so now it's been one month since ''sequestering''

[3rdnlng]

I try to troll the overly PC pantywaists here and I snag a couple of the more reasonable posters. I guess I've found out that not only do I need to use a different bait for PC pantywaisters but not every conservative is a racist, biased prick. Who wudda thunk it?

[DC Tom]

I try to troll the overly PC pantywaists here and I snag a couple of the more reasonable posters. I guess I've found out that not only do I need to use a different bait for PC pantywaisters but not every conservative is a racist, biased prick. Who wudda thunk it?

 

I hope you're not inferring that certain cultures don't know what a troll is.

[3rdnlng]

I hope you're not inferring that certain cultures don't know what a troll is.

Those WASPS won't know what hit them , my brother.

[Passepartout]

Maybe it is best that the world that does not know what a troll is. Better than know it!

[3rdnlng]

Maybe it is best that the world that does not know what a troll is. Better than know it!

 

You need to troll post less.

[B-Man]

Lawmakers’ Loyalty to Special Interests and Duplicate Federal Programs

 

USA Today has a piece today on a new GAO study that once again exposes the huge amount of duplicate programs and overlapping areas in the federal government. Here are some examples:

Among the 31 areas of duplicated spending, spelled out in a report by the

Government Accountability Office

obtained by USA TODAY:

 

•Government agencies are spending billions on new mapping data — without checking whether some other government agency already has maps they could use.

 

•At least

23 different federal agencies

run hundreds of programs to support renewable energy.

 

•Each branch of the armed services is developing its own camouflage uniforms without sharing them with other services.

The report, to be released today at a House Oversight Committee hearing, caps a three-year effort to track wasteful government spending.

”American taxpayers cannot afford to keep buying the same service twice,” said Rep.

Darrell Issa

, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, in a statement prepared for today’s hearing.

Overall, GAO found 162 areas where agencies are duplicating efforts, at a cost of billions of dollars.

 

The cost is unclear but it is likely large. The administration’s budget is supposed to propose some $25 billion in savings in 2014 from consolidation.

 

But who wants to bet that this report, as well as the president’s request will be ignored? If you search the web for “duplicate federal programs” you will find a large number of stories on this issue going back many years. There is even a story by USA Today in 2012 on last year’s GAO report.

 

.

[Joe Miner]

Lawmakers’ Loyalty to Special Interests and Duplicate Federal Programs

 

USA Today has a piece today on a new GAO study that once again exposes the huge amount of duplicate programs and overlapping areas in the federal government. Here are some examples:

Among the 31 areas of duplicated spending, spelled out in a report by the

Government Accountability Office

obtained by USA TODAY:

 

•Government agencies are spending billions on new mapping data — without checking whether some other government agency already has maps they could use.

 

•At least

23 different federal agencies

run hundreds of programs to support renewable energy.

 

•Each branch of the armed services is developing its own camouflage uniforms without sharing them with other services.

The report, to be released today at a House Oversight Committee hearing, caps a three-year effort to track wasteful government spending.

”American taxpayers cannot afford to keep buying the same service twice,” said Rep.

Darrell Issa

, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, in a statement prepared for today’s hearing.

Overall, GAO found 162 areas where agencies are duplicating efforts, at a cost of billions of dollars.

 

The cost is unclear but it is likely large. The administration’s budget is supposed to propose some $25 billion in savings in 2014 from consolidation.

 

But who wants to bet that this report, as well as the president’s request will be ignored? If you search the web for “duplicate federal programs” you will find a large number of stories on this issue going back many years. There is even a story by USA Today in 2012 on last year’s GAO report.

 

.

 

Not to defend Washington too much, but things like GIS mapping data while present in multiple agencies, isn't likely the same, and you very likely can't easily or completely fill 1 agency's data need's with another agency's data.

 

What should be done is to actually see what uses and needs each agency has first, and determine if those are true needs and uses. If so, then they need to determine if and how another set of data can be used to replace their data. Sometimes replacing your data source with another source is possible, but the interface to the new source could be too retarded and expensive to implement.

 

The even funnier part is that in many cases 10 times as much money will be spent talking about whether or not certain data is necessary and what interface to use to get the data, than it would to actually implement a solution. If nothing else, proper paperwork and change request forms need to be filed and approved.

 

But I don't trust our lawmakers, or even the heads of the agencies to get that right either.

 

It's a cluster!@#$, and some people need to be monkey stomped.

[Fan in San Diego]

The Blue Angels air show has been cancelled at Miramar this year. Lots of people will be disappointed. Myself, I am not disappointed at all, they only freak out my dogs for 3 days during the shows.

[DC Tom]

The even funnier part is that in many cases 10 times as much money will be spent talking about whether or not certain data is necessary and what interface to use to get the data, than it would to actually implement a solution. If nothing else, proper paperwork and change request forms need to be filed and approved.

