PUMPDESIGNER,
I think that we are very much in agreement, and you are right about hideously inappropriate pump (and dreadful related piping) applications!
In general, the most absurd applications seem to involve "creative" attempts to reduce initial costs. The life-cycle cost burdens of a poor application can quickly amount to staggering sums when limited and lost production, burdensome maintenance, and excessive energy costs are considered.
In my experience, being fully honest with major manufacturers about all the known (and anticipated) circumstances of a proposed installation is most likely to result in the most realistic choices of alternatives. (Maintaining reputation, concern for liability, and depth of related application experience provides a potent combination that can be mutually beneficial.) I've known reputable manufacturers to back away from a potential sale because they could not offer what they considered to be a reasonably suitable pump. They realized that one poor application could hurt their prospects for all future business.
This brings to mind one of the concerns that I hold regarding the trend toward "single supplier" agreements that have been building in recent years. Too often, that supplier will have an almost-good-enough choice available, and that will then result an almost-good-enough application that will be plentifully troublesome (and painfully expensive) after implementation.
This may be a bit of a rant, but as is obvious, these are sore points based on many experiences and observations.