Lets get busy new generation....

[S T I G]

I haven't posted in a while, but I just want to say I am learning a lot from the little time that have spent working within the "nuclear field." You CANNOT supersede the experience of others that have worked before you no matter what type of degree you have. As a young RCT, you must find the right balance between developing your own standards and incorporating the knowledge of the ones who went before you. Lots of things are up in the air right now as far as politics, but rest assured I will try my best give my two cents worth to my representatives and senators (that's what is most important right now). God bless this country and god bless the next president and our next generation who hopefully keeps somewhat of a mindful eye our our nation's nuclear interest . Let's start by talking to the people in charge. If you don't know your senators or representatives then you are either uniformed or an idiot ......where you draw the line depends on (lets be honest: how politically inlined you are or.. how stupid you are....) lets start making a slight change in the old tax payer dollars and start sending some of the trash to the right places.

[tolstoy]

I haven't posted in a while, but I just want to say I am learning a lot from the little time that have spent working within the "nuclear field." You CANNOT supersede the experience of others that have worked before you no matter what type of degree you have. As a young RCT, you must find the right balance between developing your own standards and incorporating the knowledge of the ones who went before you. Lots of things are up in the air right now as far as politics, but rest assured I will try my best give my two cents worth to my representatives and senators (that's what is most important right now). God bless this country and god bless the next president and our next generation who hopefully keeps somewhat of a mindful eye our our nation's nuclear interest . Let's start by talking to the people in charge. If you don't know your senators or representatives then you are either uniformed or an idiot ......where you draw the line depends on (lets be honest: how politically inlined you are or.. how stupid you are....) lets start making a slight change in the old tax payer dollars and start sending some of the trash to the right places.

Hey STIG! FWIW I'll add that as a young RCT - or old - you might have control of your work habits and social skills (and calling out co-workers on this site as either 'uninformed or an idiot' if they don't share you views of political involvement is telling) but there is no such thing as working out your own standards. Not if you want to be successful in your career. I learned this from a kind and gentle RP supervisor named Dorsey Smith who, in his own special way, guided me to an understanding that we have regulations and we have procedures and we use them just as they are written. That is the standard. There are lots of careers where you can make stuff up as you go but this isn't one of them.

Cheers!

[GLW]

..........There are lots of careers where you can make stuff up as you go but this isn't one of them.

Cheers!

you can if you write the regulations and procedures,...

I've helped with and/or done both,...

and I have earned a very good living implementing regulations that were made up,...

regulations absolutely based on sound statistics and scientific models,...

and absolutely unnecessary to assure the safety of the general public,...

but they are the regulations, and the regulations do have the authority of law,...

and so we implement them faithfully,...

[Marlin]

I haven't posted in a while, but I just want to say I am learning a lot from the little time that have spent working within the "nuclear field." You CANNOT supersede the experience of others that have worked before you no matter what type of degree you have.

Sure you can, or at least question it!!!

The most dangerous phrase in the language is, 'We've always done it this way.'

To illustrate the point there is the 5 monkeys experiment.

An experimenter puts 5 monkeys in a large cage. High up at the top of the cage, well beyond the reach of the monkeys, is a bunch of bananas. Underneath the bananas is a ladder.

The monkeys immediately spot the bananas and one begins to climb the ladder. As he does, however, the experimenter sprays him with a stream of cold water. Then, he proceeds to spray each of the other monkeys.

The monkey on the ladder scrambles off. And all 5 sit for a time on the floor, wet, cold, and bewildered. Soon, though, the temptation of the bananas is too great, and another monkey begins to climb the ladder. Again, the experimenter sprays the ambitious monkey with cold water and all the other monkeys as well. When a third monkey tries to climb the ladder, the other monkeys, wanting to avoid the cold spray, pull him off the ladder and beat him.

Now one monkey is removed and a new monkey is introduced to the cage. Spotting the bananas, he naively begins to climb the ladder. The other monkeys pull him off and beat him.

Here's where it gets interesting. The experimenter removes a second one of the original monkeys from the cage and replaces him with a new monkey. Again, the new monkey begins to climb the ladder and, again, the other monkeys pull him off and beat him – including the monkey who had never been sprayed.

