My shithead kitten just turned off the UPS for the server AGAIN!!!

[HopeHoops]

I have to battle him every day. He doesn't turn it off when I'm not at the computer. It's the challenge of getting past me he seeks. He knows EXACTLY where the off switch on the UPS is and goes straight for it. A couple of days ago I bitched at him and told him to turn it back on AND HE DID! This time I just hauled him out by the scruff of his neck and screamed at him. With 9 TB of disk space, it takes the thing a LONG time to reboot after an "unexpected" shutdown.

If he wasn't so cute and cuddly I'd throttle him. Asshole. But hey, I love him. What can I do?

12 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Throttle him
	0 (0%)
	Cuddle him and go "kiddy widdy woddy woochie woo"
	5 (42%)
	Give him a treat
	0 (0%)
	Throw him in a bathroom and leave him there for three hours
	0 (0%)
	Chill the fuck out and reboot the server
	3 (25%)
	Get a good stiff drink
	1 (8%)
	Go out to a bar and get a good stiff drink
	1 (8%)
	Give up all technology of all sorts and live naked in the woods
	1 (8%)
	Fart in his general direction
	0 (0%)
	Watch "V is for Vendetta" - Remember remember the 5th of November
	1 (8%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Arugula Latte]

1. Just surrender to your Higher Power, the fuzzy kitten.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. our two cats turn off the power strip for the TV every night!

While we sleep, they ransack the house! My wife's sewing/quilting stuff ends up everywhere, spools of thread - so many playthings....it's a cat's world!

[HopeHoops]

5. He managed to get over a book shelf and work his way back to the UPS behind the TV.

We were struggling with trying to figure out why the two lamps on the entertainment center were out (as well as everything else) and finally concluded that it had to have been Peter. My daughter worked her way back in there and hit the button and "HEY!" everything was good. He's so fucking cute, but he's a mischievous shithead.

[Archae]

3. I'm laughing my head off...

This is a common cat behaviour, called "Hampering."

(After the root word "hamper," which is where cats like to hang out so you can't get at the laundry to do it.)

My calico Charlotte either walks in front of the screen, (and she isn't transparent,) or she sits on the printer, switching it on.

[HopeHoops]

6. Yeah, laundry baskets are kitten magnets. They only do it to fuck with you.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. This is a territorial thing.

I suggest you go mark his litter box.

[HopeHoops]

7. No. His sister uses it too. That wouldn't be fair to Tink.

[spiderpig]

8. I just spent 2 solid days on the phone with AT&T after my cat jumped on the

power strip toggle switch, cutting off the modem and router. Merely turning it back on didn't work, and AT&T said I was using an unsupported modem (which we had gotten when the original modem failed and after investigation we saw the AT&T modem had gotten horrible reviews. The user manual specifically had instructions for AT&T users.)

(Blah, blah, blah)

Cost me $108.00 after finally caving and getting an AT&T combined modem/router.

[Patiod]

11. Was on the phone with Verizon for hours

Finally got to someone who could help me with an MCI-Verizon billing issue. Seriously, it took 45 minutes to finally get to this one guy, not to mention all the hours of other calls that got me nowhere. .

He said "I think I know what's wrong...." Silence

I looked at the phone, and the cat had just chewed into the cord connecting the base to the wall and disconnected the call.

She had it between her paw and running through her mouth, and was looking at me like: "what?".

[spiderpig]

13. Hi Patiod! Don't phone trees make you crazy?

I worked for a corporate concierge service that took up an entire floor of a high-rise. You know the "Office Space" layout of cubes.

Well, a large part of our time was calling airlines, hotels, and the like. You'd hear over the dividers "AGENT...AGENT...AGENT!!!!!!!" or "REPRESENTATIVE...REPRESENTATIVE...REPRESENTATIVE!!!!!!"

We all knew the agony of going through options 1-7 and not getting where we wanted to go and being disconnected. One guy was a master of yelling into the phone at the computer voice "I already told you that. Get me a PERSON!!!"

Sounds like your cat is pulling the same feline shenannigans as my Darth Kitty. Bounce around, destroy, and then pull the "who, me?" act. Love them to death though.

[Patiod]

18. Ugh - phone trees

Verizon had shut off my long distance and said it was an MCI issue, and MCI said it was a Verizon issue, and I couldn't call either without going through phone trees.

