But rarely have observers of the state's capitol in Albany been as taken aback as they have in recent days, when the Republican minority in the state Senate fed a mini-revolt that led to the overturning of the Democratic majority in that house. One of the largest government bodies in the entire free world is now paralyzed, at least for now, and the state's business has ground to a halt.

How did it happen?

According to The New York Times and other outlets, the state Senate's Democratic leader, Malcolm Smith, met with Paychex Inc. founder, billionaire and gadfly Thomas Golisano to discuss ways to cut state spending. According to the Times:

(Golisano) expected an audience befitting a major financial patron. Instead, he said, Mr. Smith played with his BlackBerry and seemed to barely listen. "I said, 'I'm talking to the wall here,' " Mr. Golisano recalled in an interview on Tuesday.

That meeting led to the dramatic collapse Monday of the Democrats' grip on the Senate majority as a frustrated Mr. Golisano secretly planned with Republicans to persuade two Democrats to join them in ousting Mr. Smith.

Forget the politics for a minute. We've all been there: that business meeting, face-to-face conversation with colleagues, business partners or others that includes one party (usually the other guy) focusing more intently on texts and e-mail via BlackBerry or iPhone than on the business at hand. Golisano did the next-best thing to grabbing the other guy's BlackBerry and throwing it against a wall.

A top government leader in New York may be out of a job due, in part, because he fiddled with his BlackBerry instead of making eye contact.

Technology can help you attain a better job and more power. It can also help you out of a job.