Path: news.eternal-september.org!eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail
From: prd@pauldormer.cix.co.uk (Paul Dormer)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.fandom
Subject: Re: Independence Day
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2024 11:58 +0100 (BST)
Lines: 26
Message-ID: <memo.20240723115856.9768B@pauldormer.cix.co.uk>
References: <b5e6e0d1-08f5-4acb-8ba2-64bc3a993bbb@example.net>
Reply-To: prd@pauldormer.cix.co.uk
X-Trace: individual.net WrrWEeddCwwQEWCqGW+qmQ0iOXxJ/RsxcCRx0tumsg+6BTFqcY
Cancel-Lock: sha1:dse4GjT+dfTeLclmsNcWjGfH/ZY= sha256:THyyf9CuM2Joyp+BNY6+o5qZfLtk4b9YrokRz1bqWl4=
X-News-Software: Ameol
X-URL: http://cix.uk

In article <b5e6e0d1-08f5-4acb-8ba2-64bc3a993bbb@example.net>,
nospam@example.net (D) wrote:

> 
> Sweden has a mixed track record of privatization. TV, phones and 
> pharmacies are roaring success stories!

BT, the privately owned telecomms company has just been fined for failing
to connect emergency call:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjr4zkq1kkwo


I used to work for the National Grid, originally part of nationalised
electricity generation and supply industry.  National Grid ran the
electricity distribution part of the grid: the substations, overhead
lines and towers - never call them pylons.  In the rail companies, there
was Railtrack which ran the railway infrastructure.  In 2001 it ran into
financial difficulties and was replaced by a government-owned company.

As the National Grid was the electricity equivalent of Railtrack, the
Grid examined what had gone wrong.  It seems they thought that cutting
down on track maintenance meant they'd have more money to pay share
dividends.  The result was delays, leading to fines, leading to more
cutting back on maintenance.  A downward spiral.