out of business this year. Walgreen's was just too much for it. Only about three or four owner-operated pharmacies are left. When I was a teen-ager, I lived in a Cleveland neighborhood that had three owner-operated pharmacies.
How about development-hungry city governments? Duluth made a big splash about getting an Office Depot to locate downtown. Guess what, the locally-owned, downtown stationer went out of business. Guess what again, Office Depot corporate closed the store within a year or so.
How about ourselves? We would rather go to a big store with a big selection. We would rather go to a chain we know than try something unknown. I know when I travel I favor one hotel chain and too often eat at a chain restaurant. The latter I do because too often the only restaurants around chain hotels are chains themselves. Fortunately, I do find pleasing exceptions now and then.
Take heart, true believers in true free markets. There are many businesses still around that are local and numerous. There are the craftspeople - plumbers, carpenters, electricians, and so on. Despite the proliferation of chain restaurants and coffee shops, there are quite a few local restaurants and coffee shops. There are still plenty of local barbers and hairdressers. Local breweries are making inroads on mega-breweries by providing better taste. And at least in Duluth and Superior, most liquor stores are locally owned. I'll drink to that!
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