Just my thoughts on the paying for the endoresment issue.
I agree with all of you, and I doubt that any pilot out there likes the idea. However in reality if someone out there wants to fight what I call a 'moral crusade' they would be virtually on their own - and would be stuck flying whatever it is they are already flying (Not always a bad thing but more frequently it would be). It's oh-so-simple to say that "if everybody just refused to pay.....", but it's not going to happen. At the moment if you refuse to pay to get ahead in your career you will get left behind. Guys I've knocked this system myself, but after some thought on the matter I'm sure I would do the same. I know Aussie that it's easy to get upset about it all, but perhaps just lay up a bit, and try to put yourself in other's shoes. It's only as a unified pilot group, or through a severe pilot shortage, that will stop this practice. Unfortunately I think the latter is the only likely scenario to end it.
By all means lets have a go at these companies, but lets take it easy on our fellow aviators.