Why do all the threads end up in pissing contests?
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Why do all the threads end up in pissing contests?
Come on Guys (and girls if any even bother to look here). Pprune Mil Aircrew used to be a forum where we could all have a bitch and moan about things that were happening to us or even to divulge a few official secrets (by accident of course). But now it seems to be a forum where what starts off as a serious thread very quickly becomes a slagging off between Merlin and Nimrod, Muds v's Fighter Jocks, VC10s Tri and C130s. I don't post very often but I do keep an eye on things and it really has deteriorated rapidly - the poor old E3 guys can't get a word in edgeways now for fear of a severe slagging, possibly because of a lack of any real experience of operations or maybe they just can't be bothered any more. Please lets stop slagging each other off in such a public manner, we SHOULD ALL have a role in a fully balanced Military Force, even the Navy has a role in curent ops ... somewhere.
The fact of the matter is that the UK Government has sold us all down the river. We are punching way above our weight on the international stage and there are too many levels of management right across the services and even all of the public sector.
If MOD were a public company we would have gone to the wall years ago, that or had many major restructuring sessions to cull out the inverse pyramid of power that we have now. We need to take a leaf out of the Israeli Defence forces and look at their force structures. I bet they have far more front line Battle Tanks, Missile Systems, Ships, Aircraft etc etc compared to high level staffs and civil servants than any of the other World armed forces. Lets face it they are the ones who we should all be modelling ourselves on - politics aside.
The sad thing is that whilst we have the luxury of being able to banter away on such a back stabbing forum that this has now sunk to, another 4 UK troops have lost their lives this week due to a lack of sufficient decent equipment supporting them on the ground whether that be, SH, ISTAR, CAS, MEDIVAC assets, hardened vehicles or body armour. We all try our best with what we have left and that is what makes the British Armed Forces what they are.
Meanwhile the Defence Ministers sit in their Ivory Towers and congratulate themselves on saving another 5% off the future budget by delaying yet another project that the military needs.
WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT AND IT IS TIME WE STARTED TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER
One day you might actually need that E3! (60 miles across the Iranian Border with Migs all around)
The fact of the matter is that the UK Government has sold us all down the river. We are punching way above our weight on the international stage and there are too many levels of management right across the services and even all of the public sector.
If MOD were a public company we would have gone to the wall years ago, that or had many major restructuring sessions to cull out the inverse pyramid of power that we have now. We need to take a leaf out of the Israeli Defence forces and look at their force structures. I bet they have far more front line Battle Tanks, Missile Systems, Ships, Aircraft etc etc compared to high level staffs and civil servants than any of the other World armed forces. Lets face it they are the ones who we should all be modelling ourselves on - politics aside.
The sad thing is that whilst we have the luxury of being able to banter away on such a back stabbing forum that this has now sunk to, another 4 UK troops have lost their lives this week due to a lack of sufficient decent equipment supporting them on the ground whether that be, SH, ISTAR, CAS, MEDIVAC assets, hardened vehicles or body armour. We all try our best with what we have left and that is what makes the British Armed Forces what they are.
Meanwhile the Defence Ministers sit in their Ivory Towers and congratulate themselves on saving another 5% off the future budget by delaying yet another project that the military needs.
WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT AND IT IS TIME WE STARTED TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER
One day you might actually need that E3! (60 miles across the Iranian Border with Migs all around)
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Well expressed opinion of the reason why so many aircrew who used to post here and knew what they were talking about have long gone. This site is now largely populated by those who know nothing about the subject but nevertheless express themselves and their ignorance. It is also populated by many who are clearly disgruntled and looking for an outlet to vent their spleen.
Now the above should provide an ideal opening for the typical Prune slagging match and this thread is still so young!
Now the above should provide an ideal opening for the typical Prune slagging match and this thread is still so young!
nav attacking:
Then surely the answer is to do what PPRuNe does best, calling for such deficiencies to be put right! As you say they have cost lives and will cost even more, often with little or no enemy input. This forum in particular has the knowledge and experience required to campaign for the lack of UK military airworthiness provision to be addressed. Aircraft must be made fit for purpose, which the Hercules, Nimrod and Chinook threads have shown has been far from the case to date. An independent (of the MOD) Military Airworthiness Authority is the way to go IMHO. Can we have a grown up discussion about that, or is banter all that is on offer?
The sad thing is that whilst we have the luxury of being able to banter away on such a back stabbing forum that this has now sunk to, another 4 UK troops have lost their lives this week due to a lack of sufficient decent equipment supporting them on the ground whether that be, SH, ISTAR, CAS, MEDIVAC assets, hardened vehicles or body armour. We all try our best with what we have left and that is what makes the British Armed Forces what they are.
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Why do all the threads end up in pissing contests?
