You can either be a #(&@ funnel or a #*#( umbrella.
Gmail product manager Todd Jackson • Describing his job using, uh, common terminology. Jackson, see, uses his job to essentially protect the engineers working on the ultra-popular e-mail program from loads of crap from both the public and the Google bureacuracy, so they can focus on their job of making Gmail better. We want to be a @(&# umbrella, too! It sounds like a lot of fun. source