The grumpy thread

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Quod erat demonstrandum

[fraser.innes.3]

I'm a plumber and have been since I left school in 1988. I have been corgi/gas safe all this time since they brought out acops (acs now) in the early 90's. where do the pompous boiler installers/service/repair guys get the right to call themselves engineers? I thought you needed a degree to be an engineer. My son is currently finishing his A levels with a view to becoming an engineer at uni. It's a small point but it winds me up when other 'plumbers' call themselves engineers.

It's not just in our trade either.

Theoretically you are only allowed to call yourself an engineer if you have completed a recognised apprenticeship in that discipline, or a degree in said discipline. The title 'Engineer' is rated a lot more on the continent, where you can be prosecuted in some countries for calling yourself an engineer if you do not have the required qualifications.

 

So if these guys did an apprenticeship, then they are allowed the title of 'Engineer'.

 

An interesting fact is that engineers are allowed to countersign passports.

 

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[meshking]

Theoretically you are only allowed to call yourself an engineer if you have completed a recognised apprenticeship in that discipline, or a degree in said discipline. The title 'Engineer' is rated a lot more on the continent, where you can be prosecuted in some countries for calling yourself an engineer if you do not have the required qualifications.

 

So if these guys did an apprenticeship, then they are allowed the title of 'Engineer'.

 

An interesting fact is that engineers are allowed to countersign passports.

 

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I have a degree in civil engineering, but I've never practiced it nor went the route of chartered engineer. I thought it was only those that passed the chartered exams that were 'allowed' to use the title engineer.

 

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[puddlethumper]

As I have a c&g in carpentry AND joinery can I call myself a wood engineer ? 

 

I prefer timber technician myself.

[paulplom]

As I have a c&g in carpentry AND joinery can I call myself a wood engineer ?

 

I prefer timber technician myself.

Exactly

 

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[tooSavvy]

Vickers Armstrong, Scotswood Road.....

City & Guilds 'distinction' - Jig&Tool Draughting.

 

FullStop

 

.... ended up fixing fucking tills ....

 

Without doubt, the laziest cunt I know

 

 

TS

Clean hands + pays betterer

[Frogchod]

Technically I was a technician doing an engineers job,so why did I end up training "engineers" straight out of uni how to do their fecking job ?

I'm not talking getting to know the kit we were working on (photo processing machines from the good old silver halide days) but simple tasks

like soldering, basic problem solving and with some of them how to work a fecking screwdriver.

 

Some of them were even happy with Astras as company cars....

[cort1977]

I have a degree in civil engineering, but I've never practiced it nor went the route of chartered engineer. I thought it was only those that passed the chartered exams that were 'allowed' to use the title engineer.

 

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I don't think so, the degree is enough although as pointed out above there is no legislation governing use of the term as in Germany.  I have a degree in Marine Engineering and call myself an engineer even though I am not chartered and spend most of my time arguing about contracts. 

[mat_the_cat]

Not sure if I should post this here, but my aunt died rather suddenly yesterday. I'm not posting this for sympathy, but more to highlight the fact that you never know when your time will come.

 

She went into hospital on Wednesday complaining of constantly being sick, Thursday was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the lymphatic system, and died peacefully in the early hours of Friday morning. At least there was no long drawn-out suffering, and still a massive surprise at 61.

 

We've still not recycled our Christmas cards, and on looking back at the one she sent us she'd written "Best wishes for the New Year". That really brought it home how unexpected it can be, not realising that in less than a month's time she wouldn't be with us.

 

So go out and do those things you've always wanted to do, live life with as few regrets as possible! Give your loved one(s) a hug and cherish the time you have

[Pillock]

Sorry to hear that Mat. Take comfort in the lack of suffering, and you're right.... You never know.

[richardmorris]

Not sure if I should post this here, but my aunt died rather suddenly yesterday. I'm not posting this for sympathy, but more to highlight the fact that you never know when your time will come.

 

She went into hospital on Wednesday complaining of constantly being sick, Thursday was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the lymphatic system, and died peacefully in the early hours of Friday morning. At least there was no long drawn-out suffering, and still a massive surprise at 61.

 

We've still not recycled our Christmas cards, and on looking back at the one she sent us she'd written "Best wishes for the New Year". That really brought it home how unexpected it can be, not realising that in less than a month's time she wouldn't be with us.

