10 of my Engg. Insights for the Year

I suppose its that time of the year where a post that you make needs to reflect some of the momentousness of the occasion (though you're most probably reading this too late). So, I decided I might as well yield to such an urge and am listing 10 of the most profound insights I've had this year in my professional life as an engineer that I will be taking into the new decade. but Let me start off by allaying your fears that they don't really let me do anything that's as dangerous as what you're about to read... yet.

Again, as in my previous post about engineering, not all of the following is exaggeration...

1) In engineering, 'competence' is getting through drudgery without blowing stuff up, 'enterprise' is competence whilst pretending you're enjoying all of it, and 'experience' is the late realization that neither of the above matters.

2) In engineering, 'humility' is what you experience when you read that one of the 15000 or so 1/4" inch valves you specified in your project costs more than your annual gross income.

3) Engineering is about doing the right thing at the right time and at the right place... but none of that is as important as NOT being anywhere near the thing as its being turned on.

4) A corollary of (3) above is that the world would be a lot safer if it were mandated that the responsible engineer throws the switch for the first time... though leaving it to politicians is gratifying.

5) A poor design is one that blows up in your face; a 'cost-effective' design is one where you know how much time you have to secure payment for it before it goes off.

6) You can always spot a trainee by how close he stands to the bypass valve.

7) I think it says volumes about the hazards of engineering that unlike other professions of erudite learning (law, medicine etc.) , a career in it is never referred to as 'practice'.

8) If everything that CAN go wrong WILL go wrong, I challenge Mr. Muphy to explain how so much of my design is still standing.

9) Any engineer worth his salt knows that you can get further with super-glue and prayer, than you can with just prayer.

10) A layman marvels at the workings of a contraption as its engineer does in that its working.

Look Who's Open for Business

If only Orwell were around to see this...

I am surprised I didn't hear about the official website of the DPRK before. I have no idea when this site came up... it has probably been around forever. Shame it took me so long to get to it.

(The following is best read with 'We are Family' by Sister Sledge playing in the background.)



a) We're Open for Business!

• 'Know How' sounds like our Middle Names: "The business center is composed by DPRK Government Officials, with more than 15 years experience and experts in the fields of foreign relations, international trade and banking. "
• Only the most effecient workers:"Lowest labour cost in Asia."
• Till Death do Them Part: (My favourite) "Education, housing and health service is provided free to all citizens. As opposed to other Asian countries, worker's will not abandon their positions for higher salaries once they are trained."
• Get Straight To Business: "All business made directly with the government, state-owned companies. No middle agents."
• Open All Year Round: "IKBC organizes exclusive business trips every year."

b) They've got uber-cool guided tours.

• Exclusive safaris: "To experience North Korea outside the tourist trail and have interaction with North Korean citizens first hand."
• Where No Non Korean Has gone Before: "A visitor joining the KFA Delegation is not treated as a tourist but as a friend of the DPRK, having access to places, information, insights and events not allowed for regular visitors"
• No Yanks Allowed: "All Passports except USA"

c) Shake that hot commie thing: Official (comm)iStore

• Move over Hannah Montana with "Korean Juvenile Music"
• Moby got Owned: "Pochonbo Electronic Ensemble"
• Femme Fatale Cops: "A Traffic Controller on Crossroads"
• CSI Season 12: "Inerasable Crimes of Japan"

d) Club DPRK: Friends for Life!

• Don't be a Dork: Get a KFA card NOW!
• "Get access to internal KFA meetings and privileged discounts in KFA Delegations. "
• "Anytime you can also confirm identity and position of other members by sending an e-mail with its barcode to korea@korea-dpr.com"

No, we ain't your regular Mickey Mouse Organization!













We ARE THE DPRK!