Date: Sun, 29 Dec 1996 11:35:01 +1030 (CST) From: Michael Smith <msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au> To: joerg_wunsch@uriah.heep.sax.de Cc: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: cvs commit: src/share/doc/handbook hw.sgml Message-ID: <199612290105.LAA02177@genesis.atrad.adelaide.edu.au> In-Reply-To: <199612281939.UAA18233@uriah.heep.sax.de> from J Wunsch at "Dec 28, 96 08:39:40 pm"
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J Wunsch stands accused of saying: > As Jordan K. Hubbard wrote: > > > > I don't think there is one. Translating this would be about as > > > pointless as translating ``Beamter''. :-) > > > There's an easy translation for the latter one: "bureaucrat" or > > "bean counter" > > I don't know about the mental meaning of "bean counter", but i think > no other country than Germany can really come up with the equivalent > of "Beamter". The major point of such a beast is that he's not only > paid by the state, but he also knows that he'll be paid forever by the > state, regardless of whether he's doing something, or doing nothing. > Well, moste Beamte are really best at doing nothing... "The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the known universe". Yes, I think we know what you mean 8) If you haven't already, the british series "Yes Minister" (later "Yes Prime Minister") is well worth watching for some relief on this topic. > To the best of my knowledge, all other countries would finally also > fire their bureaucrats if they make too many mistakes. In Germany, > that's simply impossible: they must be paid until they finally die. Ahh, well over here, you pay them _more_ when they get fired. And then their buddies (because like termites or lice you can never get all of them at once) hire them back as consultants at twice their original salary. > cheers, J"org -- ]] Mike Smith, Software Engineer msmith@gsoft.com.au [[ ]] Genesis Software genesis@gsoft.com.au [[ ]] High-speed data acquisition and (GSM mobile) 0411-222-496 [[ ]] realtime instrument control. (ph) +61-8-8267-3493 [[ ]] Unix hardware collector. "Where are your PEZ?" The Tick [[
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