Here you go. https://www.vicnews.com/news/case-of-troubled-langford-high-rise-heading-to-civil-court/
About 20 years ago, we stayed in a new condo on the lake in Kelowna. There were two levels for parking, one was all steel I-beams criss-crossed throughout to support the building, because it was sinking into the sand. 🙂
jeff
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Diyiggy, you quote lots of BS in your replies.
I'm just a mere Mechanical Engineer who is not worthy of your understanding and superior knowledge of philosophy, perhaps you could explain it all?
Engineers love to find out problems in their (or others') work, so that we can all do better.
We actually do understand that nothing is perfect, and that we don't know everything.
Unlike some others.
Just one example, which 100% of our freshman engineering students were required to see:
We actually do understand that nothing is perfect, and that we don't know everything.
Unlike some others.
Just one example, which 100% of our freshman engineering students were required to see:
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I know a lot of people that have gone to a university and they can't put a shelf on a wall straight or it falls off. How's that for philosphy😆
Forgive my next statement, but I really, really, couldn't resist. Most sane people would not admit they were a "mechanical engineer". Bottom of the barrel..
Electrical engineer, well they are the cat's meow...
At my place of work, my job is to find where the mechanical engineers failed, which is often**. And I will rank on them when they do.
Of course, as a test engineer, that is my job. I diss them, and they return the favor. A very, very, good work environment with lots of comradery.
As to the "lowly techs" vs me the top of the line engineer? We share the same camradery, I diss them at times, they return the favor. It is why I have not retired yet, I truly enjoy all those I work with.
As to R&D... I am in the thick of it, as nothing we do has ever been done before. The trick is to figure out where it can go bad, and do testing and experiments to determine where it can fail. As Verner said, it is about doing what is unknown.
Oddly, I can't edit the citation, it is mountainman bob.bob said:
Bob, you need to work with better engineers.
I consider myself very very good, and I work with mechanical engineers (and technicians) whose work product humbles me. I am lucky in that I work with world class "everybody", so can learn from darn near everyone I come across.
** The mech engineers I work with are building beyond SOTA high field superconducting magnets for production environments. While I enjoy dissing their failures, they are the best on this planet. I know that, and they know that I know that. The best of worlds for me..
John
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Some of my classes in college had rejects from electronics engineering, cause it was too hard for them. 🙂
jeff
I'm lead to believe it's the same here at the University level. And it's not just engineering either. 🙁
jeff
We have gone around and around on this subject of degreed engineers versus technicians who have obtained some circuit design skills on their own. And I doubt that we will ever agree, because you do not see the value of a broader education beyond just circuit design that an engineering graduate receives from a university.
So you continue to dismiss the purpose and value of a well-rounded college education for someone who majors in engineering. Not only is there nothing wrong with being required to take some liberal arts subjects, it rather is a very positive and necessary element of a college education. In fact, I might really like to take Dinosaurs 101, since I know very little about them. It could be a great broadening experience, which is one of the main goals of attending college to begin with.
This concept and image of engineers being very narrow and nerdy is exactly what needs to be addressed. And university requirements to help ameliorate it are much needed.
I have a question for you. Given your choice between flying on an airplane designed by a graduate Aeronautical Engineer or one designed by an aviation mechanic without a degree who has been self taught on the subject, which one would choose? I know which one I would take.
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I reckon its hard to relay my experiences without insulting every engineer here…….that was not my intention.
I was a outside machinist/millwright working in the nuclear field (both hot and cold) you’d think the standards would be high. Mine were certainly expected to be!
There were many brilliant engineers along the way that stood out as ‘hey this feller is on really on time’ but as with most things in life the negative really sticks with you.
As you say we used to joke with them but some of this stuff was serious as a heart attack and you really didn‘t want higher ups hearing any downplay with humor.
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Classicalfan..
Within his environ, it may well be that he has to fix stuff that the engineers messed up. I've no problem with that. I've met many a technician who is good.
