"Martin" <ml_news@ddnospamddml1dd.co.uk.dd> wrote in message
news:KBTPb.8985$YV1.5952@newsfep4-winn.server.ntli.net...

sweet wrote:
[...]

Yes it is a matter of some trust. But after meeting people like Feynman

and

Weinberg et. al. of similar repute in the physics community I think I

have a

better understanding of who is doing what and with what amount of talent
than just using my trust. (And yes, I have met some real weak links but
those people are in the minority.)

Very true. Not met Feynman but from what I have seen of him and his
work/approach, he could not fail to impress.

I do realize that I am basing my judgement on my experience, but that

has

been accumulated over 15 yrs. Scientists don't get to be directors of

large

programs unless they have their head screwed on right. The often

portrayed

"brainless director" is only a Hollywood director's axe grinding.

Very true on both counts. The successful directors also tend to be those
that get the balance of true science and the associated evil politics
about right...


[...]

... I know a tech who was told they had to make the shuttle engines
work at 110% efficiency, he bitterly griped to me.

I very much doubt that they are operating at anything above 50%
efficiency. However, they do operate at >110% of their originally
specified thrust due to various enhancements. (They can also be
'throttled back' to <100% thrust to minimise loadings during part of the
launch flight.)

Or were you meaning to say "effectiveness". Don't see why there should
be any bitter gripes about that. The only gripes should be about
management schedules and costings compromising good engineering sense...

(Note also that "effect" and [to] "affect" are very different!)

I remember him saying "efficiency." But my point was that in general
incompetence doesn't usually abound, and especially not on the *large*
scientific programs.

So we can thank God that so far SETI is unpopular.          :)

Which God? (:-))

The One True Living Lord God Almighty. His name is Yaweh (various
spellings).


- - - cut - - -

-sweet
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