Fire and Forget

After a long period of data-gathering and analysis, we sat by the River and wept, because we remembered Zion. Or something like that.

The results of the seven-year long study showed that the two big problems of the otherwise extremely successful institution were these:

1. Academic success based more on quality of intake (and adjustment of internal assessment) than on staff quality and developmental processes (no matter what certain spurious quality-control awards might have implied).
   
2. Inability or lack of desire to supply proper aftercare and upgrading of product offerings.

Frankly, one would not attach too much credence to such assertions, except that these findings were vetted by the very highest echelons of the body controlling this institution and its fellow subsidiaries. In all, an end-run for the research team and a can of worms for the searched team.

Also, a sad moment as we sat by the River. The eldest of us turned around and looked at the rest, and he said, This must not continue. It must not be seen that this nest specialises in kicking the fledglings out and measuring their success based on how great the kick is and not on whether the fledglings have been taught to fly. The counter-argument, of course, is that if the fledglings can fly, why bother about how they learn it? Well, it's all about integrity. This isn't nature; this is an institution of public character (as my tax accountant assured me). The point is to take in fledglings who would not normally learn how to fly and teach them to use their wings.

Ah well, I suppose that one can always hope for a better age.

Kookaburra

The kookaburra is a cheerful and raucous bird, a sort of large kingfisher. When I was very young, my father taught me this song:

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree
Merry merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, kookaburra!
Sing, kookaburra!
Gay your life must be!

Poor kookaburra. Would have a tough time in Atlantis, for many reasons.

=====

Note: Excerpted from the Wikipedia article, "Kookaburras are best known for their unmistakable call, which is uncannily like loud, echoing human laughter — good-natured, but rather hysterical, merriment in the case of the well-known Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae); and maniacal cackling in the case of the slightly smaller Blue-winged Kookaburra (D. leachii). They are generally not closely associated with water, and can be found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, but also in suburban and residential areas near running water and where food can be searched for easily."