gallagher papers 19
frank...@hotmail.com
March 20 2004
>From : Frank Gallagher C.S.T. Party Chief
Gentlemen
We are gathering to dig the grave for a dying philosophy and to design
a direction to serve our needs for the future.We have within the City
personel... a force to reckon with.The Leadership roles must be culled
from our staff who all have the intelligence to participate but
unfortunately many are not so inclined and have not demonstrated the
desire or foresight to do so.
Perhaps these people have alterior motives to continue guiding us down
the garden path.(I believe that I can attest to this)
Perhaps these people have just been too busy.
Whatever....It is not too late to set things right.
Have you heard the expressions ?
THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD
BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD
SOMETIMES IT IS NECESSARY TO TAKE A FEW STEPS BACKWARDS TO GET AHEAD
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
now
FULL STEAM AHEAD
AYE AYE MATE
and
AWAY WE
GO
As you know..I am nearing retirement but I am more than willing to
stick around to help if you want to do more than patch some leaks.
You all know by now that I have the ability to help.If you are not
aware of this ....then I say you have not been reading my stuff for
I have told you so... many times.
You must appreciate that a person my age can still swing a hammer but I
could be put to better use.
The enthusiasm is just not there for the hammer but I will use it
should that be your decision..
Give me something that I can sink my teeth into......then don't stand
back..... help.
I must admit that I have alterior motives.One is to retire knowing that
my life had a purpose and that I did not stand idly by as the ship
drifted down stream in rapid waters sucking public funds along the way.
I am not one to desert a sinking ship but it is difficult to save a
crew detirmined to go down with it.
Actually I don't believe that any of the staff would knowingly go down
with a sinking ship.
Is it possible to be wise and able but uninformed due to the department
policy of providing no policy.
Do you not know that an informed staff will serve you better ?
Have you heard the expression "Fire a shot across their Bow"
I believe that I have your attention and have given you cause to
consider and prepare your minds to provide constructive critisizm.
Soon I will be coming forth with a concept which I hope you will
receive with open mind and if there is any merit at all ...please jump
in ...for I am aware that you guys hold the keys to open the door to an
exciting new future.
I knew that what I will be proposing would be readily brushed aside if
you were not of mind to discuss it and that your response would be an
immediate negative if you had not been given points to ponder.I hope
that you will come to the table with the attitude to help rather than
to find ways to show me the door to my future.
Out with the old...In with the new. .... ( I hope that you interpret
this in the context that was intended)
THE FIELD STAFF with the exception of two ARE OUTDATED IN THEIR
APPROACH TO SURVEYING (101 ers)
I have mentioned the benefits of the Radial Method opposed to the
conventional method of survey.
It is apparent to me that you have chosen to meet an undesireable
situation head on with an undesirable solution.
The algebraic solution where 2 minuses result in a plus.
It is quite apparent that you have adopted the theorys
If you can not beat them join them.
There is safety in numbers.
It is easier to defeat the minority.
It is easier to manipulate the ignorant so let us nip any signs of
knowledge arising in the ranks.
You have chosen the path which pleases the unknowledgeable and
displeases those who dare to find better ways.
The following is a synopsis of your plan for the future.
The majority of Party Chiefs are incapable of computing the data they
gather to a desired finished product.So they shall not compute.
We will buy them expensive tools so they may perfect their archaic ways
to such a degree that would impress any neandrathal.
We will not let them feel demeaned for their inabilities.. for the
finger may be pointed at us ..instead we will raise their salary well
above the efficient non OLS supervisors of the private sector and
colour up their job specs so that they may hold their heads high in the
clouds above the deserving.The inherent byproduct is to justify the
supervisor increases and so on.This has gone on a long time now and
surely there is no reason for it to stop until the well has run dry.
You must excuse me now for I must get rid of the remainder of last
years budget so that I may justify a larger budget for next year.
