Nails In The Coffin?

I do so love the sweet smell of death in the morning.

When I woke up today, I had expected this to be a rather unremarkable period. Nothing was different, other than the incessant playing of "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin in my head. In fact, the whole day seemed like it was set to be just another one of those days that started too early and can't possibly end soon enough the moment I walked into the office. Then, Fate threw me a bone.

I don't normally run into a whole lot of my former Intelligraph (or Intellicrap, as I prefer to call it). When I do, it usually doesn't add up to much unless it was a party, or something. You see, it isn't all that often that I bump into someone that's still working there. Why is this an event of prominence and some measure of importance to me, you may ask? Well, it is simply because this time around, I heard a few little things that brought a twisted little smile to my face. For all intents and purposes, it would appear that the company I have dubbed "Worst. Employer. Ever." is starting to collapse in on itself.

And I couldn't be happier, even if I orchestrated it myself.

You see, back when I was still there, there were quite a few people and two primary divisions. First was dubbed "E-mail Support," which was smaller than the other division (which I worked in). A few of them were annoying and got on my nerves, but for the most part, they seemed like genuinely nice people. There were more than a dozen people there, though I'm not entirely sure the division ever managed to go above 20 people while I was there. It certainly didn't look to be expanding at the time. Well, it certainly can't expand anymore, if what I've been told is true. You see, I just learned that the entire division --- from top to bottom --- is now gone. Dissolved. Terminated. Wham-bam, thank you ma'am.

Typical Intelligraph procedure, really.

Now, what about the other division? Said other division, "Text Content Services," was what I worked in (read: made a corporate slave of myself in) for a grand total of nine months. What happened to that department? Well, if what I was told earlier is of absolute veracity, then the department, itself, survives. However, there have been some drastic changes. Now, I know that after I left, people in the TCS division started leaving one after another. The resignations were happening even before I left, mind you, but not with the same frequency as afterwards. In one friend's words, "natauhan na." In English, the most accurate (but indirect) translation would be to say that they finally had their "eureka!" moment.

As I said, the division survived, but not entirely intact. From what I was told, there isn't any of the experienced, older writers left. Not a single one. Former editors? Gone. Former writers? Gone. Anyone with even a modicum of writing talent and some grasp of the basics of English writing grammar and style? Look somewhere else. If what I've been hearing is true, and even if it isn't entirely true so long as part of it is, then the ones that got left behind are a bunch of no-talent hacks who can't write their way into kindergarten (let alone out of it!) that are only there because they can be controlled.

What's more, there's only 11 of them now. For a company that was expanding to the point that it considered promoting me to editor sometime near the end of my tenure (I turned it down), the drop is incredible. I know I should be sad, but I can't help but laugh at what's going on. 11 no-talent hacks are, essentially, the only thing keeping that sinking ship from going the way of the HMS Titanic? Does that idiot of a boss actually believe that the company is going to survive --- let alone profit --- with 11 no-talent hacks being the only things keeping it from sinking? I realize rats flee sinking ships, but one must wonder what happens if the rats themselves don't realize the ship is sinking? Intelligraph Corporation is doomed.

Doomed!

Anyone with even the slightest bit of talent has either left, or is well on the way out.

So, are we approaching the end days of the one company that I truly, truly want to see ruined and its owners reduced to being so poor that even the beggars of the street are better off than they are? I sure hope so.

So here's to Intelligraph Corporation and its incomprehensibly idiotic boss, Gene Cruz.

May your business be like a pleasure cruise.

Named the HMS Titanic.