Engineers?

["Al Powell" <apowell@agcom.tamu.edu>]

Let's stop for a minute and understand what we're really talking 
about.  IMO, this (interminable) thread has turned on the difference 
between two groups of people:

1)  People who earn or acquire a function or title which customarily 
includes the word "Engineer".  Example: from 1973-74, I was an "Audio 
Engineer" (actual job title) at a TV studio in Denver.  I was a 
wet-behind-the-ears college grad with 6 years' experience in radio 
and the "engineering" I did was miking, audio recording and editing.  
No formal paperwork required.  Related to autos, I freely admit that 
there are many on this group whose ACQUIRED expertise entitles them 
to use the term  "engineer" if they feel it's relevant.  ("Suspension 
Engineer" included.)

2)  People whose career path includes specific engineering studies, 
and in some cases, a specific exam to achieve a title such as the PE 
suffic which John Karasaki and Andrew Finney reference.  Example:  My 
father (now in his last few weeks of life...) Has a bachelor's in 
Agricultural Engineering, a Master's in Civil and Architectural 
Engineering, and a PhD in Agricultural Engineering.  He passed the PE 
exam, and from that day forward proudly affixed the letters "PE" to 
his name, and was damn proud to do so.  (He was also at one time 
President of the Washington State Society of Professional Engineers, 
and taught Ag Enginering and consulted with clients for almost 30 
years.  I not-so-humbly submit to you that THIS is a formal context 
for the use of the term engineer at a high level!)

The point is that in the context of this discussion, I can be a 
"Suspension Engineer" if I have the experience and cojones to 
substantiate it.  I was an Audio Engineer by definition at one job 
(fortunately not in Hollywood, or they'd have laughed me outa the 
place...).  If you are the number one dood in computers and HTML at 
your company and wanna call yourself a "Web Engineer", be my guest.

But let's recognize that the term is used differently in 
situations where credentials have and have not been formally earned 
and issued, and simply let it go.  It's not worth pursuing further.

I am in mind of a book written by Admiral Daniel V. Gallery, USN 
(Ret.) called Anchors Aweigh.  In it, he told the story of being 
posted in Greenland to do some collaborative work with "the Brits" 
and other NATO partners.  These gents liked to sprinkle titles after 
their names, such as "Sir Percy Powell, KCB, etc."  Gallery begam 
using the acronym "DDLM" after his name.  

After a few weeks, onf of the British officers asked what the acronym 
meant.  

Gallery replied "Oh, it's a high decoration, roughly equivalent to a 
Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB) or a similiar title.

The (gullible) Brit, impressed in spite of himself, said "My, that is 
impressive.  What is the full title"

Gallery replied, with a twinkle in his eye "Dan, Dan, the lavatory 
Man."  ............................

Later, doods.

Al Powell, AALM, BFD.


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