A Voice from the Basement, part II of V.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

So the plant lost its main power bus today.

Tribal lore says the main plant switching box is so old and decrepit that it isn't to be touched, ever.  It does in fact look awful...Corroded as hell, with about 30 years worth of failed rust inhibitor all over it (the geniuses that built this place located it in the worst of the acid atmosphere.

But, you know, the plant is down.  So the boss calls down from on high, and says, "Remember to leave that disconnect panel alone".

We trace the problem directly to that panel.

I have the guys suit up, and we ever-so-carefully take the panel faces off...And it's a blown fuse.  What's more, there's nothing wrong with the disconnect boxes.  Nothing.  These guys have been living in fear for at least 8 years, and there's nothing at all wrong with it.  It isn't new, but everything inside is perfectly functional.

So now the plant has power, my boss is happy (success outweighs obedience, here), and we learned something.

And all of you bastards need to learn something, too.  You know those guys in the basement?  The crude, misanthropic bastards who walk around in Dickey shirts with tools stuffed in their pockets?  The ones who keep everything running?

Leave us alone.  It's our basement, not yours.  You just take care of whatever it is you Eloi deal with, and you leave us Morlocks to handle things down here.  Leave us be, and the lights stay on, and water comes out of the tap when you want it.  Fuck with our game, and we'll come up at night and eat you.

Or Kill Me.

[Adios]

I love it when know how defeats fear.

[LMNO]

I like the parallel how the people who use the device, but don't understand it, eventually come to fetishize and worship the device as some sort of holy magical relic that must not be defiled.

But the people who understand it simply see another fuse box.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I like the parallel how the people who use the device, but don't understand it, eventually come to fetishize and worship the device as some sort of holy magical relic that must not be defiled.

But the people who understand it simply see another fuse box.

Eloi/Morlocks.

Likewise, we don't understand their fascination with building castles out of paperwork¹.


¹  We understand paperwork that's useful (maintenance tracking, parts requistions, etc).  We just don't understand all the ISO weirdness.  If the forms are in the computer, why do I have to print them out, scan them, and store them in the computer (not kidding)?

[Requia ☣]

ISO is efficient Roger, you want to be efficient don't you?

I seriously wonder if anybody really thinks ISO 9000 is worth anything, or if they all just do it because its expected of them by business partners.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

ISO is efficient Roger, you want to be efficient don't you?

I seriously wonder if anybody really thinks ISO 9000 is worth anything, or if they all just do it because its expected of them by business partners.

Just one more thing to blame the Dutch for.

Bastards.

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

I like this.  

Likewise, we don't understand their fascination with building castles out of paperwork¹.


¹  We understand paperwork that's useful (maintenance tracking, parts requistions, etc).  We just don't understand all the ISO weirdness.  If the forms are in the computer, why do I have to print them out, scan them, and store them in the computer (not kidding)?

This shit drives me insane.  I swear this office kills at least 5 trees a day...  and we still have to have 2 paper copies and a computer backup!!

[Phox]

I like this one, definitely.

[Don Coyote]

I like this, and I wish more of Them would leave those of Us the fuck along and let Us do Our job so The Shit Gets Done.

I like the parallel how the people who use the device, but don't understand it, eventually come to fetishize and worship the device as some sort of holy magical relic that must not be defiled.

But the people who understand it simply see another fuse box.

Eloi/Morlocks.

Likewise, we don't understand their fascination with building castles out of paperwork¹.


¹  We understand paperwork that's useful (maintenance tracking, parts requistions, etc).  We just don't understand all the ISO weirdness.  If the forms are in the computer, why do I have to print them out, scan them, and store them in the computer (not kidding)?

RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dean]

I like this, and I wish more of Them would leave those of Us the fuck along and let Us do Our job so The Shit Gets Done.

I like the parallel how the people who use the device, but don't understand it, eventually come to fetishize and worship the device as some sort of holy magical relic that must not be defiled.

But the people who understand it simply see another fuse box.

Eloi/Morlocks.

Likewise, we don't understand their fascination with building castles out of paperwork¹.


¹  We understand paperwork that's useful (maintenance tracking, parts requistions, etc).  We just don't understand all the ISO weirdness.  If the forms are in the computer, why do I have to print them out, scan them, and store them in the computer (not kidding)?

RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BROOKLYN RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Richter]

Dad, while showing me how to do basic upkeep on a diesel tractor engine:  "If we take off this cover, behind the impellor for the water pump, can see the pin that connects it to the other dingus [sic] in the engine.  It's a pain to get this pin back into place, so you give it more grease whenever you're opening up the thing, you never remove it."

Richter: "Gotcha, leave it in."

Dad: "Most of the time.  Let's take a look at it."  ::yanks it clean out::  "No rust or dings on it, good.  Here, you put it back."

Richter: ::sigh:: "Ok, pass me that screwdriver..."

[Luna]

Dad, while showing me how to do basic upkeep on a diesel tractor engine:  "If we take off this cover, behind the impellor for the water pump, can see the pin that connects it to the other dingus [sic] in the engine.  It's a pain to get this pin back into place, so you give it more grease whenever you're opening up the thing, you never remove it."

Richter: "Gotcha, leave it in."

Dad: "Most of the time.  Let's take a look at it."  ::yanks it clean out::  "No rust or dings on it, good.  Here, you put it back."

Richter: ::sigh:: "Ok, pass me that screwdriver..."

[navkat]

I think the better lesson here is: just because someone says there are angels on the roof and demons in the basement, dun' make it true.

If common sense says push the big, red button, go 'head and let 'er rip.
Open the box and see what's inside.

Think for yourself, schmuck.

[Jenne]

...heh.  I wonder if the "sacred box of Doom" looks so awful because it's not treated like the tool it is but instead like some magical but curmugeonly orifice.  Instead of a simple mechanism through which you can bring power to the plant.

And yeah, the guys who usually bring us down to earth about such things are the ones who work with their hands, think with their heads, and keep superstition down to a minimum.

[navkat]

And yeah, the guys who usually bring us down to earth about such things are the ones who work with their hands, think with their heads, and keep superstition down to a minimum.

Nicely put.