My only disagreement (if it can be called that), is that my experience is not the same. I learn from the best.... engineers, physicists, scientists, technicians, admins, plumbers, electricians, janitors, sheetrock mechanics, auto mechs, landscapers....
I always admit my lack of knowledge, I am beyond caring about what others think of me (I had three kids, who between 13 and 21 decided I was really stupid, but when they get a house... decided that dad with tools and fix-it knowledge showing up at their house to fix things, maybe is now suddenly smart)..
John
Within his environ, it may well be that he has to fix stuff that the engineers messed up. I've no problem with that. I've met many a technician who is good.
My only disagreement (if it can be called that), is that my experience is not the same. I learn from the best.... engineers, physicists, scientists, technicians, admins, plumbers, electricians, janitors, sheetrock mechanics, auto mechs, landscapers....
I always admit my lack of knowledge, I am beyond caring about what others think of me (I had three kids, who between 13 and 21 decided I was really stupid, but when they get a house... decided that dad with tools and fix-it knowledge showing up at their house to fix things, maybe is now suddenly smart)..
John
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I am certain it was not.
We all have something to share, words always seem to get in the way.
John
Do you have any proof for this line of reasoning? How do we know exactly how many units of what elective subject areas produces the most "well rounded" engineers? Or is it it mostly just flowery language of claimed benefits lacking any underlying scientific substance?
In particular, in science the truest test of a hypothesis is now well it can predict the future. The only way to find out out if a particular mix of electives produces a more "well rounded" engineer would be to do the experiment with a statistically valid sample of engineering students changing only one variable at a time, and then see to what extent predicted engineering performance is a function of well rounded elective courses as hypothesized.
Mark,
When I speak of a well-rounded education it has nothing to do with future engineering performance. That is a totally different matter. So I'm not suggesting that liberal arts courses will necessarily improve one's engineering abilities.
I am simply saying that a college education regardless of the person's major should provide some amount of exposure and development in areas such as art, literature, history, philosophy, economics, etc. And that those things are necessary to create a well-rounded person. Which is one of the purposes of attending college and earning a degree to begin with.
In fact in my case we were required to take several courses in those non-engineering subjects in order to graduate. Now in retrospect I think it would have been even better to take more of them although at the time I probably didn't think so.
From what I can tell looking breifly at some of the course cirricula at major universities today engineers are in fact required to take some of these courses. Which is I believe is a very good thing. The issue that has come up here is that some posters believe that requiring engineering students to take these courses is to "spend precious time,energy,and money on useless fluff." I couldn't disagree more. And I think that poster has a very narrow view of what a college education should be regardless of the person's major.
When I speak of a well-rounded education it has nothing to do with future engineering performance. That is a totally different matter. So I'm not suggesting that liberal arts courses will necessarily improve one's engineering abilities.
I am simply saying that a college education regardless of the person's major should provide some amount of exposure and development in areas such as art, literature, history, philosophy, economics, etc. And that those things are necessary to create a well-rounded person. Which is one of the purposes of attending college and earning a degree to begin with.
In fact in my case we were required to take several courses in those non-engineering subjects in order to graduate. Now in retrospect I think it would have been even better to take more of them although at the time I probably didn't think so.
From what I can tell looking breifly at some of the course cirricula at major universities today engineers are in fact required to take some of these courses. Which is I believe is a very good thing. The issue that has come up here is that some posters believe that requiring engineering students to take these courses is to "spend precious time,energy,and money on useless fluff." I couldn't disagree more. And I think that poster has a very narrow view of what a college education should be regardless of the person's major.
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I sure hope that is not seriously meant like that (the bottom of the barrel). Maybe there is a point that electrical engineers are mainly working with invisible matter though. In real life one regularly sees electrical engineers being able to adapt to mechanical engineering.
Only last week I was told by a manager that being of the electrical kind I was "limited" when compared to the mechanical engineers (available in abundance)...which took me by surprise 🙂
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