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This forum is an invaluable source of interest, information and rumour, for a whole host of different people. The problem is, with discreet IDs, you do not know who the poster is and, more importantly, what their 'angle' is.
If you post an issue about, say, the A400, the chances are that you will be savaged by someone very close to Airbus, but not declaring so. Post one about Harriers, and there will be an instant RAF/RN bun fight.
In the midst of all of this, throw in the odd journo dropping pebbles into the pond, seeing who will react, and feeding off the proceeds.
So pissing contests are part and parcel of PPrune.
If you post an issue about, say, the A400, the chances are that you will be savaged by someone very close to Airbus, but not declaring so. Post one about Harriers, and there will be an instant RAF/RN bun fight.
In the midst of all of this, throw in the odd journo dropping pebbles into the pond, seeing who will react, and feeding off the proceeds.
So pissing contests are part and parcel of PPrune.
Last edited by KG86; 2nd Mar 2009 at 13:46.
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WAHH
Why is it that Navs always complain when they are outwitted and outfoxed? It is not like it is that challenging.
Charlie sends
From the frontlines
Charlie sends
From the frontlines
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Unfortunately the OP is spot on. This network has really bottomed out on quality over the last few years and the interesting and informative information becomes harder to find than OBL
One possible reason is that the general level of frustration, disappointment, even rage, is building up out there.
Amongst the UK military, the constant "make do with less" approach, even before the credit crunch, is wearing - let alone your 4th, 5th, 6th time out to somewhere hot and sandy. Then there is working with 30yr old plus aircraft, VC10, Tristar, Nimrod, C130K, lack of people, etc
Even amongst the non military UK population, frustration is mounting during the credit crunch, with bankers, MPs perks, supposed gold plated civil servant pensions, etc. The politics of envy is surfacing generally.
All in all not happy times for many.
Of course I might be wrong - I have been before, and apparently I am naive!
Amongst the UK military, the constant "make do with less" approach, even before the credit crunch, is wearing - let alone your 4th, 5th, 6th time out to somewhere hot and sandy. Then there is working with 30yr old plus aircraft, VC10, Tristar, Nimrod, C130K, lack of people, etc
Even amongst the non military UK population, frustration is mounting during the credit crunch, with bankers, MPs perks, supposed gold plated civil servant pensions, etc. The politics of envy is surfacing generally.
All in all not happy times for many.
Of course I might be wrong - I have been before, and apparently I am naive!
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Biggus,
Everyone is naive when compared to the mighty stanketblacker!!! He is a font of great knowledge and wisdom and is surely wasted as a Jack Dusty!
You are correct, many are currently unhappy. I don't see it as a pi55ing contest merely robust inter-service rivalry! Long may it continue............why even Beagle's comments evoke reactions at times..........
Everyone is naive when compared to the mighty stanketblacker!!! He is a font of great knowledge and wisdom and is surely wasted as a Jack Dusty!
You are correct, many are currently unhappy. I don't see it as a pi55ing contest merely robust inter-service rivalry! Long may it continue............why even Beagle's comments evoke reactions at times..........
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Its nice to be appreciated SJ though don't lay it thick for me, keep some for yourself. I'm sure even you know a thing or two about something useful.
As you quite rightly say though*, its not a p!ssing contest. Its a healthy dose of inter-service rivalry, something that has been going on for years and sees no sign of stopping.
Of course the internet is a fickle beast and what would in a bar or crewroom be immediately obvious as banter can come across as slightly more edged due to the relatively limited written format in which comments are made.
*(See, I told you you might know something useful.)
As you quite rightly say though*, its not a p!ssing contest. Its a healthy dose of inter-service rivalry, something that has been going on for years and sees no sign of stopping.
Of course the internet is a fickle beast and what would in a bar or crewroom be immediately obvious as banter can come across as slightly more edged due to the relatively limited written format in which comments are made.
*(See, I told you you might know something useful.)
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Life is a pissing contest.
Ask Darwin. He called it evolution, because pissing contest seemed a bit rude.
Modern civilisation does it's best to disguise it, but underneath it all, it's still there, and when nations get involved, its the military that does the pissing.
So essentially, the answer to your question "Why do all the threads end up in pissing contests?" is because this is a military forum, and we are the cock, metaphorically speaking........or not metaphorically in the case of the RAF.
Hope that clears it up.
Ask Darwin. He called it evolution, because pissing contest seemed a bit rude.
Modern civilisation does it's best to disguise it, but underneath it all, it's still there, and when nations get involved, its the military that does the pissing.
So essentially, the answer to your question "Why do all the threads end up in pissing contests?" is because this is a military forum, and we are the cock, metaphorically speaking........or not metaphorically in the case of the RAF.
Hope that clears it up.
Last edited by Tourist; 3rd Mar 2009 at 16:56.