I have heard the rumour that new trucks for the Department are
scheduled.There is nothing wrong with the one I am using and is much
more suitable for the job than those dinks which have replaced
some.Minivans I am referring to.A more useful choice would be a larger
van like the one Doug had with control surveys.One big enough for three
men.... the equipment.....and a table to work at.
I suspect that I have let my opinion known too late to stop something
in motion .I suspect that you feel that you know what is best for me
and the crews.Ha Ha Ha .....Ha Ha.....Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Ha......damn......Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha....can't stop....Ha Ha Ha.
So sorry.But I must get my fun now ...purchance you have the last and
longest laugh.
Perhaps I have let my opinion known too soon and that perhaps it is not
too late to get me a dink or maybe I should consider myself lucky if
you allow me to continue in Eds ancient old van rusting in the parking
lot with a flat tire..
It was suggested two..three years ago by a supervisor ..Bob M ..that if
my Topcon ever needed repairs that it would not be fixed because you
want to get rid of the Topcons....In fact he told me that I could very
well end up with Ed's old Geodimeter.I responded that perhaps we should
look at it this way.When the Topcons are gone so am I.Well that time
has come and rather than either of those solutions I am prepared to pay
for the repairs to the Topcon myself if you would be so kind as to
direct me to the repair shop.My experience which allowed me to
correctly identify the incapabilities of the proposed system with the
Leicas has now been confirmed but Bob M still stands pat with his hand.
I have little doubt that the Department is capable of making these
types of decisions as demonstrated by not replacing my laptop during
the 2K computer replacement program.Taking my program licenses and not
repairing my old laptop when it stopped working.
I resorted to my trusty Sharp Pocket Computer that kept me in the game
until I bought a computer in 2001 to learn Softdesk(Autocad}.You people
did not provide this program.Although you have acknowledged that I am
using it for your plans.
Then I realized that it would be considerably beneficial to have my own
laptop for use in the field so in January 2002 I bought a laptop for $
3000.00.It is not unusual for me to supply equipment to make my job
easier and thus to be able to provide my employer with a better product
for my efforts.The office had made an attempt to supply me with a
laptop but I shall save that story for another time.
I have not heard a reason for trashing the Topcon other than you would
like to see us all using the same equipment.
The ignorant users are the first to suggest that the Topcon is an old
instrument with out the bells and whistles of a Leica.To which I would
reply no doubt.But it is a lot of money to pay for a tool that confirms
you to be a fool.
When the data collector attached to the Leica is just a card with no
buttons to calculate with I say nay...that is not the way to treat
me... an experienced up to date Party Chief.I have said it before they
arrived and I say it again.These Leicas surely have a use......I think
we should shelve them until we find it.
I am being unjust to the Leica I believe.Maybe it is the people who
thought out this approach to surveying that should be shelved .Maybe
...just their desire to interfere in the field operations should be
curtailed.They have clearly demonstrated by their attitude of just
passing through as quickly as possible on their way to the top that the
Party Chief job is not the most desireable position to have.Does he not
go out in all types of weather conditions to gather the data that is
required no matter where it may be.Under a car in a parking lot.On the
other side of the tracks which he may not cross.On the other side of
the highway which he must not be seen near.On the other side of a creek
that has proven to be colder than he should have dared to swim.Have you
forgotten or have you ever dug through 2 feet of frost to find that
monument we need to do the job.Have you ever climbed down a cliff to
get the data that you need and then be happy to make it safely back to
the top only to discover that you have poison ivy a short time
later.Have you ever been so hot and sweaty from a days work in a ravine
on a particularly warm day when you thought perhaps you may never see
the van again and when you do it is a relief but how soon you curse
that the van has no air conditioner. Have you ever been sun burned so
badly that it is cruel and unusual punishment to continue work in the
sun and that when you finally find a shady spot you have been cooked
just right to the pleasure of the bat sized mosquitoes waiting for you
there.Have you ever worked on a very cold windy day in a ravine to
return to a cold van which is as cold as you but would take less time
to warm up than you if allowed to idle more than the three minutes some
suit in his warm office has felt we need.Have you ever climbed a
security fence and arrived on the other side lucky to still be talking
and walking in a manly manner.Have you ever helped Mike over a
fence.Have you ever pulled Mike out of the water after he broke through
the ice.
