Good intent and somewhat competent

[David R. Conrad]

Howard,

If Kim posts rough estimates, what do you think the probability is
she'll be flamed with thermonuclear intensity should the actual
numbers deviate from those estimates?  My guess would be the number
approaches 1 as the actual numbers go over her estimates -- regardless
of whatever provisos she puts in or all capital letter requests you
might make to the peanut gallery.

I'd really like to suggest we let Kim finish revising the draft
proposal and working out real budgetary numbers -- it will make things
a whole lot easier in the end.  Of course, I'd also like to suggest
people stop getting into wars.  Both probably have equal likelihood
of coming true.

Regards,
-drc
--------
>Kim,
>
>I understand fully that you need to do a full budget, and I am really not
>trying to get you to commit on pieces.  If at all possible, I'd appreciate
>it if you could give a sense of the range of time and average time it takes
>your group to process a single allocation request.  I'm speaking of staff
>hours, not duration in-and-out; I recognize there is probably an internal
>review process.
>
>In fact, it might be very useful if you could share a general idea of the
>work flow from when an allocation request is received to when it is
>rejected or implemented.  TO ALL READERS:  I AM ASKING FOR A ROUGH ESTIMATE
>HERE...not anything that we will hold Kim to in the future.
>
>The more I think about it, however, the more I think it might help get
>rational people working together if they had a common view of the real-time
>process.  RFC2050 deals with policy, an essential but different matter.
>
>Yes, I know you have to have lawyers.  When I did clinical things, we knew
>we needed infection control people and a morgue, but they were not the
>first focus.
>
>Howard