Your editorial on engineering drop out rates (DN 06.02.03) highlights the Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium for its efforts to increase the number of engineering degrees. I have another idea on how to achieve this. Let's lobby the government to set up affirmative action for engineers. If we can get more engineers into employment in other fields, even if they are not as qualified as other candidates, then more people will seek engineering degrees and we will have better engineers.
Regarding your editorial in support of standardized testing (DN 4/21/03), let me point out that passing a standardized test does not indicate the student has an understanding of the topics. It shows they can study to a standardized test. A student who can synthesize material during the course of academic study may not necessarily do well in standardized testing. I happen to be one of those students. I used to do miserably on standard tests even though I understood the material. If I were measured on that then almost certainly I would not be where I am today: engineering manager at a Fortune 1000 company and a registered professional engineer with a BSEE and an MS in management.
School districts are measured on these standardized tests to compete for future public funding. Public officials and administrators have tried to hold teachers accountable on their performance. Passing standardized testing is not the answer. We should take an interest in ensuring that youths are given the opportunities to succeed in whatever they dream of. After all, after you and I are retired, adults who were once the children taking these standardized test will be making policies impacting you and me.
I read with interest all of the learned comments on the telephone that caught fire (DN 06.18.03, 04.07.03). However, they all missed an important point. In order to find a short circuit, or eliminate it, the telephone company sets up a "burner" by placing a shoe in the ring circuit that bypasses all of the safety limitations and applies full voltage dc. The technicians ask for a burner and then stand clear when it is enabled. It could easily have created the fire on the yacht. The telephone company attorney would not have been interested in anyone pursuing this line of questioning.
I used to have a Trimline phone, and indeed it caught fire while I was talking on it (1970). It seems that the Trimline phones had an illuminated dial which received power from a wall mounted transformer. My phone developed an internal short caused by wires being pinched where the plastic housing mated to the metal baseplate. The wire carrying power for the dial light had its insulation rubbed away sufficiently to cause a short to the metal base. The wire eventually smoked and erupted into flames. It happened while I was speaking and the circuit was powered to illuminate the dial, but there was sufficient power in the cable to burn the insulation had there been a short circuit in the cable itself.
I read your editorial on car shopping (DN 04.21.03), and I have a good story, too. We went car shopping a while ago with some specific requirements, one of which was good gas mileage. Dealerships consistently had no idea about the gas mileage of their cars, usually falling back on the old "Well, let's just look and find out" ploy to cover their ignorance or they would steer us towards a vehicle seemingly picked at random and try to interest us in performance (isn't gas mileage part of "performance"?), or a great discount, or something else. In one case they tried to convince us that 21 mpg really was excellent mileage. The story was different at the Volkswagen Dealership. When we asked which car got the best mileage, the fellow said "The Jetta, 50 mpg," without hesitation. He was the only sales person we talked to who really knew the technical facts and figures of every car on the lot. I'll buy VW next time.
John Ousterhout, Moses Lake, WA
EDITOR'S NOTE: EPA mileage is required on "stickers" of new cars sold in the U.S. For comparisons, visit www.fueleconomy.gov.
CORRECTIONS: The article "Tune Up at Jaguar" (DN 05.05.03) incorrectly identified the Swift wind tunnel owner. Matsushita owns the tunnel.
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