Circle Speak from the SC

[mrblaine]

One of my larger pet peeves is what I refer to as circle speak. Our society as a whole, generally, can not communicate directly with straightforward questions and answers.

A friend of mine commonly uses a conversation and it's resultant insulted subject to illustrate this.

He was guiding a moderate SUV run and they had stopped to view and hear his description of a point of interest. A woman interrupted him during his discourse and asked- Are we going to have lunch today? It was near noon at the time but they had not yet reached the prescribed location where they were to have lunch. His answer? Yes, and then he continued with his description. She stomped off in a huff and loudly complained to anyone who would listen about how rude the guide was. The problem is that he answered her question, but societal circle speak implies a different question and the one she really wanted an answer to. She wanted to know when lunch was exactly and why weren't they eating yet as she was hungry. She should have just said what was on her mind and asked the question she really wanted an answer to.

Consider one of the popular phone answering idioms.

Hello

Me- Hello, is John there?

Yes, may I tell him who is calling?

Me-Yes you may.

Silence, I always get silence. I answered the question that was asked. I did not deny them permission to speak to John and tell him who was requesting to speak with him.

I typically have to prompt them with the following- Yes you may tell him, right after you find out. That means you first have to ask who is calling.

More silence.

Me- Well, are you going to ask who is calling?

I already did.

Me- No, you didn't. You asked if you could tell John who is calling. I granted you permission to do so.

Okay, who is calling?

Me- Blaine

I do understand that it is a fair bit of rigamarole to go through just because I don't enjoy circle speak, but it is fun at times.

The point of all of this, is the CS I encountered when I went to the SC website and read the 6 SIMPLE questions and answers about fires.

I must have wandered pretty far away from CS and am no longer able to understand any longer because I read them and came away knowing less than when I started. Can someone decipher them for me? I posted them below in a cut and paste format.

Forest Fires:
Six Simple Questions and Answers

1. Q. Why are forest fires an important part of forest ecosystem health?

A. Fire is a natural part of the forest and has a role to play in any forest's lifecycle by clearing out brush and restoring nutrients to the soil. Fire is a natural part of the forest and has a role to play in healthy forests, just like sunshine and rain. Fire isn't necessarily good or bad -- just like sunshine or rain, too little can be harmful, and too much can be harmful.

2. Q: What are the main causes of wildfires?

A: For almost a century, the U.S. Forest Service focused on total fire suppression, snuffing fire's natural role; hot, dry, lightning-filled summers; irresponsible human activity along the extensive logging road system increases the number of fires; multi-year droughts in many states and commercial logging in our National Forests that increases fire risk.

3. Q: Some government officials have claimed that the Sierra Club opposes using prescribed burns as a means to prevent more catastrophic fires. Is this true?

A: In reality, the Sierra Club strongly supports prescribed burns as a way to restore fire's natural role to the forest. Sierra Club supports fuel reduction projects near homes and communities. For a decade the Sierra Club has been urging the Forest Service to do more prescribed burning, reduce flammable brush near communities and we've been asking Congress to devote more money to do the job right. The Forest Service should stop pushing for commercial logging and put more resources towards protecting lives and communities.

4. Q: Have too many lawsuits from the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations prevented the Forest Service from using prescribed burns and other measures to stop forest fires?

A: According to a General Accounting Office report, in 2001 the Forest Service designated 1671 hazardous fuel reduction projects. Of these projects 20 (about 1 percent) had been appealed and not one project had been litigated. (GAO-01-1114R)

5. Q: What role has fire suppression played in the current fires in the West?

A: Fire is a natural part of the forest and has a role to play in any forest's lifecycle by clearing out brush and restoring nutrients to the soil. But years of overly aggressive fire suppression have left many of our National Forests cluttered with small, highly flammable brush. Overly aggressive fire suppression and extensive logging have created unnatural conditions that lead to huge, hard-to-control fires.

6. Q: What role should the Forest Service play once a wildfire has started?

A: Once a fire has started, the main goal of the US Forest Service should be to safeguard lives and communities. The US Forest Service can help protect homes by focusing forest management around homes and communities and by helping homeowners take steps to make their homes more fire-safe. (For more info see www.firewise.org)

What happened to the simple questions and simple answers? Am I the only one that doesn't see them?

[Joe Dillard]

Interesting reading Blaine!

[Mark Hinkley]

that's not CS it is BS!!!!!

More SC spin!


mark
orgs mfg

[Scott Hill]

OK Blaine,

how long did it take you to make up these stupid answers. I know that any real organization would not actually answer a stright forword question like this.


so are we going to have lunch????


Scott

[Jim M]

Originally posted by mrblaine
...4. Q: Have too many lawsuits from the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations prevented the Forest Service from using prescribed burns and other measures to stop forest fires?

A: According to a General Accounting Office report, in 2001 the Forest Service designated 1671 hazardous fuel reduction projects. Of these projects 20 (about 1 percent) had been appealed and not one project had been litigated. (GAO-01-1114R)...

I think this was my favorite. I see that the SC provided an answer, but I'm not sure which question this is the answer to. It certainly isn't the answer to the question above it! The real question should read something like: Of the miniscule number of scheduled burns each year, due to outrageous lawsuits pulling monies away from hiring personnel to actually conduct more burns, how many were appealed by left wing extremists for reasons that bear no basis in reality?

The point is the GAO numbers that are the real answer to the actual question would be a comparison of the total agency budget versus the amount spent on legal actions. That would yield a ratio that would be far more telling. The SC has chosen their words very carefully on this one, and they have focused on one area of accounting that bears minimal relevance to reality and distracts to reader into thinking that theSC is not part of the problem. Quite a smart tactic.

[TJRON]

Politicions never answer questions straight forth. They would never get elected or keep there jobs if they did.
Sierra Club, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, PETA, Handgun Control, etc., etc. officials are nothing but politicions trying to keep their jobs. Mostly their original goals were met a long time ago. If they can't find causes their organizations will dissapear like the temperance and prohibition movements. If they answered questions straight forth about what is really going on in the recreation world, their contributions would dry up in a heart beat and they would have to find a pay check some where else.
The Sierra Clubs cause is now to close off everything to everybody "for future generations to not enjoy".
Mothers against Drunk Drivers think you can't drive if you have a beer or glass of wine with a meal.
Peta thinks you shouldn't whack your dog for crapping on the carpet.
Handgun Control wants no guns in the hands of honest citizens.
The list is endless and double speak and lies are the only way to keep the funds rolling in.
Simple questions and simple answers are not going to accomplish your cause if keeping your job is your ultimate cause (goal).
I agree, it is very frustating and it will never stop.
Ron

[Stu Olson]

So Blaine, do you walk to work or carry your lunch?

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Stu Olson
So Blaine, do you walk to work or carry your lunch?

Is it further by bus or to California?

[Blue Rat]

Originally posted by mrblaine


Is it further by bus or to California?

Is it hotter in the summer or the city?

[Stu Olson]

Originally posted by mrblaine


Is it further by bus or to California?

In true circle speai......Yes

[Robert J. Yates]

Sounds like a bunch of ass covering to me which is to be expected. These groups are not used to be on the defensive and it shows.