Take care everyone, and see you on the other side....

Owl

-- Owl (w@a.com), October 07, 1999

Answers

Whoooo??? Whooo???

-- Porky (Porky@in.cellblockD), October 07, 1999.

Bye Owl. "Safe Home" and the best of fortunes to ya!

-- marsh (armstrng@sisqtel.net), October 07, 1999.

So long Owl..

I am having the same thoughts tonight. Especially after reading Cherri's and Engineer's answears doown on another thread..Cherri has a lighter than air head, And engineer is so far out in left feild about the numbers of embeded systems in coal-fried power complexes, as to make me think he could not even pass the maintance electrican tests for his particular steam machine. Or "Yesterday I couldn't even spell electrican...Today I are one!"

When I stared out on the coal-fired units, they where analog, then we went to a hi bred analog/ditigal systems. Now it is digitial/fibre optics. It is just not worth it to fool with these people called pollies. May be it is genitic, I confess I do't know. May be it is Darwin's selection at work. But in any case, I am tired of "calling the shots right" and being told that over and over again. After the fact,

I have never ranted before...I guess this is my first one. But old Shakey is on a vacation which might last the rest of my life. I just hope Engineer is half as good as he thinks he is...Because for the next 20 months he'll be busier than a one legged man in an A$$ kicking contest! And here is one shirt tailed old electrican who ain't a going to be there to tote that cable,nor calibrate that subset/system.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Shakey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-- Shakey (in_a_bunker@forty.feet), October 07, 1999.

SYOTOS

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), October 07, 1999.

Use to work in a fossil-fueled power plant. Take it for what it's worth, but the engineers that I saw at this plant sat around playing video games all day. I had to laugh when one of them got a bonus check for engineering a company sign to place in front of the power plant. One night, an explosion took place in the plant and damaged several generating sections of the plant. Cost the company a couple million dollars to repair it and knocked the plant out of service for a month (dead of winter). They retired the plant manager within 2 weeks, reprimanded the operating supervisors with letters in their employee file (they were later terminated), and the plant operators on duty got letters in their employee files but were protected by Union officials. The instrumentation technicians and electricians had different levels of apprenticeships, and had to pass certification. No supervisior was keeping track so the company decided to have all their instrument repair and electricians pass tests to prove certification. Over 1/2 of them failed!!! The company gave employees 1 month to study and pass certification or they were out the door! So Mr. Engineer, you sound like you may know what's going on, but have you experienced anything like I have?

-- witnessed it myself (witnesseditmyself@witnesseditmyselfff.xcom), October 07, 1999.

Some of the most well educated idiots We've ever known have been engineers. We're not betting the farm on their Y2K 'group efforts'.

I'm about to bow out as well. As far as we're concerned, there's nothing much left to discuss about Y2K except how fast and how furious. Last minute preps and 86 days to enjoy what is still available. I just can't stop checking in........

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 07, 1999.

Sorry Owl, got caught up in the last post by ~~~~shakey~~~~. Good bye and good luck, and my you always be wise in your actions and reactions.

-- witnessed it myself (witnesseditmyself@witnesseditmyself.xcom), October 07, 1999.

Owl, Why are you leaving? Can you return from time to time? Best of luck. Nice to know you.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), October 07, 1999.

Good luck to you, Owl. I can relate to W. C.'s statement. I just basically surf here for links to topical info and don't post as often.

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), October 08, 1999.

Will continue:

Engineers: Dilbert toads with absence of creative nodes!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *snort* *snort*

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), October 08, 1999.

Catch ya on the flipside, dudemeister. Buy Millenium brand bottled water. 39 cents for a 1.5 liter!

-- mil (millenium@yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

Hate to throw a wet blanket on all your sarcasm regarding engineers at power plants, but, gee, how many of you are typing on a computer, sitting in a warm house, with electric lights powered pretty darn reliably by an electric company? (not by your own power source, that is) If the engineers you are berating didn't keep the plants running, who would? YOU?

Al

-- Al K. Lloyd (all@ready.now), October 08, 1999.

