Well, been a while since I've complained about anything. But this last week has put me in the mood. First, management personnel from around the country decide to have one of those pow-wow meetings again, a face-to-face meeting where they all fly into the area, sit around and BS for the most part and accomplish jack squat. Let's take in consideration for a moment, what other forms of communication devices are currently available so everyone can meet face-to-face rather than actually sitting in the same room with each other. Microsoft has come up with a very good service - LiveMeeting! Works great. Don't even need to leave your office/cubicle... can tune in on your computer and listen/participate, etc. There's conference lines to hold as many participants as you want... Here's two ways to communicate and guess what the cost is... NADA!!! ZIP!! ZILTCH!!! SQUAT!!! NOTHING!!! And what did the pow-wow cost? Let me think... first, there's cost of transportation - airline ticket ($400 - $1500), rental car ($30-50 per day), taxi ($20 minimum each time you get in one) if necessary... Living accommodations - Hotel room for each person ($84 per night at least), meals (low ball figure - $50 a day). So, just to guesstimate rounding off per person - $180 - $220 per day plus the airline ticket. Fly in Monday, leave Friday, average cost about $700+airline ticket. Multiply that by 15 people, those who actually traveled (I'm guessing... there probably were a few more) and this one week party cost over $10,000. As for what was accomplished? I would guess nothing was accomplished other than some face time with each other, chit chat on a few subjects, some brainstorming about what would be anyone's guess. They did manage to get some employee recognition in, which would be rather stupid via LiveMeeting. However, recognition moment was a fiasco only pissing off those being recognized. Why you ask? Well, management waited until the end of the day to do this. No big deal to them what time they finish each day, their hotel was only a few blocks away. But the "recognizee" has to drive home... now in the middle of rush hour. What would take maybe 20-30 minutes to drive home now turns into a minimum 60 minutes. Thank you very much.
But, all of this... ain't even what I really want to bitch about. I just finally wanted to get that off my chest because it's been going on now for what... 6-7 years? Twice a year? And once have they bothered to use any other form of available communication? Nope... So... there's that piece that's been urking me for almost a decade.
What I wanted to bitch about is an entirely different subject. I only write this crap to get my frustrations out. Obviously my frustration is to do with other people who prove to be ignorant as hell and in some cases, just fucking stupid. When I started these writings, most people saw the humor, and actually enjoyed reading them and, as scary as it may seem, looked forward to my next brow beating piece. Then the regime that allowed me to do so left the building, moved on to try and accomplish something else as the next regime moved in. The next regime was more Gestapo than even a Commie regime. I was told flatly not to write any more short stories about stupid employees or I would suffer the consequences. So, like a good little employee, I succumbed to the threats of management for fear of losing the job. Must feel great to have such power over other humans... Anyway, to continue on... The Gestapo club finally hit a bump in the road and one of them at the top fell off the turnip truck. So, not looking for any stupid employees to write about and see if my stories could rise again, one dummy managed to come to the surface. That person tries their hand as a "copy tech" only to make more of a mess than one could possibly fathom. If an attempt at something starts to go off-kilter, the best way to rectify the situation is to stop, re-evaluate the situation, and for the most part you should conclude that the entire project is out of your realm of skill level. To continue on would be futile. But there are a few who don't quite get it and will continue until the project is a full blown disaster. Take in point, a paper jam in a copy machine. Directions are located on the inside of the door to the machine... simple diagram for those who can't read directions. The machine even tells you where the jam is... so why does a person remove the toner cartridge that is two thirds full? Next thing you know when you do this stupid move, half the toner falls out... duh! Ever try to clean up spilled toner? It doesn't work. And, as this scenario just keeps escalating, the dear employee decides they can't fix it, clean it, or in general rectify the issue... what do they do? THEY WALK AWAY!!! Say what?!?!?! There's a note on the wall next to the copier... any issues with this here machine, call xxx-xxxx and someone will come fix. Didn't happen. Hence, my first story in over two years comes out to brow beat this individual... and I did so rather politely I thought. However, I find the next regime of management is Gestapo oriented as well....
So, to all my fans out there... keep watching the blog... I apologize for the length of time in between stories. I'll try to keep up better... just a matter of when the next stupid act takes place. It's good to be back!