 

People would not believe the expense involved in just that alone. Two hundred different forms and two months of meetings just to get my software from the development environment into testing, never mind going live.

[Fan in San Diego]

People would not believe the expense involved in just that alone. Two hundred different forms and two months of meetings just to get my software from the development environment into testing, never mind going live.

 

You should be happy. In the private sector, they'll give you a project on Friday around 3:00pm and expect it up and running live by Tuesday at 9:00 am. Week end? What week end?

[OCinBuffalo]

Lawmakers’ Loyalty to Special Interests and Duplicate Federal Programs

 

USA Today has a piece today on a new GAO study that once again exposes the huge amount of duplicate programs and overlapping areas in the federal government. Here are some examples:

Among the 31 areas of duplicated spending, spelled out in a report by the

Government Accountability Office

obtained by USA TODAY:

 

•Government agencies are spending billions on new mapping data — without checking whether some other government agency already has maps they could use.

 

•At least

23 different federal agencies

run hundreds of programs to support renewable energy.

 

•Each branch of the armed services is developing its own camouflage uniforms without sharing them with other services.

The report, to be released today at a House Oversight Committee hearing, caps a three-year effort to track wasteful government spending.

”American taxpayers cannot afford to keep buying the same service twice,” said Rep.

Darrell Issa

, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight Committee, in a statement prepared for today’s hearing.

Overall, GAO found 162 areas where agencies are duplicating efforts, at a cost of billions of dollars.

 

The cost is unclear but it is likely large. The administration’s budget is supposed to propose some $25 billion in savings in 2014 from consolidation.

 

But who wants to bet that this report, as well as the president’s request will be ignored? If you search the web for “duplicate federal programs” you will find a large number of stories on this issue going back many years. There is even a story by USA Today in 2012 on last year’s GAO report.

 

.

Not to defend Washington too much, but things like GIS mapping data while present in multiple agencies, isn't likely the same, and you very likely can't easily or completely fill 1 agency's data need's with another agency's data.

 

What should be done is to actually see what uses and needs each agency has first, and determine if those are true needs and uses. If so, then they need to determine if and how another set of data can be used to replace their data. Sometimes replacing your data source with another source is possible, but the interface to the new source could be too retarded and expensive to implement.

 

The even funnier part is that in many cases 10 times as much money will be spent talking about whether or not certain data is necessary and what interface to use to get the data, than it would to actually implement a solution. If nothing else, proper paperwork and change request forms need to be filed and approved.

 

But I don't trust our lawmakers, or even the heads of the agencies to get that right either.

 

It's a cluster!@#$, and some people need to be monkey stomped.

1. Maps: I, or any competent technical architect, can solve that problem with an object layer approach. You find commonality. Then, mutually exclusive commonality, limit your data set to that, initially, and make that your "base/parent" map. Work from there. The "changes"...aren't...since via some form of inheritance, all you'd be doing is modifying one object(s) for one group, without affecting anybody else. Not a change....merely iterations of addition/replacement.

 

No interfacing, no integration. I provide with what appears to be the data source you have today. As far as you are concerned...NOTHING changed. The only time you see any change: I get back to you with the "new" or "modified" things you need in a week, instead of...never.

 

Map data...is the least complicated, and least likely to change, relative to other areas/industries, data there is. So....

 

This isn't even hard. I would assign this to a rookie, who I think may be ready to move up. It would be perfect for that purpose.

 

2. But...the REAL reason why everybody has to have their own ketchup? If I get my maps from you, I now depend on you, and I have given you some of my power, because now I can't do my job unless you give me something I need. What's worse, if I start crying when you don't deliver, I look weak, thus, losing even more power.

 

"No. I have to have my own map, this way I am self-reliant."

 

How ironic! People who tell us we need more government...as soon as they get it...suddenly become Daniel Boone?. Yes as soon as the Democrat gets power? It's F "the collective, I'm a rugged individualist, and nobody better tell me how to live".

 

We have this sort of douchebaggery in corporate America too, but, it can be resolved in a meeting or 2, if you know your business.

 

The solution in government is simple: nobody gets control of the maps. Make a small team of people whose only job is the maps. DECENTRALIZE it...such that if there is a real need for wildly different maps, then create 2 groups. One-size-fits-all only works in the Milk business, and even there they split it into 3 groups.

[Joe Miner]

1. Maps: I, or any competent technical architect, can solve that problem with an object layer approach. You find commonality. Then, mutually exclusive commonality, limit your data set to that, initially, and make that your "base/parent" map. Work from there. The "changes"...aren't...since via some form of inheritance, all you'd be doing is modifying one object(s) for one group, without affecting anybody else. Not a change....merely iterations of addition/replacement.