Will continue--All the plant engineers I knew who worked at the plant, went home at 4:30 p.m. It was the Senior plant operators, and plant operators that kept the plant running. When the plant had the explosion, they had to call in the head haunchos who were fast asleep at home. There were 1 or 2 plant operator supervisors on duty at night (2nd level management). Of course there were a couple foreman's around, but for the most part, only the plant operators were there.

-- witnessed it myself (witnesseditmyself@witnesseditmyselff.xcom), October 08, 1999.

Witnessed it myself: So what do the Senior Plant Operators and Plant Operators have to say regarding Dick Mills' assertions and other y2k prognoses?

Al

-- Al K. Lloyd (all@ready.now), October 08, 1999.

Owl, check in once in a while if you can. Whatever you do, C.Y.A. And best of luck to ya!!!!!

Anybody seen my favorite power guy, Mr. Cook, PE, lately? I hope he sees this thread... <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

Owl,

My prediction is you'll be back. There just isn't anywhere else to get the best info. So, see ya later!

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), October 08, 1999.

Owl,

All the best if you must fly. I'm among those who will listen in the night for your voice.

Faith

-- Faith Weaver (suzsolutions@yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

So long, Owl. Been good readin your stuff. Don't forget to keep up with current events.

Godspeed,

-- Pinkrock (aphotonboy@aol.com), October 08, 1999.

We'll miss you, buddy!

Stay safe.

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), October 08, 1999.

Godspeed and keep the Faith. Have a good one and stop by again if you can:)

-- CygnusXI (noburnt@toast.net), October 08, 1999.

See ya tomorrow.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), October 08, 1999.

<< Some of the most well educated idiots We've ever known have been engineers. >>

Hey! I resemble that remark!

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

Owl, your contributions will be missed. Please drop in now and then, when you have time.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), October 08, 1999.

Although I've been reading up on the y2k thing for a couple years, I still am making preps and purchasing the last couple "things" that'll be useful to my children far into the future. I didn't start participating in these forums until lately. I'm sure it seems you're beating a dead horse and simply regurgitating the same info. over and over. However, there ARE some people that are just now GI. If there's any advice you can offer them at this late date, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. If you simply cannot bear to stick around any longer, then I pray things go well for you and yours well into and beyond Jan.1.

beej

-- beej (beej@ppbbs.com), October 08, 1999.

Al--I don't work there anymore, this incident happened about 10 years ago. I sat in on all the meetings relating to the incident. Heads rolled that's for sure!

-- witnessed it myself (witnesseditmyself@witnesseditmyselff.xcom), October 08, 1999.

Peace and good fortune to you!!

-- Billy-Boy (Rakkasn@Yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

Owl, we'll miss you. You've written some very interesting serious posts. Thanks. Don't erase this site from your Bookmarks/Favorites :-)

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), October 08, 1999.

Be well Owl. (And fly on silent wings).

;-D

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), October 08, 1999.

Shakey:

The number of embedded systems doesnt matter. Its how many have a date (note date, not time) function, and how important is it? We have a lot of embedded systems. Many have dates. But here is the clue. All the date does is tell you the date. It doesnt control anything. Maybe you being on vacation is a good idea.

Witnessed it myself: Close enough, close enough. Ran like hell too.

At most places engineers (unless they call them Operating Engineers) only work days. Ditto electricians, line crews, etc. For one you usually have to pay a night differential. Its usually in the union contract. Two is that a lot of people dont like to work shifts. The main question was what caused the explosion. From what you wrote it sounds like a human error led up to it.

Will Continue.: I would have said IT people myself.

-- The Engineer (The Engineer@tech.com), October 08, 1999.

Yup. You're correct Engineer. The complete *idiocy* of Y2K took an enormous 'group effort'. My role in it's ultimate demise will have been to have ever expected so many 'brilliant' minds could have been so completely blind to such a simple and obvious *flub*. That, plus my role as a 'consumer' for the past 25 years. It's taken an awakening to Y2K, 18 months ago, to finally polish the grass stains off of my teeth.