Turns out MCI claimed I hadn't paid for my voice mail, which I didn't know I had and never used. So Verizon was trying to collect money for a service that a defunct company had not provided. I'm STILL getting collection calls on it, but it's coming up on the 4 year statute of limitations in Pennsylvania

[spiderpig]

21. You have my full sympathy. They stink.

I'm having to transition all the bill paying to Mr. pig as I'm losing my sight.

(Insert blind jokes here)

Distance vision is OK, but I have to use large fonts for close-up viewing. I'm trying to provide him with the necessary billing information and passwords.

Anyway, we have had so many changes in service providers, I seriously don't know who provides what. We went from Pacific Bell to SBC Global to AT&T. I think. And whatever cable service to Comcast to Xfinity. I can't keep track of these guys.

It's hard for me to listen to the instructions and then try to focus on my keypad. I just want to scream.

You have my entire sympathy. Please stay in touch. I love my DU friends.

[Patiod]

26. Good luck, SP!

Gotta love the Longe, where we'll all DU friends!

[Tsiyu]

38. Well, that sucks

No jokes.

And having to hand all of that over and TRUST - yikes, that would be hard for me.

But we will always be here for spiderpig at the old DU. I'm off and on but there's always someone up ready to chat.

Here's to Tomorrow!

[HopeHoops]

15. E-FUCKING-GADS! I had issues with Verizon DSL and got a free replacement modem.

I'm an old-school geek and I knew it wasn't the modem. I told six or seven reps that it wasn't the modem. It was a problem with the local hub. I know how to diagnose that shit. They sent me a knew modem anyway (free) and a couple of days later the problem was resolved. The new modem is still in the shipping box and I'm still using the 13 year old modem I got when DSL hit the area. It works just fine.

Most of the service reps could be my children. They don't comprehend the technology like someone who started with acoustic couplers (120 baud simplex). It just isn't the same now.

Okay, I'm an old fart. And I'm PROUD to be an old fart.

And for the record, my 13 year old modem is a Westell. I don't even know if the company still exists, but it's a damn good modem.

[spiderpig]

25. Hi HopeHoops...

Yeah - I'm an old warhorse like you. And I used to be a web designer!

Yet talking to perfectly nice and friendly reps was making me crazy(er). You can't tell me that they didn't know every keystroke I'd input over the past decade.

I bought an AT&T compatible modem after their (original) Speedstream modem punked out. Everything was fine. Then macho male cat bonked the toggle on the power bar. I turned it back on. Suddenly the reconnection was like preparing for a lunar launch.

As I said, I caved and got a new modem/router, mainly because Mr. pig couldn't exist without internet access. Even the new installation required 3 hours on the phone, because the provided installation graphic instructions didn't tell you that the new equipment would require a default user name of att-whatever.

I am so tired after all of this. Want to split a bottle of Chardonnay?

[HopeHoops]

33. Fuck splitting it. Let's each have one. Been there, done that, didn't get the t-shirt.

AT&T used to be great, but they suck now. And Speedstream never produced a reliable product. Ever.

And Kendall Jackson Special Reserve is my preference - you buying?

[spiderpig]

37. You're on.

A bottle each. To start. My treat.

I feel so bad for responsible representatives on service lines that actually try to help you, but work for crap companies. I've been there. I always go out of my way to compliment them on their courtesy and willingness to help.

However, they're often handicapped by corporate crap and corporate talking points. Again - been there, done that. They're monitored 24/7 (everything's recorded) and are called on the carpet for saying "um" or "but". And in their quality assurance reviews, they're downgraded for not spouting corporate talking points at any opportunity.

I'm looking at you, Rank of Bamerica.

I'd rather put my money in a mattress.

Peace,

spiderpig

[HopeHoops]

39. What I can't stand is when they no NOTHING about the service/product - just the decision tree.

"First I am to be asking you if the unit is plugged into a working electrical outlet."

On a related note, I heard about a tech support call 30 years ago involving a VT100 terminal. Yes, the support person asked if it was plugged in and got an enthusiastic "OF COURSE!" So...

