[ogsa-wg] Right said Fred...

[Treadwell, Jem]

Hi, for some reason working on the minutes this morning kept reminding
me of the the following song, which I realized might be a useful case
study of resource management.  It was published back in 1962, by a
British academic named Bernard Cribbins
(http://www.answers.com/topic/bernard-cribbins) - think of him as the
British working man's Tom Lehrer
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Lehrer).  I suspect all the Brits and
their children will know the song pretty well, but I doubt if it's well
known anywhere else.
 
The resource in question was a piano, and the management task was to get
it out of a house.  The process they followed is roughly the same as the
modern-day working group process of repeatedly taking a stab at a
problem and then heading for the bar (and slipping the schedule) when it
proves too difficult, but the language is particularly British, so for
those who are unfamiliar I've included a Glossary.  :0)
 
- Jem
 
Right Said Fred
Performed by Bernard Cribbins
Lyrics reproduced without permission
 
Right said Fred, both of us together, one each end and steady as we go 
Tried to to shift it, couldn't even lift it, we was getting nowhere 
And so, we, had a cup of tea

Right said Fred, give a shout to Charlie, up comes Charlie from the
floor below 
After straining, heaving and complaining, we was getting nowhere 
And so, we, had a cup of tea 

Charlie had a think and he thought we ought, to take off all the handles

And the things that hold the candles - but it did no good (well I never
thought it would!)

Right said Fred, have to take the feet off, to get them feet off
wouldn't take a mo... 
Took its feet off, even with the seat off, should have got us somewhere,
but no!
So Fred said let's have another cup of tea, and we said "right-oh!"

Right said Fred, have to take the door off, need more space to shift the
so-and-so 
Had bad twinges, taking off the hinges, and it got us nowhere
And so, we, had a cup of tea

Right said Fred, have to take the wall down, that there wall is gonna
have to go 
Took the wall down, even with it all down, we was getting nowhere 
And so, we, had a cup of tea 

Charlie had a think and and he said look Fred, I've got a sort of
feeling 
If we remove the ceiling, 
With a rope or two we can drop the blighter through...

Right said Fred, climbing up a ladder, with his crowbar gave a mighty
blow 
Was he in trouble, half a ton of rubble, landed on the top of, his dome 
So Charlie and me had another cup of tea
And then we, went home!

[Spoken, fading out...] 
I said to Charlie we'll just have to leave it standing on the landing,
that's all.
You see the trouble with Fred is, he's too hasty.
Now you never get nowhere if you're too hasty...

Glossary
mo = moment
right-oh! = an expression of cheerful agreement
so-and-so = an exasperating person or other resource
blighter = so-and-so
dome = head
landing = upstairs hallway
 
________________________________

Jem Treadwell
Hewlett-Packard Company
6000 Irwin Road
Mount Laurel, NJ 08054	  	  	
Phone: 	856-638-6021	
Fax: 	856-638-6190	
E-mail:	 Jem.Treadwell at hp.com <mailto:Jem.Treadwell at hp.com> 	
 
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