Spectators Balcony (Spotters Corner)If you're not a professional pilot but want to discuss issues about the job, this is the best place to loiter. You won't be moved on by 'security' and there'll be plenty of experts to answer any questions.
I heard on Radio 4 this morning the continuing saga of a shortage of Medics in the UK. I know there's a shortage of good Engineers, depending upon who you ask there may or may nor be a shortage of Airline Pilots, the RAF certainly struggles.
Last week I was in the Czech republic where I was told they have so many Doctors they don't know what to do with them, and a surplus of Engineers too.
So why the difference, well I've a theory. In the UK we've had TV and video games around for pretty much everybody for at least 20 years. The result is a generation who look for instant results and gratification in everything that they do. The Czechs have awful TV, and nobody's heard of a Sony Playstation. To sort the problem out, we need to ban our kids from playing on their playstations, becoming transfixed in front of the television.
What does anybody else think? If I'm correct, then the majority of professional Engineers, Pilots and AMEs hanging around here are (relatively speaking) averse to computer games and soap operas, and probably spent their youth with hobbies that take time and dedication (reading, building models, seducing young persons of the opposite sex, that sort of thing). Am I right?
National Lottery TV Mobile Phones Internet Increased Litigation Lazy parents using TV as a babysitter and sole source of information and entertainment etc etc
Everything wants, no: believes they deserve something for nothing nowadays, and that they deserve it NOW.
Look at mobile communications compared with 5 years ago - remember when people used to arrange where to meet next time BEFORE they parted? Look at internet connection speeds and unlimited access for £15 a month. People COMPLAIN that it isn't fast enough!
All these wonderful products on TV, and wonderful lifestyles advertised by presenters/celeb gossip (which seems more newsworthy than a diplomatic incident in China) says to the plebs: look how you should be living!
No-one (obviously generic - before someones says 'I am!') is prepared to be patient or work for what they want anymore - it should all be government handouts or is someones else's fault.
And it pi**es me off!!
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...proceeding below Decision Height with CAUTION...
I like to think I'm technically minded - I managed to read from cover to cover both of Chris Carpenter's excellent books on aerodynamics and understand (most of) them...and yet I like my fair share of TV/computer games etc., but have to agree with the hate of mobile phones, my personal favourite being people that play with them between their legs under the desks in school... GET YOUR MINDS OUT OF THE GUTTER!
...where was I? Oh yes, sorry, but I have to disagree.
-tacc
Yeah! thats a great idea! ban all these fun things so in the end we`ll have more people who are highly qualified! great! Whats the point in having highly qualified people and working hard if you ban these fun things? huh? then u end up with some country like Russia used to be where the government controls people too much and makes the purpose of everyones lives hard work! whats the point in working so hard if u cant choose how to spend your free time Your ill thought through idea would take away freedom from people which isnt fair. why should your views be inflicted on others? And what if this did come about but something YOU liked was banned as well(eg cinemas or discos or whatever) what then huh? And whats this nonsense about :"people cant be bothered to work for what they want anymore" huh? well i have a miserable job which I slave away at in order to finance 1 flying an hour a month. ONE a MONTH! And Ive got a holiday right now which I`m using to do schoolwork so i can one day be a pilot so your comments are both dumb and not thought through sure what u say might apply to some people but this doesnt mean the rest of us should suffer for their idleness. And what u say might not even be true, its jsut an unproven hypothesis, maybe what u say is just caused by changes in society in general and not specifically tv and computers.
There is a very simple reason that there is a shortage of engineers in th UK. The pay is 5hite and sadly they command little respect from management types who believe that all they need to do to solve all their problems is to shout louder and louder at the people at the sharp end until something happens. Many young people with the apptitude to become an engineer realise early on that there are many easier and more lucrative ways of earning a crust.
Eggbound and Tigermoth, if you'll re-read what I said, I was suggesting that there are specific reasons why few youngsters are prepared to train to become a doctor, engineer, pilot, or other profession requiring much dedication.
Nobody was suggesting that we should ban these things, neither was I trying to start (yet another) debate about Engineers pay.
So genghis, u werent suggesting we should ban these things? why then, do u use the phrase, and I quote:
" To sort the problem out, we need to ban our kids from playing on their playstations, becoming transfixed in front of the television"
And i still disagree with your unproven hypothesis. Theres no way you can attribute the low numbers of qualified proffesions specifically to tvs and playstations.
I spend hours a week in front of the magic tube, usually in the wee small hours. But one day I might end up edumacated and enlightened like what U is with an OU degree. As usual two of the most influencial inventions of the twentieth century are being rubbished because somebody doesn't happen to like the use to which they are being put. Not long ago (within the last two months) a boy in his mid teens was on the news, making a salary most bank managers would love to see pass through their computers by travelling the world showing off his talents for video game playing. I bet his parents are "disgusted with his wasted use of time"(sic)..! Don't shoot the messenger!
well,if the situation was that bad. then we would have a generation who grew up with pacman running around dark rooms, eating white pils and listening to monotonus electronic music...
Aviation and computer games - discuss....
