Got to agree with you Scott, and what makes it worse is that it's the same around the world, just a different accent. Everybody loves the benchmarking BS but one ends up chasing one's tail, no-one will stick their necks out and be the bench.
I am also astounded as to how a former average colleague from the floor forgets so soon, once they turn to the dark side, how it was on the floor.
The people above the sith apprentices are also control freaks and don't let anyone make a move without their approval, maybe it's because they don't have the same hold on ATC, since we can always say, "Here's a hat, you do it, what?, no license, that's what I thought - now get out of my radar hall!"
<african sigh> We are all doomed...