Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Madness @ Work

The following is an inordinately-long post. You have been warned.
This showed up in my Instant Messenger the other day:

(12:55:14) RMA Dude: (reference to a specific inventory item): the 4 in the title refers to the bearings, as there are only 2 rails?

I click through our magical inventory machine and find the appropriate ad with the following title: "Lot: 4x Winkel 4.054 Combined Bearings + 25ft. Profile" Failing to see a point of confusion, I read the ad text:

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You are bidding on a lot of FOUR Winkel Model 4.054 Combined Bearings with two pieces of Profile (approx. 25 feet combined length). These parts are used, with some minor blemishes from use and installation/removal. The bearings roll easily in their profiles; no other testing was done. The ends of the rails are so cut that they can be combined into one continuous rail, or you could use them separately. Length of the shorter rail is approx. 140". The bearings are all welded to flanges that have threaded mounting holes. Note: current MSRP for this lot is just over $1,000. NO manuals or additional accessories are included if not shown. Photos show a typical lot.

Advantages of Combined Bearing Systems:

  • Reduces design and production costs
  • Strong profiles for high stat. and dynamic loads
    • Load rating (static, to sides of profile): 9,400N
    • Load rating (static, to depth of profile): 3,100N

  • Best dispersion of forces in the profiles
  • Longer lifetime for bearings and profiles
  • Bearing components are easily exchangeable

  • And then I looked at the photo showing the whole lot:

    Photobucket

    And the number of included bearings:
    Photobucket

    To be fair to the insane other side of the conversation, here are the rest of the images with that lot:

    Photobucket
    Photobucket
    Photobucket
    Photobucket

    Then the conversation continued:

    (13:00:16) VFD: the title says 4 bearings
    (13:00:24) VFD: te text says four bearings
    (13:00:26) RMA Dude: keep reading
    (13:00:50) VFD: failing to see a problem
    (13:00:56) RMA Dude: obtuse
    (13:01:03) VFD: tired & allergic, thanks
    (13:01:05) VFD: what?
    (13:01:15) VFD: photos show 4 bearings
    (13:01:27) RMA Dude: better title Lot: 4x Winkel 4.054 Linear Bearings 23ft Rails Profile
    (13:01:44) VFD: only for blind, non-english speaking customers. change it if you like
    (13:02:13) RMA Dude: Dave, you have some confusion about what the task is here, I believe
    (13:02:27) RMA Dude: you not sales guy at all
    (13:02:30) VFD: I have some lack of seeing what is wrong with a clear title, text, and photograph
    (13:02:38) RMA Dude: it is not clear
    (13:02:40) VFD: I worked in sales 5 months as a kid & got fired
    (13:02:50) VFD: it is clear unless you are dum
    (13:03:00) RMA Dude: then you are saying I am dumb
    (13:03:05) VFD: I didn't put the sales stuff on my resume BTW
    (13:03:10) RMA Dude: but that is always your reaction to crit
    (13:03:23) VFD: always is a big word
    (13:03:25) RMA Dude: problem is elsewhere
    (13:03:30) VFD: it is this time
    (13:03:37) VFD: as far as I can tell
    (13:04:02) RMA Dude: naturally you are RIGHT
    (13:04:11) VFD: :) at least we agree on something
    (13:04:22) RMA Dude: (excludes all other viewpoints as inferior)
    (13:04:32) VFD: that's racist!
    (13:04:35) VFD: >:o
    (13:04:43) RMA Dude: if the shoe fits
    (13:04:57) VFD: They don't actually, except around the arch, which is why I wear them
    (13:05:06) VFD: the heels are wearing funny inside, you want to come & see?

    ********

    Aside from RMA Dude hurting my feelings, by not coming over to examine my shoes, I can't see anything wrong here. Am I crazy, or missing something, or what?

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