Factor in the total *stupidity* of building ENTIRE civilizations upon something as fragil, delicate and interconnected as a spider's web....and we now have, "stupid gets what stupid deserves".

BTW, for the past 18 mos, we've been relying on the group efforts of the same incompetent folks who put this entire class act of STUPIDITY together in the first place.......TO CORRECT IT. Wow, that was just plain dumb on our parts, right? Wrong. We acknowledged the stupidity of placing our lives into the 'same hands' AGAIN and bought a farm in the country and have been preparing it ever since. We've finally taken responsibility for our own existence.

It would be impossible to blame any one particular profession for this. It has taken many of them to fall into the trap of WORSHIPPING technology to begin with. Foolish, well educated idiots.

Keep worshipping, Engineer..............I believe Gov. Ventura would call you 'weak minded'. Yes, I'm sure that's what he said. Perhaps 'a' could verify this.

:)

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 08, 1999.

Just for the record, if you put Ventura's political views aside, he is a bumbling, clueless, head-in-the-sand, horse's ass. Too bad, but just HOW much can anyone expect from a classless act like that? I'm sure the entire country could count on him to be the first president to make Larry Flint look like a choir boy. What a joke. I'm gettin' pretty sick of laughing at this country's political 'freak act'.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 08, 1999.

Will Continue:

Excuse me but I think you are the one who is confusing technology with religion. It sounds like it with you using phrases like your awakening to Y2K. There is no way to prove or disprove any belief. Hindus believe in reincarnation. You cant prove its true or not true any more then you can prove or disprove that Catholicism is a better religion then Judaism or vice versa. Its what ever works for you.

If you jump off a 100 foot cliff your belief or disbelief in gravity doesnt count. Reality wins. Technology doesnt care what your belief is. If you do it right, it works. If not, it doesnt. Its not a belief.

And an ENTIRE civilization built on the spiders web? Oh, please that old saw? Everything is interconnected, you cant run things manually, The domino theory, blah, blah. You can believe that if you want. It has no basis in reality. If that were true then anything, not only Y2K, could and would have brought the system down a long time ago.

-- The Engineer (The Engineer@tech.com), October 08, 1999.

Solitary 'events', occuring sporadically in an otherwise functioning environment CANNOT be compared (as you have just done) to a world- wide disruption which will occur nearly simultaneously. I can't believe you have actually attempted to use that ancient arguement, "We handle emergencies every day" crap.

Thank god we didn't place our lives in *your* hands, buddy. Obviously you aren't in touch with the potential ramifications of this particular 'event'. You need to get out more. Crack the lid on that box you've so diligently been working within, and then contact a reputable solar company.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 08, 1999.

Dang, Owl, at this point how can you leave? Honestly, this really is the best place to get info. Hope you at least stop by occasionally.... You will be missed.

And Will continue, how Can you? Your in-your-face skirmishes with nitwits like "The Engineer" and other pollies are absolute classics. In a word: Stay, stay, stay.

-- King of Spain (madrid@aol.cum), October 08, 1999.

OK King. For now. I can't leave anyway. I've tried. I certainly hope you've stocked astringent........just thought I'd suggest that.

Owl? Don't soar off too far. We need every GI this country can muster. Nocturnal preditors make great allies!

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 08, 1999.

The Engineer--It was human error that led up to the accident. The Senior Operators apparently liked to doze off leaving less qualified operators to run the show. Shift work went by seniority, leaving the youngsters at night to run the show along with a Senior Operator. If I remember correctly, there were about 8 people singled out and reprimanded including the Safety Engineer who went home at 4:30 p.m. All those "Senior Management" people were terminated shortly after the incident, they were NOT protected by the Union. But what happened there was costly equipment damage and generating down time. It was the engineers that sat around all day doing nothing that boggled my mind. It was the personnel that were not being properly trained in their chosen field that scared me. I left shortly after the incident and never did find out what happened. The plant is still operating to this day, but I think it has been sold to another power company.

-- witnessed it myself (witnesseditmyself@witnesseditmyselff.xcom), October 08, 1999.