I could go on for a long time on this subject but with the thought that
I may have caused the recall of one of your special moments I will
hurry on to a special point .
But first I must say that I have been there..done that a thousand more
times than most anyone and I can assure you that I know what I need a
thousand more times better than you.
I can assure you that I have heard the expression "You had better shut
up if I know what is good for me"
Imagine working with a Leica which comes with a data collector which is
both deaf and dumb.This bloody thing wants to believe that he is
leading the charge from day one.He is brand spankin new.. fresh out of
the box and wants to be in charge.It is a pathetic excuse for a tool
with a selfish data collector.
The Party Chief is capable of thinking and should be leading the charge
.This is less than a robot for gosh sakes with a piece of plastic for a
brain.It refuses to co-operate unless we do things its way.All the damn
thing wants to do is store and hog data.We take it to where it should
be ....we even point its head so that it can see the object that we
want it to measure to.We adjust its thinking which appears on the glass
window where it displays its thoughts.We push a button that clears its
mind and we tell it what it was that it just measured to by a
number.Now it is quite content to just stand there all day or for as
long as its battery lasts.When the Party Chief has found a monument it
will store the data as to its relativity to its location.Now the Party
Chief can compute the direction and distance to the next point.All he
needs to do is enter the direction and distance from this last measured
to monument .....into the data collector.It refuses to accept that
information.The next thing you know we will be asking it how to get to
that next monument and the jig will be up.The bloody thing can not
compute.So the Party Chief with a twinkle in his eye for he is still
needed for more than just carrying this piece of shit around.The Party
Chief begins to think that he is smarter than this thing but if he was
so smart why doen't the piece of junk carry him.So back to computing
the location of the next monument to be found.I'll just get the
information I need from dumbo and be back in a minute with the calc.Ok
let me see....push this button....nope....this one...nope.Please give
me the data I need.....nope.I am going to go get the sledge and then
you will give me the data.
Tough little bastard that Leica but it now needs more repairs than my
Topcon does.
I understand that the data can now be downloaded in the field so if you
were to lug a laptop along with your regular load over hill and dale
you could fiddle around in the cold trying to download and process the
data .That is assuming that the Laptop has not frozen because they do
not like the cold any more than I.
If this Leica could be converted into a useful tool by attaching a TDS
Ranger to it( which I foresee to be no problem for they match in colour
I believe.) I would be very pleased to operate one.I am kidding about
the matching colours of course for I do not even know the colour of the
Leica.I am thinking that this option is not an option for it is an
expensive way to avoid paying a couple of hundred for the tune up of my
Topcon.It is a possible option to cover up the Leica and scandalous
wages of the staff who like them.But then one can of worms dealt with
means it is time to open the next can of worms.The Topos Program and
its Graphics.
Toys ....Toys.... Toys.....Boys will be boys....Toys ...Toys .....Toys
That is your choice.If you give the boys toys they will play.
Buy them a man's tools and we will separate the men from the boys.
What is wrong here.
Replace my van that is not needed to be replaced with something new and
smaller I suspect which would be inferior.
Replace my Topcon that is not needed to be replaced with something
inferior I know.
Replace my Softdesk (Autocad) with TOPOS ...something inferior I know.
I am sure the thought is prevalent in your mind to replace me with
something inferior.
Why not save the money of a new van... a Leica...and a TDS Ranger or
whatever to bring it up to speed....all which I do not need.
Why not discuss with me what I do need which is considerably cheaper
and wiser I think.
fg
copies of the attached response were hand delivered to
Bruce McPherson O.L.S.
Bruce Brouwer O.L.S.
Bob Mountjoy O.L.S
Dan Quinlan OLS
Pat Suppa O.L.S
Ron Karpiel O.L.S.
fg