Off topic But call me crazy or stupid

In my past life I worked for a company that I helped build from three people (including myself) to 30+ employees with one of the best reputations in the industry for technical support (for wireless communications). We would even get calls from people who didn’t have our products but would try to “trick” us into helping them. When the one business partner forced out the other, who had been running the company up to this point, the place went to hell and the new president (the remaining partner), who didn’t like me, started taking his years of frustration out on me as well as most of the other employees who “didn’t see his vision” (he’s nuts and compares himself to Gates and Jobs). Fast forward a few years (I stayed way to long), I put together a spectacular display for Automation Fair using one of our newer products that wasn’t being marketed very well and could have made a significant impact on wireless automation. I wasn’t going to go to the show but was promised some conditions I had for going so I went. At the show, after finding out I was lied to and being talked into staying, I stepped in and stopped a customer who was leaving because he wasn’t getting the idea from the “sales person” (mainly because the sales person had no idea what PLC’s were let alone how our products integrated with them). After about ten minutes of correctly explaining what the product did and could do for him, I brought in the other sales person in (who was great) to give this customer a quote and displace one of our competitors, who’s products they had already ordered. The next day we received an order for over 30 units. It was a good show and the display was very well received including from Rockwell top execs. I flew back on Friday and first thing Monday morning I had two Emails, one congratulated me on the quality of the display and getting the order. The other was to inform me that I was going to be going on a 15% reduction in pay to help weather the poor winter sales. The “sales person” (the incompetent one) didn’t get a reduction and was also credited for “hold up his end in an environment that was foreign to him”. I finally left (again, much to late) and now the company is all of 7 people and the “president” has been pouring his own money into the business just to try and recoup what he had already invested (Karma’s a…:eek:). A solute to crappy bosses 🍑
 
Last edited:
I worked 4.5 years for a company as a maintenance tech and did the bulk of the PLC work in the plant. I was on nights. Saved the company a ton of money with upgrades and support though my PLC knowledge. I worked directly with the engineers, side by side with them. Was the only tech who was involved in programming projects and controls projects. I was even sent to training by the company.. There was only one automation engineer in the plant. He moved roles. I applied. I got the interview...

... and it was a complete joke. Within the hour I had an email saying “we are going with an outside candidate”. I bit the bullet and stopped doing controls work for the company. The most insulting part? The new guy was an elderly gentleman and had to take medical leave. They ask me to backfill the position just till he returns. I told my boss to shove it and to backfill my position too because two weeks I’d be gone. He was shocked for some reason.
 
Spelling and grammar

Sparkie, Steve, MK42! Thank you!

I have been trying gently for ages to make suggestions to improve readability. I had almost given up until I saw this thread.

I know most of us are highly skilled in controls, electrical, robots, et cetera. But if we make basic grammar or spelling mistakes in a report or letter to a co-worker (at whatever level and discipline he or she happens to be -- from management to janitor) or a public forum where literally anyone can read it, then our veracity or intelligence may also be doubted.

On a break in the near future, I am going to add a post with some of the very common and very avoidable ones, hoping that others may chip in and share, and we can all learn from it. Any questions about why, I'll be glad to give my input.
******************************************
Some of the most common ones:

YOUR / YOU'RE
The contraction of you are versus the possessive form of you.
You're going to be fixing your machine tomorrow.

ITS / IT'S
The possessive form of it is its. It's means it is.
It's satisfying to see a machine working on its own.

THEN / THAN
Then is for time sequences, than is for comparisons.
More than, less than, rather than, etc.
I'd rather do it right than do it twice. (I don't want to do it twice)
I'd rather do it right then do it twice. (So I'll do it three times?)

HAVE / OF
Would have, should have, might have, etc.
The common contraction 've (e.g. should've) sounds like of, but is never written of.

PLURALS
Apostrophes are only for making contractions and showing possession, never for making words plural.

A LOT / ALLOT / ALOT
There is no such word as "alot" [sic].
I am going to allot some time reading to see if a lot of you have learned this.

For a fun discourse on grammar, look up and watch Weird Al Yankovic's Word Crimes.

grammar-meme.jpg
 
Last edited:
Its and it's are easy to get mixed up. The apostrophe denotes both the missing letter(s) in a contraction and the possessive. Since "its" is the possessive and "it's" is a contraction you just have to remember which usage of the apostrophe takes precedence. Does anyone know of a memory aid for its/it's?
More and more I see the possessive and the plural getting mixed up. I sometimes wonder if within our lifetimes we'll see common usage force a swap and the apostrophe will denote the plural and the lack of the apostrophe will denote the possessive.
 
You have one life too live and if you don't have major commitments, I wouldn't worry about finding your next role. My company, as well as every single customer I have, is constantly searching for controls engineering and E&I techs. There are more jobs than the industry seems to be able to fill.

I'm sure you'll find something worth your while in no time; just don't settle for the same.

Cheers,
Vlad
 
Yeah when I worked heating and cooling for 2 years the boss wouldn't let me write anymore invoices because it looked like a 5 year old wrote it. One of my big problems is seeing letters that aren't there when I read and write and writing a word other then the one I want to.

I tried for a few years to be able to write better it didn't work I get my writing from my dad he had the same problems as me.
 

Similar Topics

This is the motor nameplate from one of the powder hoist motors on the USS Texas an older generation battle ship, built in 1911-1914 ish. The...
Replies
1
Views
283
Totally off topic, but strange observation. I purchased a few cisco ethernet switches off of ebay some years ago. They are part of a home lab...
Replies
6
Views
2,052
Good morning, Please excuse me if this is too off topic here, but it is a programmable controller of sort. I have an Omron ES100P temperature...
Replies
4
Views
2,314
Which way is up and what's that strange looking bug? I was trying to login to micro_cr*p team_Shi* and it wouldn't let me because I exhibited...
Replies
10
Views
2,658
Hi folks, I have a hydraulically driven rake in a clarifier that rotates at about .18 rpm. When there is a process upset, the bed of the...
Replies
12
Views
3,690
Back
Top Bottom