 

No interfacing, no integration. I provide with what appears to be the data source you have today. As far as you are concerned...NOTHING changed. The only time you see any change: I get back to you with the "new" or "modified" things you need in a week, instead of...never.

 

Map data...is the least complicated, and least likely to change, relative to other areas/industries, data there is. So....

 

This isn't even hard. I would assign this to a rookie, who I think may be ready to move up. It would be perfect for that purpose.

 

2. But...the REAL reason why everybody has to have their own ketchup? If I get my maps from you, I now depend on you, and I have given you some of my power, because now I can't do my job unless you give me something I need. What's worse, if I start crying when you don't deliver, I look weak, thus, losing even more power.

 

"No. I have to have my own map, this way I am self-reliant."

 

How ironic! People who tell us we need more government...as soon as they get it...suddenly become Daniel Boone?. Yes as soon as the Democrat gets power? It's F "the collective, I'm a rugged individualist, and nobody better tell me how to live".

 

We have this sort of douchebaggery in corporate America too, but, it can be resolved in a meeting or 2, if you know your business.

 

The solution in government is simple: nobody gets control of the maps. Make a small team of people whose only job is the maps. DECENTRALIZE it...such that if there is a real need for wildly different maps, then create 2 groups. One-size-fits-all only works in the Milk business, and even there they split it into 3 groups.

 

You have oversimplified GIS data, it's uses, and possible interfaces.

 

If several groups are all using a GIS for similar purposes you might have a point. If 1 group has a GIS and the other groups are extracting daily changing GIS data to be used in non-GIS systems you have less of a point.

[DC Tom]

You should be happy. In the private sector, they'll give you a project on Friday around 3:00pm and expect it up and running live by Tuesday at 9:00 am. Week end? What week end?

 

No, I get that too.

 

With a side order of "We don't need to tell you what's going on, because you're a contractor."

[OCinBuffalo]

You have oversimplified GIS data, it's uses, and possible interfaces.

 

If several groups are all using a GIS for similar purposes you might have a point. If 1 group has a GIS and the other groups are extracting daily changing GIS data to be used in non-GIS systems you have less of a point.

Nope.

 

I just summarized it, because if I had written it out in full:

1. You'd have to pay me

2. The tears would be flowing about "long post"

 

The modeling here is easy. In fact some of the NoSQL tools already did it for you. To accomplish the second part: have you every heard of ETL, the concept? You put some api and framework(pick whatever event-driven one you like) together with calling ETL scripts/instantiating ETL objects...in polymorphic functions, as as parameters...meaning I can have a library of 20k ETL scripts/classes, but only 20 in play atm, so, it's doesn't matter how many I have, because I can just make new ones, or replace with existing, and none of that is clogging up memory. There are minimally 20 ways/tools to approach ETL that would work here.

 

The only thing you would need to do for a group that has vastly different "purposes"(if you mean requirements, then say: requirements)?

Build a new inheritance branch.

 

Storage is simple as well use Riak for your run time, and something like redis or mongodb for the "settled"* data.

 

* I have been using the term "settled data" as a way to mock this one dude I know is a global warming nut. So far he hasn't caught on.

 

Oh, and btw: there's even a wiki page for this...who woudl've thought? = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spatial_ETL

Edited April 11, 2013 by OCinBuffalo

[Joe Miner]

Nope.

 

I just summarized it, because if I had written it out in full:

1. You'd have to pay me

2. The tears would be flowing about "long post"

 

The modeling here is easy. In fact some of the NoSQL tools already did it for you. To accomplish the second part: have you every heard of ETL, the concept? You put some api and framework(pick whatever event-driven one you like) together with calling ETL scripts/instantiating ETL objects...in polymorphic functions, as as parameters...meaning I can have a library of 20k ETL scripts/classes, but only 20 in play atm, so, it's doesn't matter how many I have, because I can just make new ones, or replace with existing, and none of that is clogging up memory. There are minimally 20 ways/tools to approach ETL that would work here.

 

The only thing you would need to do for a group that has vastly different "purposes"(if you mean requirements, then say: requirements)?

Build a new inheritance branch.

 

Storage is simple as well use Riak for your run time, and something like redis or mongodb for the "settled"* data.

 

* I have been using the term "settled data" as a way to mock this one dude I know is a global warming nut. So far he hasn't caught on.

 

Oh, and btw: there's even a wiki page for this...who woudl've thought? = http://en.wikipedia....iki/Spatial_ETL

 

Nevermind, we're not talking the same thing at all, and I'm not working through hypothetical scenarios with you. I already work with enough !@#$s.

 

My point stands. Just because 2 different gov't agencies seem to use the same system/data doesn't actually mean that you can consolidate that usage into 1 agency. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. Sometimes it may be possible to consolidate systems/data, but the cost of doing so is prohibitive.

