A parable of the state of the “hot dot-com” workplace in 2009: The story goes, according to our anonymous submitter in California:
Some executive-level person decided to put a pinball machine into our break area. After several months, someone must have complained about the noise, because a note went up telling us it was not to be played. When some employees decided to play the machine at 7 AM (assuming nobody in the building was in), the note was replaced by a new (more specific) note.
After that, “the machine was unplugged and left to gather dust,” our submitter says…and to silently taunt all of the office’s embittered would-be pinball wizards. Until, one day…multiball!
related: “Popcorn Thursday”
123 responses so far ↓
#1
JetJackson
“And also to post notes on.”
That is just asking for trouble.
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:44 pm rating: 18
#2
Danita
I’ll give them a bulletin board if they give me the pinball machine.
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:53 pm rating: 53
#3
Mel K
What lazy note-makers!
I know that these notes could have been better embellished with random caps, commas and clip art.
C’mon, these tools can be utlised to get people distracted from your message.
An opportunity missed…
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:53 pm rating: 9
#4
Gunderson105
This is discrimination against deaf, dumb and blind kids!
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:55 pm rating: 53
#5
infant tyrone
Too bad the back-glass doesn’t read “Texas Fold Em”.
Too bad the machine isn’t in Omaha**, irony-wise.
.
.
** http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omaha_hold_%27em
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:56 pm rating: 1
#6
Critical Grass
This comment box is not for posting comments on. Just keep staring at the blank space in front of you.
On second thought, just move along, people… Nothing to see here.
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:56 pm rating: 23
#7
charley
that is just pure evil
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:57 pm rating: 5
#8
Canthz_B
That executive still has to pay the Mob for that machine on an hourly basis.
I’ll bet he has family and friends in from 11pm to 5am pumping quarters into that sucker at warp-speed…no matter how attractive the
kneecappedhandicapped parking spaces look!!Dec 6, 2009 at 7:58 pm rating: 4
#9
Geek Goddess
In what dot-com workplace is it ever safe to assume that no one is in and working? Aren’t there techies stashed in little hidey holes all over the building, working away at their little dot-c0m projects any time the building is left unsecured in any way? If the pinball players could get in, assume that there is somebody, somewhere else in there, slaving over a hot computer!
Still, Team Tommy! Everybody else, keep headphones handy.
Dec 6, 2009 at 7:59 pm rating: 11
#10
infant tyrone
Too bad we didn’t have this visual evidence when some were trying to fashion an easily grasped rebuttal to “They hate us for our freedoms”.
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:00 pm rating: 5
#11
infant tyrone
The first pinball machine with flippers was called “Humpty Dumpty”.
Wonder how long it’ll be before this “hot dot-com” enterprise devolves into cyber-shards and the pinball-deprived employees are scattered to the present-day digital analogs of royal courts and stables.
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:10 pm rating: 2
#12
Tim Kolb
No Pinball allowed on your breaks. But feel free to spend an ungodly amount of time playing mindless facebook games while you are suppose to be working.
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:11 pm rating: 6
#13
KC_Sunshine_Man
Dear Employees,
The coffee in the breakroom is not to be drunk ANY TIME. It is only to be viewed.
The magazines in the lobby are soley for “ambience.”
Do not put food in the fridge at ANY TIME.
Sincerely,
Dept. of Pointless Gadgets.
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:11 pm rating: 33
#14
Mel K
Not long until people start writing messages the gathering dust. “Play me”. This is so sad.
It’s as if your parents cancelled your birthday party because you were naughty, but still kept the decorations up.
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:11 pm rating: 16
#15
Catburglar
Why do I have the impression that this is only the beginning? Can we check back in a month or two?
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:15 pm rating: 6
#16
Canthz_B
I just feel bad for that lonesome female socket on the wall.
Stuck there with outstretched male prongs so near, yet so very far away. Having once coupled, now forbidden to be joined in their electric embrace ever again.
She’s hanging in there though…she’s the grounded type.
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:20 pm rating: 28
#17
Flaboy2425
Just another example of inept management doing inane things to keep the frustration level built up in the underlings.
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:20 pm rating: 6
#18
Catburglar
I say, stop with the notes (as detrimental as that might be to PAN) and bring in the sod and the grow-lights. If management wants production…
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:31 pm rating: 10
#19
Peasant
Uh, why not just remove or disable the power cord?
Dec 6, 2009 at 8:47 pm rating: 1
#20
CowTippingBlues
As if pinball machines are that loud. The people complaining were jealous that they didn’t have something to play with that THEY liked. Wah, wah.
Dec 6, 2009 at 9:13 pm rating: 3
#21
Neeners
Would finding a baseball bat crashed through the center of it one morning be enough satisfaction for everyone?
Dec 6, 2009 at 9:17 pm rating: 6
#22
Critical Grass
We should
hijacksteal that pinball machine. Those people clearly don’t deserve it.Dec 6, 2009 at 9:56 pm rating: 8
#23
Canthz_B
There is no reason for a noisy pinball machine to be installed anywhere in a professional environment.
Not when video poker is so much quieter, and the company can easily make half of its payroll back.
Think Big!!
Dec 6, 2009 at 10:20 pm rating: 9
#24
Canthz_B
You know, there would be no pinball anywhere if every piss-ant who can’t master the technique of the gentle shove needed to hit the “special targets” had their way.
Practice you losers, practice!
Do your Chuck E. Cheese time!!
Don’t go off full-tilt.
Dec 6, 2009 at 10:49 pm rating: 5
#25
jinx
WTF? Why didn’t they just get rid of it? Hmmm, people are still playing with after we posted a note asking not to and unplugging it. I’m surprised it wasn’t stole. Maybe only garbage cans are…
Dec 6, 2009 at 10:59 pm rating: 4
#26
Havingfitz
This was followed by a bold, new move: including notes on paychecks announcing “This check is not to be cashed!” and on toilet-paper declaring “Not to be used for wiping!”
Dec 6, 2009 at 11:37 pm rating: 9
#27
AiXeLsyD13
Ridiculous. Sadly, I’ve seen things this ridiculous go down at places where I have worked.
Why not get it out of there if it’s not to be used?
Or… at least say why?
Than again, it wouldn’t be nearly as funny, and we wouldn’t have it here to laugh at…
Dec 7, 2009 at 7:20 am rating: 3
#28
Joe 2
My previous job was run by two brothers. Brother No.1 brought in a Foosball table. No.2 deliberately broke it while playing drunk one night. No.1 blamed the employees and docked our pay.
No.2 never ‘fessed up. Ahh, good times, good times.
Dec 7, 2009 at 10:24 am rating: 4
#29
SonataNo8
Infuriating! Don’t they know how tough it is to find working pinball machines anymore?
Dec 7, 2009 at 10:40 am rating: 1
#30
The_Lost_City
those notes are shopped
Dec 16, 2009 at 11:08 pm rating: 0
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