ShotSpotter: My Comments, Green fails at verbal Gundown of Storch

Councilman Storch, I think your analysis of the issues surrounding the Shotspotter (see here) proposal was spot on. 

Now I have one quibble with the administration and the council and that is that the devil is in the details. I have been in technology for over 40 years and have seen many systems go down the tubes and it happens for several reasons:

1. 
   
   
   The vendor over promises and under-delivers.
   
2. The people making the decision don't have the technical expertise.
   
3. The vendor provides only anecdotal evidence and no verifiable hard scientific facts to verify the performance claims of their solution.
   
4. Positive references provided by the vendor were paid for.
   
5. Lack of customer expertise to administer the system after the vendor leaves.
   
6. Lack of buy-in from the people using the system, even if they have the expertise.
   
7. Lack of buy-in from the stakeholders. In this case the community that is to be the supposed beneficiary of the solution..
   
8. Lack of written and monitoring of performance guarantees from the people charted with administering the system. Example, can you guarantee the arrival of a Police car within 3 minutes of the shots being fired?

Now even if you get all of these things done, it just gets you to the point of having a functional system.

The next phase should be a go/no-go pilot to verify that the solution can actually meet the promised deliverables (in this case a reduction in crime the justifies the cost of the project). If it's a go, there should be a phased implementation. If it's a no-go, can adjustments be made to improve the pilot?

If yes, implement the improvements, restart the pilot and go through the cycle again. If no, close the project down and get your money back. Better still hold the monies in an escrow account and if no-go take your money out and close the account. If a go, pay them in stages with the final payment going to them six months after the successful completion of the project.

YouTube - Videos from this email

Assemblyman Jerry Green meet Stanley Kowalski

As you can see for the picture (hmmm, what do Jerry Green and Stanley Kowalski have in common?) I was going to talk about the domesticity of Assemblyman Jerry Green and his debating tactics (logical fallacies -click here) he typically uses against his enemies and former friends. But why waste words when the picture incorporates a thousand of them.


The problem I'm having is with the Jerry Greens of the world is they are Edsels, bad objects assembled by party committees, put out for public consumption and delivered stillborn at our doorsteps to be tossed away on the garbage pile of 'it could have been done a whole lot better.' And, yet, ours is still here: still ticking, walking among us, anodes on the neck, Edsel gestated through the womb of Mary Shelly. Our village needs to rise up and drive the creature out. The question is. why haven't we?

Well, Pogo! Look in the mirror. The enemy is us.

They may have air dropped the Assemblyman in, given him 30 pieces of silver and put him to work. But we allowed him to push our town down the Via Dolorosa and now he and his cohorts are hammering in the nails. They hope that It just a matter time before they raise the cross in victory.

What is to be done (I hate that phrase)? What is to be done? Beats the hell out of me.

Just how do you get people out to vote? Make it mandatory with fines? Allow people to vote online? Let them vote at work? Anybody got any ideas? I'm always surprised when I hear people complain about the city. And then you ask them if they voted and if they voted in the primary and the answer is NO. Well then. shut up.

This Friday, 09/17/2010, Assemblyman Jerry Green has called a meeting of the Democratic City Committee. The purpose of which I suspect is to ensure that there is a large Democrat voter turnout in Plainfield because Pallone is in trouble and may lose his House seat. Can anyone tell me what Pallone has done for Plainfield? Where was he when the hospital closed? Had he, Jerry and the mayor chained themselves to the Muhlenberg hospital gates, there would be no question that they could get a massive turnout in Plainfield for November. However. at this point Assemblyman Green can't turn out crap. Even if he ate a case of prunes.


