At 12:29 AM 2/3/2007, Palmer, Mike wrote: >Anyone who has set, managed, or fought fires >in switchgrass can attest to this, and fire danger must be considered. >However, it is a little bit of a red herring. A hay meadow (with >switchgrass as one component) will be mowed late in the season, so there >will not be a lot of standing fuel when there is the most fire risk.
Mike and Forum: As one who has fought stubble fires as well as forest fires, there does not have to be a LOT of standing fuel to carry fire. Of course, this is a marginal issue, and as such should not be factored into any reasoned analysis upon which policy conclusions might be based. The CRUCIAL fundamental that is commonly overlooked in systems analysis is that the weakest link GOVERNS ABSOLUTELY. This does not mean that such marginal issues should not be considered at all--only that their marginal nature needs to be recognized and evaluated during the evaluation phase. I picked this issue as an excellent example of a brainstorming item--which always should be encouraged--and to suggest how evaluation of the products of the brainstorming phase might be initiated. Of course, I, nor anyone else, should have the final word in the evaluation phase, and when proper discipline is observed in the development of system (or policy) design, minority analyses should be included in the final project documentation. I hope that this forum will continue the excellent line of brainstorming thought, and to proceed to a well-documented analysis and set of policy recommendations that can be a potent means of affecting policy in the larger contexts of various levels of government and public interest action. This can be done by organizing the content of the emails on this subject, participating in a disciplined analytical procedure, and focusing the group's energy with vigor in the right places. You can expect that those feeding at the switchgrass trough, however, will be in vigorous opposition--that's just one reason why the ideas must be allowed to flow freely, disciplined analysis carried out, and the final report include minority statements (if the minority cares to include them). But the most important thing is that critical thinking is not sacrificed to political maneuvering. Respectfully submitted, WT Mike: I will be interested in your further thoughts and corrections on the "red herring" point.
