The Lair

Why is it that the past week of my life has started to increasingly resemble something that happens in a Dilbert comic strip? Aargh. And it’s not like I’m playing Catbert or the PHB either. This is, as someone would say, completely not of the good.

The systems support guy came around to my desk last morning and removed a piece of non-standard equipment that had expired. Yes, I said expired. Electronic equipment in this here department has a clearly stamped expiry date. Specifically, a mains extension (that thingamajig which allows four plugs) was past its use-by date. Now, consider. There are four dedicated floor ports on this side of my cube. My neighbour needs at least three (computer, LCD and desk lamp). I have … three computers under my desk, two LCDs, a pair of speakers and a desk lamp. I also need to plug in a notebook. Four floor ports? Not really going to cut it.

The cubicle gestapo has struck. My expired mains extension has been taken away, so I’m playing musical chairs with the plug points. Actually, I’m less annoyed about this than the initial tone would suggest – I’m apparently getting a larger (6 plugs! zomg!! the riches!) extension later. However, daisy chaining extensions is not allowed, they say. Yeah sure. What you don’t know won’t hurt you. The moral of the story, never ever allow even well meaning IT staff to poke around your desk. It can only lead to the discovery of transgressions.

You know there’s a bubble afoot when the Dow hits 12k. So, what would be more obvious than a spate of rotten projects and burnout articles? Yup, Dare Obasanjo talks about identifying bad projects. An interesting tie-in with that, the AngryAussie on workplace discretion. Incidentally, angryaussie and engtech have now become regular reads since Joel jumped the shark.

I’m still quite entranced by last.fm and its possibility for great evil (or good) with available data feeds. Need to see what comes of it, I suppose.