Flirting with disaster

Whenever I say, “This could be a disaster,” it means I am going to cook a new, complicated recipe, I have decided to attempt self-tattooing or I am watching any game involving the Miami Dolphins.

Whenever companies say, “This could be a disaster,” it means either they are engaged in the prudent activity of contingency planning for unforeseen events, or they have received my resume.

Disaster planning for companies runs counter to the whole corporate ethic of always maintaining an outlook more optimistic than that guy on TV who promises you can have flat abs in two weeks. It is almost as if even considering the possibility of something bad happening increases the odds that something bad will happen. This is the kind of ridiculous superstition that is practiced only by high-stakes gamblers and, apparently, anyone involved with FEMA. But realistic companies know it is prudent to make contingency plans for four kinds of disasters: natural, manmade, expected and unexpected.