 

Does the gov't waste money? Of course. It's just not always as black and white as that quoted article made it seem.

[OCinBuffalo]

Nevermind, we're not talking the same thing at all, and I'm not working through hypothetical scenarios with you. I already work with enough !@#$s.

 

My point stands. Just because 2 different gov't agencies seem to use the same system/data doesn't actually mean that you can consolidate that usage into 1 agency. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. Sometimes it may be possible to consolidate systems/data, but the cost of doing so is prohibitive.

 

Does the gov't waste money? Of course. It's just not always as black and white as that quoted article made it seem.

What exactly makes you think what I wrote above is "hypothetical"? I don't do hypothetical. That's for college professors.

 

Buddy, I've "consolidated usage" for 20 US and 13 global divisions, at one client, and that was the "proof on concept" scope. And, we did that at 1/3 the cost that the big consulting firms quoted. So please, just because you can't conceive of a solution, doesn't mean it doesn't exist, or costs too much.

 

I already work with enough of those !@#$ers who believe that if they can't understand it, something must be wrong with it.

[B-Man]

More "Sequestration Follies"

 

Great news: Sequester doesn’t stop DHS Bagpipe Corps

 

Remember when the sequester — which reduced federal spending by a whopping 2.3% annually after a 27% increase since 2007 — meant the end of all services and a baton to the kneecap of the US economy? White House tours got canceled, and Cabinet Secretaries went on television to warn about layoffs and furloughs. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano told voters that the reduction in funds would mean fewer TSA agents and much longer waits to get groped in airports, a truly frightening thought.

Thank goodness, though, that it doesn’t mean any cutbacks to Napolitano’s bagpipe corps. DHS just opened a bid request for “Bagpipe and Drum Supplies” for its Customs and Border Protection division

(long list at link...........lol)

Hey, maybe this is a new deterrent for the Border Patrol. Instead of a wall, we just play bagpipe music until illegal immigrants — excuse me, undocumented Democrats — give up in utter despair and go back home. It kept the English out of Scotland for a few centuries, I think.

[Joe Miner]

What exactly makes you think what I wrote above is "hypothetical"? I don't do hypothetical. That's for college professors.

 

Buddy, I've "consolidated usage" for 20 US and 13 global divisions, at one client, and that was the "proof on concept" scope. And, we did that at 1/3 the cost that the big consulting firms quoted. So please, just because you can't conceive of a solution, doesn't mean it doesn't exist, or costs too much.

 

I already work with enough of those !@#$ers who believe that if they can't understand it, something must be wrong with it.

 

And none of your self fellating there disproves anything I wrote. Carry on though. Just clean up your keyboard when you finish.

[DC Tom]

More "Sequestration Follies"

 

Great news: Sequester doesn’t stop DHS Bagpipe Corps

 

Remember when the sequester — which reduced federal spending by a whopping 2.3% annually after a 27% increase since 2007 — meant the end of all services and a baton to the kneecap of the US economy? White House tours got canceled, and Cabinet Secretaries went on television to warn about layoffs and furloughs. DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano told voters that the reduction in funds would mean fewer TSA agents and much longer waits to get groped in airports, a truly frightening thought.

 

Thank goodness, though, that it doesn’t mean any cutbacks to Napolitano’s bagpipe corps. DHS just opened a bid request for “Bagpipe and Drum Supplies” for its Customs and Border Protection division

 

(long list at link...........lol)

 

Hey, maybe this is a new deterrent for the Border Patrol. Instead of a wall, we just play bagpipe music until illegal immigrants — excuse me, undocumented Democrats — give up in utter despair and go back home. It kept the English out of Scotland for a few centuries, I think.

 

On the other hand, the Army did have the great sense to cancel this year's Army Birthday Ball...on the premise that they couldn't justify that while furloughing civilian Army workers.

 

So that's a rare moment of sanity in government, at least.

[OCinBuffalo]

And none of your self fellating there disproves anything I wrote. Carry on though. Just clean up your keyboard when you finish.

My very existence disproves what you wrote, which is my favorite way of disproving things. I exist, therefore, you are wrong.

 

And, if you actually understood what I wrote above, you'd know that NONE of it hypothetical. I also said: the politics and power is the challenging part, but that any consultant PM, merely operating "as expected", knows how to deal with that aspect.

 

Enterprise Consulting means: you will be dealing with large groups, led by powerful people that hate or envy each other, and have good reason to fear each other. I've only ever done this kind of work. For you to be right, I have to un-know what I know.

 

Perhaps you still don't get it? The system I've described is the opposite of "consolidation". In fact, decentralization is it's chief premise. So, I don't know why you keep talking in terms of consolidation, because that's not what I am talking about. I am talking about giving everybody what appears, acts and operates in every way as: a custom system.

Edited April 11, 2013 by OCinBuffalo