The support person asked the customer to check the power cable because sometimes the cords get plugged in backwards and the terminal won't work with the polarity reversed. After a minute or so, the support person heard a familiar "BEEP" and the customer got back on and said, "YEP! That fixed it. The polarity was reversed."

A VT100 has a 3-pronged plug.

[Lady Freedom Returns]

9. Sit back and have a ...

[HopeHoops]

16. Is there meat on that? If so, no thank you. The smell of it makes me barf.

[haele]

10. I cut an old tupperware-type container to sit over the power switch and duct-taped one side down

so when Willy-Bear of fond memories was going through kitty adolescence, he wouldn't kill my "home office" - including the answering machine and fax, which could have had some serious work implications - doing the same thing on my old brick of a APS UPS back in the day.
Cut wide notches in opposing sides so it would sit across the top and poked a few big holes in for "air flow".
I flipped the container up whenever I wanted to access the switch. He eventually mellowed out

They can be little shits, can't they.

Haele

[Patiod]

12. Ours knocked a cup of coffee from the desk onto the power strip

blowing out the computer and power strip.

We were lucky nothing else was ruined - the monitor and speakers were fine.

But we had to buy a new computer.

[HopeHoops]

17. I'm going to e-mail APC and tell them to put a "ANTI-CAT" cover over the power switch.

Seriously, I'm going to do that. Cars have a cover over the red battery terminal. It can't cost that much to do it with a UPS.

[TrogL]

32. It's called a Molly-guard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_red_button

[irisblue]

28. ^^this^^

I've had to build cat heaterhumper airdirectors out of alum foil and shoe box covers...they can be creative

[Helen Reddy]

14. Who was that genius writer

with this catchy poem?

The only thing wrong with a kitten is that;

It becomes a cat

Cheers! HopeHoops

[HopeHoops]

19. I don't know that one. And I just tried to look it up but got no relevant hits.

It sort of sounds like something Shel Silverstein would have said, but again, no references.

And the "becomes a cat" part is just fine with me. I like the cuddles. When they interfere (help) during sex, that's a problem. Those dangling balls are NOT cat toys!!!!

[Helen Reddy]

20. Oh for pete's sakes!

[HopeHoops]

23. Well, I do have a kitten named "Peter" - he shut off my main server again.

He's cute, but he's a dickhead.

[onecent]

22. Teach shithead kitten to turn on the coffeepot in the morning, teach him to turn

on the television and to turn it up or down when he learns how to answer the phone. LOL Sounds like an adorable "smart" kitten.

[HopeHoops]

24. The coffee pot has an auto-timer. He only wants to shut things down.

On the other hand, shutting things down could be a sign of intelligence!

[littlemissmartypants]

27. Work with him on other tricks

clearly you have a gifted cat. Get him started on alternative energy, quantum physics and voting redesign ASAP! Or maybe...



he could be an astronaut... either way he is a treasure. I will be glad to take him if he needs a vacation. Keep smiling, LMSP.

[progressoid]

29. Ha! One our cats used to do that too.

I had to put a protective cover on the switch.

Now she sits on the printer waiting for paper to come out. Sometimes she manages to push the scanner button and send out a blank piece of paper.

[El Supremo]

30. Leave some plugs loose. >>

[Glassunion]

31. So... It's your cat that's causing all the issues over in freeperland today?

Well played.

[HopeHoops]

36. I wish.

[HopeHoops]

34. Bad news. My wife doesn't want to watch "V" today. She wants to watch a comedy.

[felix_numinous]

35. Totally redesign your home

to accomodate the kitteh--he owns it, and is trying to tell you by hitting all the correct buttons. You have to erect kitty-proof obstacles so he/she does not get tempted. You have a smart kitty!!!

[HopeHoops]

41. Trust me, a 16' concrete wall with razor wire wouldn't keep this guy out.

His sister's even better at escaping, but at least she leaves my equipment alone.

[mikeytherat]

40. Had a cat who did that - figured out he liked the "beep, beep, beep" of the unplugged UPS.

mikey_the_rat

[HopeHoops]

42. Not mine. He's just being a shithead.

[mikeytherat]

43. We had a ferret who hated a porcelain, cow-shaped creamer so much she killed it.

We had to keep it up on a shelf because Bert would try to get to it and attack it. One day she succeeded, and pushed it off the shelf to it's demise.

mikey_the_rat