--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the satellite was down. Not that I was…" description: "\"“the satellite was down. Not that I was surprised. A cow could piss in the road and the damn thing would fuck up on the best of days.”\" — Alice Ward" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/alice-ward-31170_quote_the-satellite-was-down-not-that-i-was-su_1058015.jpg" --- # the satellite was down. Not that I was surprised. A cow… ![“the satellite was down. Not that I was surprised. A cow could piss in the road and the damn thing would fuck up on the best of days.” quote by Alice Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/alice-ward-31170_quote_the-satellite-was-down-not-that-i-was-su_1058015.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/alice-ward-31170_quote_the-satellite-was-down-not-that-i-was-su_1058015.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/alice-ward-31170_quote_the-satellite-was-down-not-that-i-was-su_1058015.jpg) > ““the satellite was down. Not that I was surprised. A cow could piss in the road and the damn thing would fuck up on the best of days.”” [Alice Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker expresses frustration that even a trivial mishap can cause major failure, highlighting the fragility of complex systems. **In simple terms:** Minor problems can ruin big systems. Key Takeaway Expect and plan for small failures. Themes technology frustration fragility Mood iritated cautious Type advisory critical When to use this quote - project planning - software development - engineering - maintenance Key Concepts system reliability risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can we design systems to tolerate small errors? - What safeguards reduce impact of trivial failures? A Different Perspective Even minor issues can cascade into major breakdowns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“AT&T developed cross-country systems of microwave relay towers, which marched across the countryside from coast to coast and border to border, every 20 to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-t-developed-cross-country-systems-of-microwave-relay-towers-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You just pull back for hundreds of miles using the satellite imagery, and all of a sudden this invisible world become visible. 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"We do have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-about-star-trek-came-out-of-stark-s-mouth-before-his-brain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The point of that is, if you look at Walgreen's history, they've always been pioneers in the application of technology. They're the only drugstore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-collins/the-point-of-that-is-if-you-look-at-walgreen-s-history-they-ve-always/) [James Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-collins/) > [Satellite images, maps and blueprints of the whole world, of every city. 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They just didn’t know how to multitask.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ward/men-they-just-didn-t-know-how-to-multitask/) [Alice Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ward/) > [“No one pressured me, especially famous people who thought their farts should be bottled into a custom-made perfume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ward/no-one-pressured-me-especially-famous-people-who-thought-their-farts/) [Alice Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ward/) > [“I sat up and squeezed my ass cheeks together hard. “I really don’t think that’s nec—” Jolie raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ward/i-sat-up-and-squeezed-my-ass-cheeks-together-hard-i-really-don-t/) [Alice Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ward/) > [“Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. My lips hurt from pressing them together to muffle the scream. Sorry, baby Jesus. 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You’re lucky they’re light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ward/a-are-you-s-sure-they-need-it-do-they-ever-jolie-grabbed-a-mirror-and/) [Alice Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ward/) > [“I wasn’t sure what got to me more — the fact that she turned me down and scolded me or that she turned me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ward/i-wasn-t-sure-what-got-to-me-more-the-fact-that-she-turned-me-down/) [Alice Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ward/) [Explore all 16 Alice Ward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ward/) ## More Satellite quotes > [“AT&T developed cross-country systems of microwave relay towers, which marched across the countryside from coast to coast and border to border, every 20 to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-t-developed-cross-country-systems-of-microwave-relay-towers-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“On a visit to the space program, President Kennedy asked me about the satellite. 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"We do have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-about-star-trek-came-out-of-stark-s-mouth-before-his-brain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know what forces Hindi satellite channels to indulge in so much negativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-hattangadi/i-don-t-know-what-forces-hindi-satellite-channels-to-indulge-in-so/) [Rohini Hattangadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-hattangadi/) > [Vickie is so fat that her baby pictures were taken via satellite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/vickie-is-so-fat-that-her-baby-pictures-were-taken-via-satellite/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [The only technology that can 'see' beneath the ground is radar imagery. But satellite imagery also allows scientists to map short- and long-term changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-parcak/the-only-technology-that-can-see-beneath-the-ground-is-radar-imagery/) [Sarah Parcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-parcak/) > [Friends DON'T let friends watch the Oprah Winfrey Network!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-abraham/friends-don-t-let-friends-watch-the-oprah-winfrey-network/) [Christopher Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-abraham/) > [When we did the pilot, I sort of pictured this guy pirating a signal and then this story unfolding of him building this satellite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-hodgson/when-we-did-the-pilot-i-sort-of-pictured-this-guy-pirating-a-signal/) [Joel Hodgson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-hodgson/) > [“SpaceX is in the process of creating the greatest environmental catastrophe I have ever witnessed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/spacex-is-in-the-process-of-creating-the-greatest-environmental/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [You just pull back for hundreds of miles using the satellite imagery, and all of a sudden this invisible world become visible. You're actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-parcak/you-just-pull-back-for-hundreds-of-miles-using-the-satellite-imagery/) [Sarah Parcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-parcak/) > [I'm a believer that satellite radio, whether I'm on it or not, will take off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stern/i-m-a-believer-that-satellite-radio-whether-i-m-on-it-or-not-will/) [Howard Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stern/) Browse all 85 Satellite quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“the satellite was down. Not that I was surprised. 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