Sunday, March 16, 2014

Quickies: When You Don't Know Where You're Going...

...you need a very detailed map:

In an autobiographical essay published 20 years ago, the left-leaning economist Kenneth Arrow recalled entering the Army as a statistician and weather specialist during World War II. “Some of my colleagues had the responsibility of preparing long-range weather forecasts, i.e., for the following month,” Arrow wrote. “The statisticians among us subjected these forecasts to verification and found they differed in no way from chance.”

Alarmed, Arrow and his colleagues tried to bring this important discovery to the attention of the commanding officer. At last the word came down from a high-ranking aide.

“The Commanding General is well aware that the forecasts are no good,” the aide said haughtily. “However, he needs them for planning purposes.”

I have nothing to add.

2 comments:

pdxr13 said...

Planning my beautiful City into bankruptcy and slavery:

"Planning and Sustainability
Innovation. Collaboration. Practical Solutions."

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/52999

A Reader said...

My father, a career Army officer until he was RIFed in 95 (thanks again, Slick Willie) refers to Generals and their adopted habitat as "Echelons above Reality".

In some ways, I am glad my uncle never made Bird Colonel, much less got his star. He's too good and too smart to be rendered down into a useless politician. Now he works in the Foreign Service. I hope this is not the same ignominous fate by another route.