Nick Weininger, writing at Radley Balko's group blog, The Agitator, says:
It may sound a little goody-goody and boosterish to say so, but I think not nearly enough recognition has been given to the rank-and-file folks who got the power back on this past weekend, from linemen to systems engineers. These are people who help keep the thin veneer of civilization from breaking down utterly. In all the squabbling over Canada and Enron and deregulation that I've seen on the blogosphere, there's been too little simple gratitude toward them.So: thanks, guys.
Too true, and thanks, Nick, for writing that. Go to The Agitator you'll be rewarded by a nice quote from Rose Wilder Lane. Both Lane's comments and Nick's are an illuminating contrast to President Bush, who "assured" the nation that federal, state, and local officials were hard at work on the blackout situation. No mention, as I recall, of the actual engineers and technicians and electricians involved, the hands-on guys who actually were fixing the problem.
I've been looking for a way to blog this, but this reminded me that my impression, the first time I saw Apollo 13, was that the engineers and technicians were the heroes of the movie. I still think so. Another good movie in which an engineer's competence and expertise saves the day: The Flight of the Phoenix. Enjoy these two movies, and imagine what our society might be like if everyone did their jobs the way these guys did theirs.