2010 Issue

31 E VEN THOUGH I HOLD THE above concern, I have decided to reveal these secrets because I find that usually secrets like these require a level of dedication that most people are unwilling to put in the time and effort to achieve. I offer information that will help you be a more successful engineer at the risk of making my competition better. By the way, if you are thin skinned, youmay want to stop reading now as to avoid any hurt feelings. However, it would probably be better for you to “cowboy-up” and read ahead. It won’t help you to be bitter at hearing the hard facts of life. Here are the secrets: Tell the Truth The only people who go to hell are those who refuse to obey the laws of physics. Now youmay not believe in a place called hell, but I do, there- fore I use it as a point of reference. Regardless of your belief, you get the point. By the way if you don’t believe in hell then you are disobeying one of the laws of physics. Being honest is one of the laws of physics. Let me explain. You can throw a rock straight up in the air and pretend that it won’t come back down and hit you on the head. One of the laws of physics, the law of gravity, dictates otherwise. Engineers are at the last line of defense for the laws of physics. The only defense past the engineering line is the laws of physics themselves. And they don’t give any. In this age of political correctness, it seems the “in” thing to do is to follow this or that trend regardless of the actual science behind it. Engineers should stand for the truth, whatever that truth may be. Long ago, we graduated from high school and moved on; therefore, Engineers should not be so flippant just so we can “hang out with the popular kids”. Oh, I know there is a certain light which you have to convey information for marketing purposes. That’s not what I am talking about. I am talking about the little white lie here and there that seems to get you ahead at the moment. Know that you will always be figured out for who you really are. Tip of the Spear BEN DAVIS, P.E Van Boerum and Frank Associates I worry in writing this kind of article that I will give away my secrets to my competitors. The secrets that I am about to reveal should be a secret to no one, and yet they are. The secrets and sayings herein have been revealed to me over time by wise men with whom I have associated; I did not think them up myself. It is the way that physics work. You may claim to this or that engineering accomplishment, but unless you have actually done it, you will be found lacking. Newton said, that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I have seen new employees come into company and impress management with a few fancy words up front. Although their words are powerful, their ac- complishments are few. I don’t mean to paint with a broad brush but the way I have it figured is there are two kinds of people in this world, doers and talkers. Sometimes it takes a little longer, but sooner or later talkers are figured out for what they are. They talk a lot, but they never genuinely accomplish anything. By the way if you happen to be one of those really gifted people who can both talk the talk and walk the walk, then you are a doer. In the long run, you will always be seen as a better engineer if you tell the truth, if you call things as they really are, if you have mathematical facts and proven science to back you up, if you follow the laws of physics. Abraham Lincoln said, “You may fool all of the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. President Lincoln understood the laws of physics. Give a Damn The way I have it figured there are only really two things that are required to be a quality engineer, knowing a little math and giving a damn. It seems a bit simplistic, but I have found that there are many people who just don’t seem to care. All they are concerned with is that the clock reads 5:00 or which football game they will be watching this weekend. Don’t get me wrong, everyone needs the proper rest, relaxation and time with the family, but many take it too far, even continued on page 32