 

So go out and do those things you've always wanted to do, live life with as few regrets as possible! Give your loved one(s) a hug and cherish the time you have

 

That’s an awful start to the year for you and your family. The only consolation is that she went quickly.

I admit that tears did come to the eyes when reading the paper at lunchtime....

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jan/12/experience-i-took-my-mother-to-dignitas

[lesapandre]

Milwall are playing today. Lot of pressure on parking in the area...some interesting parking 

[MarvinsMom]

I have a degree in civil engineering, but I've never practiced it nor went the route of chartered engineer. I thought it was only those that passed the chartered exams that were 'allowed' to use the title engineer.

 

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i've got a degree in civil engineering, and work in the design office of a steel fabricator.

 

my official job title is structural engineer.

 

but i've never ever had even the slightest inclination to try and pass the part 3 exam and "become" a chartered engineer.

[Timewaster]

My aunt sadly had a similar fate late last year. Went to the doctors with a persistent cough.

Diagnosis was terminal and in 3 months she was gone.

She was in her eighties but had been in rude health up to that point.

[AlabamaShrimp]

There's been years of work into cancer but what makes people get it?

 

I'm not well read on it and I know there's all the obvious stuff to avoid but it just seems so common now that surely there must be other things happening apart from don't eat or drink this that or the other.

[Hendry]

Fixing interior faults like bulbs and loose wiring, why is it when you need to remove trim to access them, the fucking trim always ends up getting broken/damaged when refitting it because the clips and pegs and locators are made out of chocolate and just bend, break, snap or split. Grrrrrr. 

[mat_the_cat]

There's been years of work into cancer but what makes people get it?

 

My thoughts exactly. From what I can tell there are quite a few factors which will increase the risk, but there must be more to it than that as I know of people who logically would be high risk, yet live to a ripe old age. And others who you'd think would be a safe bet, yet they shuffle off early. So I suspect there is a lot which science doesn't yet fully understand.

 

In other news, my (relatively minor) grump is the amount of salt on the roads despite only a handful of true frosts. I'm getting through 5 litres of screenwash a week!

[RayMK]

There's been years of work into cancer but what makes people get it?

 

I'm not well read on it and I know there's all the obvious stuff to avoid but it just seems so common now that surely there must be other things happening apart from don't eat or drink this that or the other.

 

I think part of the problem is that we are living longer, giving cancer, alzheimers and other nasties time to strike. In the good old days, typhoid, tuberculosis, smallpox, and illnesses caused by poor living and working conditions tended to thin out the population before the often subtle symptoms of cancer were even noticed.

[The Moog]

 

 

There's been years of work into cancer but what makes people get it?

 

I'm not well read on it and I know there's all the obvious stuff to avoid but it just seems so common now that surely there must be other things happening apart from don't eat or drink this that or the other.

It's not one thing. It's many different forms which have been bundled together.

 

That's why there is no one cure. In car terms it is like saying we want to cure car breakdowns. Loads of different reasons so not one way to fix it.

 

Cancer itself is cells growing out of control.

 

We survive by cells dying and being replaced all the time. They normally replace the dead ones and stop.

 

Cancer means they don't stop and keep growing causing damage to other parts of us.

 

The longer we live the more likely it is to effect us - mainly because there are more opportunities for it to occur with cell replication.

 

Chance of bladder cancer for men is 3.76% which means 1 in 27 men will get it.

 

In the US 1 in 3 men will get some form of cancer - hence why it touches us all.

 

That is sort of the basics - worth having a read around.

[Pillock]

Thanks Moog, that's a good starter for 10 in language I can understand.

 

It is weird that it seems so much more common these days - but people live longer and diagnosis is getting better. In the black and white days, sometimes people just died. That wouldn't be accepted now, so maybe it just went undiagnosed.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

There is a flippin fantastic book called 'the emperor of all maladies' all about cancer. It's sort of a history of cancer, discoveries and treatment, a bit of biology, bit of history, politics, the lot. I would say it's one of the best-written and most interesting books I have ever read. It teaches you what Moog has just said plus loads more. As Moog says, although we use one word for them all, 'cancer' is an almost infinite number of different problems, all with their own best way to avoid/manage/treat etc. I seriously cannot recommend that book enough.

[The Moog]

It's an odd stat that over 50% men over 60 die with prostate cancer.

 

Mostly it isn't the thing that is the cause of death.