Anyhow, anyone who attends that meeting needs to ask the Assemblyman what's in it for the City of Plainfield. If the answers make sense then maybe, just maybe we, should turn out in November. Otherwise to paraphrase Ruth Brown's song 'I m not going to give it away. I'll just sit on it.'   (click here for video)   

South Park's Eric Cartman advises Governor Christie on the $400,000,000 misunderstanding

Gov. Chris Christie and South Park's Eric Cartman (click here) have a least a few things in common: they're fat, Republican and out of control. However, Eric Cartman seems to have one talent sadly lacking in the Governor of New Jersey.

When in trouble Cartman knows how to finesse his way out by taking things to the next level. Christie's handling of this $400,000,000 school funding 'Race to the Top' misunderstanding is a perfect example of taking the low road: blame Obama, fire Schundler .

Christie, dude, you went belly-up on almost half billion! What were your advisers doing to salvage the Situation (come to think of it he could have given you better advice from the Jersey Shore, click here.) New Jersey needs all the help it can get. A few advisers should have walked the plank.

But I'm digressing too much. I did what your advisers should have done. I called Cartman in South Park, interrupted his back to school shopping -he's in the fifth grade and begged him for advice. Here is what he said:

“Ha, ha, ha , ha, ha, ha, ha. Oh, oh let me stop laughing. This too much. Let me see,...yes,yes. They forgot to include....ha, ha, ha. OK, OK I've got it! Stay with me on this. Here's what I think.

Unlike me the Governor has not made an effort to keep himself informed and has not read the State Ranking of Per Capita Spending, Per-Capita Tax Burden on the Federal Dollar: Fiscal 2005 (click here.) Had he read it he would have been outraged.... and it's only one page long with 3 columns of information with each state being ranked by state in that column. To simplify matters, lets compare 2 states on the document, Alaska and New Jersey -a 'red state' and a 'blue state.'

Column-1: Ranking by Per Capita Total Spending -how much the federal government returns to the state per individual. Alaska is ranked number 1, receiving $13,788. New Jersey is ranked number 35, receiving $6,771.

Column-2: Ranking by Per Capita Tax Burden -how much each state sends to the federal government per individual. Alaska is ranked number number 17, sending $7,215. New Jersey is ranked number 2, sending $9,947.

Now it gets worse.

Column-3: Ranking by Return on Federal Tax Dollar -for every dollar the state gives the federal government, how much is given back. Alaska is ranked number 4, receiving $1.83 for every dollar sent.

New Jersey is ranked number 50, receiving 65 cents for every dollar sent.

Lets put that into numbers we can all understand. Alaska sent $4.8 billion to federal government and received back $9.2 billion. That's $4.4 billion more than it sent. New Jersey sent $86.5 billion and received back $58.9 billion. That's $27.6 billion less than it sent. Does anyone see a problem? I sure do. A billion here, a billion there; soon your talking about a lot of money.

Alaska is being flooded with money while New Jersey is being bled dry. No wonder they can afford bridges to nowhere. The Governor should be apoplectic, 'my state gives you $27 billion dollars more than it receives every year and you're hassling me over $400 million? Well you know what you can do with your $400 million?

OK, OK here's what he really needs to do to salvage the situation and maintain his Presidential ambitions.

1. 
   
   
   
   Call a meeting to include the Assembly, the Upper house, the Congressional Representatives and the press.
2. 
   
   
   
   Hold up that state ranking document like it was Senator McCarthy holding up a list of Communist conspirators .
3. 
   
   
   
   Announce that he going to organize a States Rights Tax Fairness Group to lobby for a more equitable distribution of the tax dollar i.e. New Jersey has more then enough money to solve its state tax problems; it just that the Federal Government refuses to give us our fair share.
4. 
   
   
   
   As a backup plan. If all else fails and he still wants to be considered as a potential Presidential candidate, he can become a contestant on the Biggest Loser. “

I just want to thank Eric Cartman for his advice and I hope that Governor Christie will Find it useful.

Comments about my August 30 post.

Keep the comments coming, folks. If you haven't read them here they are from 8/30/2010 post with  replies:

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good luck crawling through the weeds here in Plainfield.

