[M.D. Holloway]

I just got out of a meeting with my boss (Exec VP) and a R&D scientist who is new to our company. I guess he didn't like a memo I copied him on because he proceeded to edit it with words like WRONG! YOU’RE STUPID! GO BACK TO SCHOOL!

My boss and I just looked at each other and laughed - the thing is, all the stuff I wrote correctly states the present situation with diesel fuel and how biodiesel and ULSD is effecting customers equipment. This is field data pure and simple - no conjecture.

So my boss asked him a simple question "and how much time do you spend in the field in order to understand what is really going on?" to wit he replied he was in the field for two days. My boss then asked "and how many reps do you talk to on any given day?" To wit he replied "one or two".

So my boss said that "Mike spends at least 75% of his time in the field talking with mechanics and technicians and seeing this stuff first hand, as well as fielding around 100 calls a day from reps and managers, so its far to say that your opinion is based on what you have read and not actually what you have witnessed or surveyed or even understood to be true in real world applications?" To wit he said "well...err...”

We didn't say anything for a few minutes. I finally said "I know you mean well and perhaps have more passion than most. I do not take offense to what you have written compared to the offense others might take. I do want to know what you think though. I'm gonna tee it up as a sarcastic sense of humor is all and leave it at that".

"Ya, that’s all it was - sarcasm is all, no offense" He said.

"Cool, but remember what they say about sarcasm, it’s the hobgoblin of a weak mind and tortured soul. And you sir do not seem to me to have a tortured soul but then again what you do in your spare time is entirely your own business."

My boss told me I handled that better than he would have - points. Mind you, my boss is the most laid back calm person I know and he was visibly pissed at him.

And so it goes, and so it goes and so it goes...