 

It is also why stem cells are brilliant/scary. Implanting new cells that can grow into anything sounds wonderful, but unless they know what to turn into and also know to turn off then effectively you are increasing the cancer chance hugely .

[SiC]

It's also not just Humans or even mammals who get it. Most living creatures can. Even sharks:

[bub2006]

Car insurance gone up. Apparently I failed to declare an at fault claim on the 24th of February 2016. The s reg ford fiesta I briefly bought after the van crash that I insured and drove once to the MOT station and back was involved in an at fault incident. First I knew about it. Something on the cue database. So now I have to ring Aviva/Norwich union to find out more info and get it removed from cue then ring Lloyd's and give them proof. FFS. To top it off my housing benefits have been suspended due to the fact I'm in arrears. I'm in arrears because the council arsed my claim up. I'm also paying the arrears off. So it's apparently logical to cause more financial difficulty to someone already in financial difficulty by suspending my claim which in turn will cause more arrears. Fucking fan dabby dozy

[wuvvum]

Logic doesn't come into it.  Nothing about the benefits system has been logical for some time now.

[Cavcraft]

Not sure if I should post this here, but my aunt died rather suddenly yesterday. I'm not posting this for sympathy, but more to highlight the fact that you never know when your time will come.

 

She went into hospital on Wednesday complaining of constantly being sick, Thursday was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the lymphatic system, and died peacefully in the early hours of Friday morning. At least there was no long drawn-out suffering, and still a massive surprise at 61.

 

We've still not recycled our Christmas cards, and on looking back at the one she sent us she'd written "Best wishes for the New Year". That really brought it home how unexpected it can be, not realising that in less than a month's time she wouldn't be with us.

 

So go out and do those things you've always wanted to do, live life with as few regrets as possible! Give your loved one(s) a hug and cherish the time you have

 

FWIW that's awful news, Mat, and you have my deepest sympathies.

[fraser.innes.3]

Not sure if I should post this here, but my aunt died rather suddenly yesterday. I'm not posting this for sympathy, but more to highlight the fact that you never know when your time will come.

 

She went into hospital on Wednesday complaining of constantly being sick, Thursday was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the lymphatic system, and died peacefully in the early hours of Friday morning. At least there was no long drawn-out suffering, and still a massive surprise at 61.

 

We've still not recycled our Christmas cards, and on looking back at the one she sent us she'd written "Best wishes for the New Year". That really brought it home how unexpected it can be, not realising that in less than a month's time she wouldn't be with us.

 

So go out and do those things you've always wanted to do, live life with as few regrets as possible! Give your loved one(s) a hug and cherish the time you have

I know how you feel. I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer in November. He had some pain , so went to the doctors. Some scans showed pancreatic cancer. New scans 2 weeks later showed it had spread to his liver. He was gone 3 months and a day after first diagnosis. Christmas was bad this year, as my mum was without her husband for the first time in 55 years.i suppose I should have posted this up in this thread when it happened, but a lot was going in obviously.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

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[fraser.innes.3]

Just had a wee cry about my dad after commenting on Mat's post. That's allowed, isn't it?

 

 

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[New POD]

Guys that come and check new upvc windows that have been thrown in are called engineers too apparently. Confirmed, legit, when he rolled up on his steam engine... Not.

 

As a Chartered Engineer it kind of boils my piss, but only a little.

 

I believe that I'm fairly mediocre as an Engineer, but managing to get Chartered was really more luck than judgement.

Did very bad at A levels including failing maths.

Managed to get onto a HND at Coventry Poly

Worked balls off and at end of 1st year transferred straight to 2nd year of Honours Degree, which was accredited by IProDE

Did my year in Industry which was accredited.

Passed with a Desmond (2:2) and went to work at Lucas Engineering and Systems where their graduate scheme was accredited by IManfE (Nee IProdE).  

Filled in and had signed every page of log book.

Work involved collaboration with a few universities.

5 years later I applied to IEE (Now the IET) with a 4 sponsors including a Past President of IProdE, 2 Professors (and university department heads and a Dr someone - all of them Fellows of IEE or IMechE.

 

All I'd done was turn up for work and document (with a little spin) what I'd done.

 

The interview went well because I bought all sorts of bits and drawings and stuff that I'd worked on, and retired Engineers like to see that kind of thing.

[New POD]

My son worked on Cancer cures for his year in industry on his MChem, which basically ruled out 0.0000000001% of potential cures as not worth looking at further.