Some say the world will end with fire.

Others say with ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those that favor fire.

But if I had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate,

To say that for destruction ice,

Is also great and would suffice.

Robert Frost



"YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID" - Ron White



"Good things come to those who wait, but, only the things LEFT by those who hustle." - Unknown (at least by me)



"Life is wonderful, without it you are dead." - Hy "Pete" Peterson - Park City and Kenecott Miner



"Don't worry about those people in your past---there is a reason they are not in your present." - Unknown



"Life's tough - it's even tougher if you're stupid." - John Wayne



"The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary!" - Vince Lombardi



"If you aren’t living on the edge, you’re probably taking up too much space.” ~ Attributed to Jim Whittaker by Doug ‘Swani’ Swantner, Alaska Smokejumper and Air Attack Base Manager (Ret.)

About Me

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I am married and have seven children and twenty grandchildren. I retired January 1, 2010 after working 39+ years for the Forest Service...NEW CHAPTER IN MY LIFE HAS BEGUN!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

HOW TO KNOW WHEN TO GO

This is a subject I have been pondering for a while which anyone that has read my blog knows. I go to leadership meetings and come out of them depressed because of all the new stuff there is out there that I am supposed to be doing. I spend a couple of days in a depression and trying to figure out all the new stuff then decide---I can't do all that stuff but I can do the important stuff (to me) better than most. After that decision I am good for the rest of the month until the next leadership team meeting. How long do you beat your head on a wall trying to learn stuff that you don't think is important? The problem with that is the new wave of leadership really truly believe that you can manage the land with a computer. I dread the day when all of the gray wave (us old folks) is gone and the management of our lands is left to computers.

Don't get me wrong, I think computers are a great thing and can keep track of lots of information that we put into them and they can sort it how we want it and feed it back to us to help determine what is best---but for damn sure computers cannot make decisions---nope---not a single one---they can sort things to where it looks like a decision but it is still just a process that may or may not have any bearing in reality.

Maybe this old dog is too set in his ways to learn the new tricks.

2 comments:

The Ivie's said...

As you have always told me... "These are somebodies good ol' days, but they ain't mine." Be glad that you don't have 23 years left as I do. I for one am greatful for each day I clock in and see that you have not submitted your 52 for retirement. You continue to make a diffenence with your common sense management. I for one dread the day that you hang it up. Hang in there ol' boy, your doing good!
RSI

Native Minnow said...

I think every profession is having the same problems. There are evolutionary biologists who have never set foot in a forest. They don't need to because all the tissues are available in somebody's freezer. However, in my opinion, they miss out on the real learning and insight that comes with observing organisms in their natural habitats. I agree with you. A computer will never be able to manage a forest.