Hardware Update Needed

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek prison guards will go on strike next week demanding a change of their American-made weapons that date back to the U.S. wars in central America almost a century ago.

While antique shops would be eager to get their hands on them, prison guards just want to get rid of their obsolete 1911 U.S. Cavalry revolvers. The guns do not scare inmates any more as safety experts have advised guards not to fire them.

Pete's Points:

While most of us obsess about updating the software and hardware on our computers it appears that the prison guards in Athens have a different hardware update requirement.

Given the obsession of our organisational leaders with the "bottom line", at what point will the authorities in Athens finally realise that they can no longer depreciate the value of the weapons they issued to their staff?

The weapons are now antiques and their sale to collectors would more than pay for the renewal of the armoury and ensure an ability to once again start on the road to depreciation and fiscal responsibility.

Of course there is an alternate view which is indicative of how dumb some bureaucrats are when it comes to preserving assets without considering whether or not these assets are still fit for the purpose for which they were issued.