August 30, 2010 11:30 AM 

Anonymous said...

Like Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck and Dan Damon, it appears you are fueled by hate. Yup, yet another "fair and balanced" blog in Plainfield.

August 30, 2010 11:53 AM 

Anonymous said...

Oh so coooool man. Another blog blaming Jerry Green. Just want we need - more mud and more blame.

August 30, 2010 12:47 PM 

Jeff said...

Looking forward to your posts.

August 30, 2010 2:07 PM 

Anonymous said...

Good luck. We need a blog that won't sugar-coat the state of this once-burgeoning city. I hope you'll focus on more than Jerry Green - there are many people in this city who continue to enable him and keep him in office.

August 30, 2010 2:46 PM 

Nat said...

TO Anonymous 11:53 AM: you are a perfect example of a dumbed down American. Give me a factual example of where I'm fueled by hate. Otherwise, get your head out of Jerry's.....Oh I dare not say it but you can figure it out. PS: you might want to take a reading comprehension test.

August 30, 2010 3:11 PM 

Nat said...

To Anonymous 12:47 PM: Actually, I don't blame Jerry Green for doing what he is doing and getting away with what he is getting away with, if anything. He is just a proxy for the people who elected him and financed his election. In a democracy it is the electorate who are ultimately responsible for the caliber of the people they put into office. I view my job as getting them to think and by thinking then they can do a lot better then Jerry Green. Note: It was Jerry's unsubstantiated comments that inspired me to start this blog.

August 30, 2010 3:15 PM 

Nat Singleton said...

Thanks Jeff

August 30, 2010 3:29 PM 

chris said...

Yawn...another whining blog.

August 30, 2010 4:52 PM 

Anonymous said...

A vegan, never! I belong to PETA . . . People Eating Tasty Animals. I never argue religion because I am right, and if you don't agree with my assessment, you are wrong! I keep my eye on everyone in the public eye and tend to pay close attention to the ones with whom I disagree, but then I realize that it is the person I trust, love and admire, who can get close enough to me, to do the most damage! Andrew Jackson and the way he treated the People, and others of his ilk, turned me away from the Democrats . . . and Lincoln, Douglas and Rev. King drew me to the Republicans . . . they are , in my eyes, both way of track now! And so I find myself an Independant with Libertarian leanings! I will be keeping an eye on you . . . Good Luck!

August 30, 2010 9:28 PM 

Yep I Said It! said...

Your most committed readers will be Jerry Green and his mini-mes . . . Whether they know it or not -that makes them your biggest fans. Congratulations and Welcome!

August 31, 2010 4:31 PM 

Anonymous said...

Your style appears to be more like the Fox News with a promise to present the facts. But in fact the only "facts" supporting your those that support your own view. And you appear to have blended in the Glen Beck style also: create worry supported with ambigious, unrelated events. Then again, much of that is a repeat of Dan Damon and he is fueled with anger and bitterness.

September 1, 2010 9:38 AM 

Anonymous said...

Well one whole day and nothing got your dander up . . . Things is quiet in Plainfield! Maybe JG is taking a nap. He is affectionately known in my end of town as JerrrrrrrrrGoffff, because of the way he wastes our time and money! There are a few things about him and his buddy buddies that will be coming out in the wash very soon, and they don't even know it . . . because they are so intelligent!

September 1, 2010 2:28 PM 

Nat Singleton said...

Anonymous 9:38 AM: Are you slow or just stupid. Aside from totally lacking a sense of humor, you ineptly regurgitate what I said about Fox news and being 'Fair and Balanced.' Sarcasm ain't your strong point. If you have any 'facts' to counter my facts and opinions state them and I will rebut them, that way the reading pubic can judge for themselves. Jerry's got a problem if you are symptomatic of the people supporting him. Here is a tissue to wipe away the brain material drooling out of your nose.

September 1, 2010 6:33 PM