Tuesday 23 September 2008

Another Day At A Medium-Sized International Bank I

I got to three in the series but have to call a halt. Since there is no longer such a thing as an Investment Bank, I'll have to give up pretending that I work at one.

In battle there is a phenomenon called the "fog of war." This describes the general state of confusion and uncertainty that, despite extensive planning and preparation, is an absolute certainty to engulf the command and control system when the sh+t hits the fan. Communication becomes garbled, messages are sent to the wrong people, and important decision-makers are left out of the loop. Meanwhile, on the front line the troops are pedalling nineteen-to-the-dozen to keep the ship afloat, even if the rudder is pointing in the wrong direction.

Not sure I feel comfortable going beyond metaphor today, so I'll leave it there. Tin-hats on lads...

6 comments:

70steen said...

I was wondering how you were fairing... is it battern down the hatches or is 'over the tops chaps'?
Current events have made me think how I am glad I am a public servant.... unless I loose some data
(how long will this go on for I so hate this feeling ......)

Daddy Papersurfer said...

You can do it Duffy Moon! ..... probably

tNb said...

As a survivor of another fog of war in the late 90's, all I can say is: buckle up and trust your instincts. Sometimes when the sh*t hits the fan it's really a blessing in disguise ...

Somnambulist said...

@70steen - We're surviving thanks, as long as the whole system doesn't implode, which seems a little less likely this week. Fortunately the US taxpayer has kindly agreed to fork out an extra trillion bucks to save us impoverished bankers from destitution. Think you'll need to look elsewhere for any kind of justice though...

@DP - *puffs cheeks* ... saves the world with willpower alone. Oops, pardon me. Shouldn't strain so hard...

@tnb - thanks for the advice. Perhaps we will get a chance to swap battlefield stories over a glass of vino verde one of these days :-)

Anonymous said...

Having just got home from an extra-time two hour pedalathon which led me up the kindergarten strasse and back via cluelessville I have decided the answer to all of our problems is.... A Pineapple. Goodnight.

Oh btw, I'm off sick for the next 12 yrs.

Somnambulist said...

I refer you to tomorrow's / today's post.

I'll pick up the pineapples on the way in...