tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.comments2023-04-30T09:08:21.641-04:00Thoughts Not SlogansHugh Elliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15120198690101741250noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-38754539861773304922012-11-12T19:01:09.825-05:002012-11-12T19:01:09.825-05:00I'm reminded of the 1980's story of two MB...I'm reminded of the 1980's story of two MBAs who attended a lunchtime lecture on the evils and devastation due to drug addiction. At the end of the lecture there was an opportunity for questions and one of them raised his hand and asked, "Who supplies the needles?"Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-61740285339823152302012-11-12T19:00:43.810-05:002012-11-12T19:00:43.810-05:00I'm reminded of the 1980's story of two MB...I'm reminded of the 1980's story of two MBAs who attended a lunchtime lecture on the evils and devastation due to drug addiction. At the end of the lecture there was an opportunity for questions and one of them raised his hand and asked, "Who supplies the needles?"Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-40607914370445208792012-10-09T21:20:15.208-04:002012-10-09T21:20:15.208-04:00Hurray! Glad you're back to the blogging world...Hurray! Glad you're back to the blogging world. I've always enjoyed reading your thoughts. :)Aleksandra Sandstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07982705999243297671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-47585379458934142222011-07-04T15:23:31.640-04:002011-07-04T15:23:31.640-04:00We, The People, have the right to refrain from re-...We, The People, have the right to refrain from re-electing those whose performance is inadequate. We should.<br /><br />Equally, we should re-elect those whose performance is above average.<br /><br />Term limits are superficially attractive but do not solve the problem. The problem is that the People fail to hold their representatives to account.Hugh Elliothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15120198690101741250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-37247044197923448212011-07-04T14:54:08.637-04:002011-07-04T14:54:08.637-04:00The only way to begin to emulate the signers virtu...The only way to begin to emulate the signers virtue is to limit terms for Ferderal offices. Twelve years total for House, Senate and Presidency and then back to the real world. Our economy is tied to poltical cycles from which nothing but short term solutions arise. Whether Democrat or Republican, career politician have one overiding objective every waking day of their lives--What do I do today to get reelected? What do taxpayers get? Short term solutions that do nothing but prolong long term problems. <br />Let's have a Twitter, Facebook referendum for 12 year Federal Term Limits.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16227325952368887290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-15858049671321354482011-06-04T18:13:34.071-04:002011-06-04T18:13:34.071-04:00Personally, I enjoy imagining that Barack Obama ge...Personally, I enjoy imagining that Barack Obama gets down on his knees before bed each evening and prays that she (or maybe Newt) is nominated to run against him.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-14282511898884318832011-04-10T09:50:12.413-04:002011-04-10T09:50:12.413-04:00Enjoyed your 3 April posts. Regards, TomEnjoyed your 3 April posts. Regards, TomTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09412450123358844043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-8641005912914090672011-04-08T08:19:33.241-04:002011-04-08T08:19:33.241-04:00Excellent advice. Please remember your nephews as ...Excellent advice. Please remember your nephews as and when you either (a) become a Dictator yourself or (b) get sent those millions by an existing one !Dominickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02196029802574736070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-46069781471807791922011-03-29T16:53:52.697-04:002011-03-29T16:53:52.697-04:00I was glad to listen to what Obama had to say last...I was glad to listen to what Obama had to say last night, but I did think he could have been a LOT more succinct. I must say, I'm relieved that NATO is taking over command of the Libya situation.Aleksandra Sandstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07982705999243297671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-35942804503051052282011-03-10T12:39:30.812-05:002011-03-10T12:39:30.812-05:00In answer to the second question, the USS Kearsarg...In answer to the second question, the USS Kearsarge and USS Ponce are nearby with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, except that the MEU is below strength because of deployments in (surprise!) Afghanistan. Consequently, it has been brought up to strength by adding the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Marines. This illustrates how thinly the Marines are stretched globally. Even at full strength, the MEU could never occupy the whole of Libya.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-42452404102489466942011-02-17T07:43:56.008-05:002011-02-17T07:43:56.008-05:00And if sailors do believe Douglas Adams' asser...And if sailors do believe Douglas Adams' assertion, they name there sail boat "42" and solve that conundrum once and for all....Joshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10346870418220762709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-6065182089149191512011-02-16T23:19:39.371-05:002011-02-16T23:19:39.371-05:00Well said. -Matt.
