Non-Personnel Services

A report from the field:  "I started to review the PWS* - it begins with “This is a non-personnel services contract”.  If there are no personnel, who will be performing the services?"

A most excellent question.  Perhaps working dogs are involved?

*Performance Work Statement

Project Management Rant

<rant>

So today the "project manager" of the impossible-deadline project inflicted upon us last week asks us what our major issues were.  Well, pretty much doing all of it, but we were still working out the detailed tech requirements.  So she asks my coworker whether the high-level requirements are understood.  We both say yes they are understood, we're just working on how to implement what the customer wants, and there are issues.  Then the kicker question: will the issues affect the schedule?  The answer that both of us managed NOT to state: DUH! What do you care?  Did you care what the challenges were when you set the schedule?  NO!  You set the schedule without regard to technical difficulties, resources, none of that.  So it is disingenuous to ask now whether the challenges we run into will affect the schedule!  It's not like we have a choice!  By golly we will figure out something but stop asking us dumb questions.  Unless we get more time, which we won't, the conversations are pointless!

It's a good thing these meetings aren't in person, otherwise body language would give my thoughts away totally.
</rant>

Bad Signs

No maintenance, and no spelling skills either.

Making Due

Nothing like stupid typos in big print.  My friend Terri posted this to facebook first and noticed that the newspaper at least managed to correct it in the online version.

Town Hall Meetings

Ah democracy, town hall meetings, vox populi.  Well, most people are stupid, and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near an open microphone at a town hall meeting.  They are so intent on thinking about their "question" (and I use that word loosely) that they don't listen to a damn thing being briefed...and then ask anyway.  We've been having town halls (very good info at briefings, actually) regarding the Monument fire.  People keep standing up and asking, "when can I go home?".  Well - how about when the f**king mountain stops burning?  Or the roads aren't needed for fire trucks?  And you know as soon as these morons get home, they'll be complaining about lack of power and water too.  One guy even stood up and asked which way the wind was going to blow tomorrow.  C'MON PEOPLE!  PULL YOUR HEAD OUT!