[at-l] Re: A New Currency

[David Hicks" <daveh@usit.net (David Hicks)]

How true, how true.

Chainsaw

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim and/or Ginny Owen" <spiriteagle99@hotmail.com>
To: <at-l@mailman.backcountry.net>; <hopefl@juno.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 10:25 PM
Subject: [at-l] Re: A New Currency


> hopefl@juno.com wrote:
> >It was policy not to move into an area where there were only small
> >companies because we would have easily devoured them. Now all we hear is
> >how we have to "increase market share."
>
> <snip>
>
> >In the last 12 years, I've watch a great company
> >become just another financially "successful" company. We're told to
> >function so as to exceed the expectation of the market annalists. Now the
> >company falls into the category of those who know the price of everything
> >and the value of nothing.
>
>
> Hopeful -
> It's not just private companies that have deteriorated.  I've worked for
> NASA for longer than many of today's hikers have been alive, and I've
> watched the attitude change from the excitement of space exploration to
the
> "business" of cost cutting and cost accounting. The space program was once
> the province of engineers, scientists and technicians.  Now it belongs to
> the accountants - the "bean counters".  In the process we've lost the
dream
> - and it shows in the performance.  And now there are people (a few) who
> want to know how much of the 'core competency' of the space program has
been
> lost - and how we lost it - and how (or even if) we can recover it.  The
> loss is evident - as is the loss process.  The recovery is not certain.
>
> Is this 'trail related'?  Yeah - the space program has been changed over
to
> a 'cost accounting' basis - each project is supposed to pay its way.
> The trails are headed in that same direction - and in some cases are
already
> there. Where do you think the 'fee demonstration program' came from?  How
> far do you think the 'bean counters' will take that concept?  How much do
> you want to pay for the privilege of hiking across land that you, as a
> citizen, supposedly own? How soon do you think it will be before the "bean
> counters" require a "thruhiker permit"?  How much do you think it will
cost?
>   And how long will it be before you won't be able to afford it?
>
> Or alternately, the bean counters may decide that maintaining trails in
the
> wilderness is not cost effective, so let's stop doing that and focus on
the
> pay campgrounds, picnic areas, outhouses and paved "Nature trails"
instead.
>   No - wait, that's already happened.
>
> Walk softly - wallet in hand,
> Jim
>
>
>
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