PS: Blogger needs FB like but...Well said. -Matt. <br /><br />PS: Blogger needs FB like buttons.MatthewStephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04489205494613623697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-59410202090271031462011-01-20T12:36:17.798-05:002011-01-20T12:36:17.798-05:00When I took my course in Legal Drafting, the textb...When I took my course in Legal Drafting, the textbook actually talked about "Humpty Dumpty-isms" which are definitions that actually go against common usage. In most cases, the instructor said that they were regulations dressed up as definitions.<br />The absolute, hands-down worst example was from a Treasury regulation dealing with a type of bond that included the definition something like this:<br />"For purposes of this Section, 'January 1, 1944' means 'July 1, 1953.'"Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-28599598824251701432011-01-13T12:18:18.189-05:002011-01-13T12:18:18.189-05:00What's really disgusting is the permits the st...What's really disgusting is the permits the state gives businesses to release effluent into the Bay (read: harmful chemicals). The worst part is that the fines are so small that many businesses overstep their permits and pay the fines as the cost of doing business. One day I called in to NPR when the CBF director was on and he said, and I quote, "well it has to go somewhere." <br /><br />Right. <br /><br />Somewhere. <br /><br />Not the Bay.Aleksandra Sandstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07982705999243297671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-42602586587148659212011-01-04T17:54:47.225-05:002011-01-04T17:54:47.225-05:00The second instance of social engineering was Proh...The second instance of social engineering was Prohibition. The first was providing for the ownership of human chattel and then counting them each as 3/5 of a person for purposes of determining representation. Resolving that little boo-boo required more than passing another amendment.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-75811520668294554992010-12-24T07:36:43.323-05:002010-12-24T07:36:43.323-05:00A drive axle supplier to Toyota once told me of an...A drive axle supplier to Toyota once told me of an incident where one of their trucks was trapped by a traffic accident on a highway bringing several hours worth of production parts to the Toyota plant, leading to the shutdown of the assembly line. Instead of a reprimand, they received a laudatory letter from Toyota to the effect that they had obviously taken the lean manufacturing philosophy to heart since they were obviously not hording away a buffer of parts for just such a contingency. Evidently Toyota would accept occasional shutdowns for the sake of overall efficiency.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-14773665619624039702010-12-21T14:43:12.694-05:002010-12-21T14:43:12.694-05:00I've often told people that taxes can be one o...I've often told people that taxes can be one of two things: Either an instrument to raise revenue for government operations or an instrument of social engineering. For example, the mortgage interest deduction is an instrument to make it attractive for people to buy individual homes. As such, it falls into the social engineering category as do deductions for charitable donations and others.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-66262108833182376472010-12-11T16:53:05.104-05:002010-12-11T16:53:05.104-05:00I have missed your wit and sense of observation. I...I have missed your wit and sense of observation. I also approve.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-13174529271312920442010-12-08T15:19:50.045-05:002010-12-08T15:19:50.045-05:00This literally made me laugh out loud as I sit bel...This literally made me laugh out loud as I sit below in my sailboat. :)Aleksandra Sandstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07982705999243297671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-79568872467114511262010-12-08T10:52:55.403-05:002010-12-08T10:52:55.403-05:00I approve of this decision. Missed your blog!I approve of this decision. Missed your blog!Aleksandra Sandstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07982705999243297671noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-85934165942767367902010-07-04T10:57:40.715-04:002010-07-04T10:57:40.715-04:00They knew the risks that they were taking. The las...They knew the risks that they were taking. The last sentence is quite clear.Hugh Elliothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15120198690101741250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-39086664763209493732010-07-04T10:52:30.142-04:002010-07-04T10:52:30.142-04:00Looking back over 234 years, it's tempting to ...Looking back over 234 years, it's tempting to think of The Declaration as purely a noble document, but at the time the odds were no better than even that they would be hung. Or maybe the prescribed punishment was drawn and quartered. In either case, it was not, as they say, "a done deal" at the outset.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-23547157618540952622010-06-23T20:58:30.452-04:002010-06-23T20:58:30.452-04:00I'm reminded of Milton Berele's comment ab...I'm reminded of Milton Berele's comment about the War in Vietnam: "You want to end the War in Vietnam? Run it as a series on ABC-TV. It'll be gone in 13 weeks."Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-27287009627853710822010-06-22T18:17:41.344-04:002010-06-22T18:17:41.344-04:00I think that the mere granting of an interview to ...I think that the mere granting of an interview to "Rolling Stone" by a Theater Commander might be grounds for firing for incompetence. Can you imagine Ike doing ANYTHING comparable?Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1865328895093602109.post-18085670952820210062010-05-24T17:42:03.713-04:002010-05-24T17:42:03.713-04:00As you well know, the activities you discuss are b...As you well know, the activities you discuss are basic engineering, usually executed and documented via the Design Failure Mode Effects Analysis (DFMEA) and the Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA). It would be interesting to see just how these failure modes were anticipated, their effects minimized, and the analysis process documented.Clark Chapinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319573704580847400noreply@blogger.com