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From: abc@brl-smoke.ARPA (Brint Cooper )
Newsgroups: net.columbia,net.space
Subject: Re: Morton-Thiokol Engineering Claims
Message-ID: <1439@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 2-Mar-86 23:19:41 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.1439
Posted: Sun Mar  2 23:19:41 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 4-Mar-86 04:07:52 EST
References: <1301@decwrl.DEC.COM> <758@ism780c.UUCP> <6442@utzoo.UUCP>
Reply-To: abc@brl-smoke.UUCP (Brint Cooper (SECAD/CSMB) <abc>)
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab (BRL)
Lines: 30
Xref: linus net.columbia:2125 net.space:4682

In article <6442@utzoo.UUCP> henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) writes:
>
>If any of them are licensed Professional Engineers, I trust their state
>licensing boards will take notice of this gross dereliction of duty.

Then he adds some irrelevant blather about military affairs.

First, in most states, licensing boards have no authority over engineers
working on government (defense, space) contracts.

Second, it's a noble sentiment to berate the engineers for not running
to the media with their complaints.  It's not so easy if you're the
engineer and you know that your press conference will cost you not only
your job but very likely your chances for another job.  Neither the bank
who holds your house mortgage and the university that bills you $10K
every year for your kid's tuition (yes, tuition) are interested in your
nobility.

It seems agreed by all that the engineers protested and were overruled
by "management."  Assumption of responsibility is the commodity
purchased by those big salaries paid to industrial managers in this
country.  If the story turns out to be as it has been told, it's the
managers' heads that should roll.


-- 
Brint Cooper

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