By the end of the experiment, none of the original monkeys were left and yet, despite none of them ever experiencing the cold, wet, spray, they had all learned never to try and go for the bananas.

The metaphor and the lessons that apply to work are clear. Despite the exhortations from management to be innovative and collaborative, cold water is poured on people and their ideas whenever someone tries something new. Or, perhaps worse, the other employees suppress innovation, and learned helplessness spreads throughout the firm.

God bless this country and god bless the next president and our next generation who hopefully keeps somewhat of a mindful eye our our nation's nuclear interest . Let's start by talking to the people in charge. If you don't know your senators or representatives then you are either uniformed or an idiot ......where you draw the line depends on (lets be honest: how politically inclined you are or.. how stupid you are....) lets start making a slight change in the old tax payer dollars and start sending some of the trash to the right places.

Sadly you are correct, but to be a little kinder short attention spans and low information voters are a result of information overload and big government that is not as responsive to real needs as opposed to reelection. I have found representatives receptive to your input but not very productive on your goals. Lobbying has become a profession crowding out individuals and smaller organizations. The nuclear industry has allways been very poor at public relations and lobbying for the industry in general.

[S T I G]

When I say your own standards I mean standards of excellence not come up with your own rules, and when I talk about the experience of the ones before I mean that you can learn from them. I still hold the opinion that If you don't know who your state representatives are than you seriously have a problem. 

[tolstoy]

Sure you can, or at least question it!!!

The most dangerous phrase in the language is, 'We've always done it this way.'

To illustrate the point there is the 5 monkeys experiment...

http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/6828/was-the-experiment-with-five-monkeys-a-ladder-a-banana-and-a-water-spray-condu

[Chimera]

The drawback to the monkey scenario is that, all too often, things get proceduralized but the reasoning gets lost.  Then, when the procedure gets "revised" and eliminates a key feature that no one could remember why it was there in the first place - they relearn the hard way.  Perhaps if one of those intrepid monkeys had actually climbed up and grabbed the bananas, ignoring the wisdom of its forefathers, and been blasted by the fire hose . . .

GLW is right.  You follow the regs and procedures.  Massa' Dorsey was a good teacher.

[tolstoy]

When I say your own standards I mean standards of excellence not come up with your own rules, and when I talk about the experience of the ones before I mean that you can learn from them. I still hold the opinion that If you don't know who your state representatives are than you seriously have a problem. 

Heck I *know* two state reps and it does no good. Culture moves with or without these elected folks. Presidents, senators, reps - they are of little use other than for chapter headings in history books.

[Marlin]

I still hold the opinion that If you don't know who your state representatives are than you seriously have a problem. 

Problem yes, but you are describing the majority of Americans which means we have a serious problem. Talking politics has become rude we have lost the loyal opposition point of view. Our colleges have become indoctrination centers teaching what to learn not how to learn, political correctness stifles free speech. You are right the individual must become involved in any issue to make a difference.

Here I will do my part for political awareness:

http://www.insidegov.com/

http://votesmart.org/

  Following up on being an activist, an organization is more powerful than an individual and an organization has better access to politicians, for example ANS,HPS, or NEI. My point is that you have identified the tip of the iceberg and that perhaps participation in advocacy organizations is just as important if not more so.

[Marlin]

http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/6828/was-the-experiment-with-five-monkeys-a-ladder-a-banana-and-a-water-spray-condu

Then call it a parable but the psychology is recognized as sound. The monkeys are taught a behavior that is passed down from the experience of first monkeys that is perpetuated by the subsequent monkeys even after the reason for the that behavior is removed.

http://attheintersectionblog.com/2013/03/06/the-monkey-experiment-and-edgar-schein/

[Jechtm]

Then call it a parable but the psychology is recognized as sound. The monkeys are taught a behavior that is passed down from the experience of first monkeys that is perpetuated by the subsequent monkeys even after the reason for the that behavior is removed.

http://attheintersectionblog.com/2013/03/06/the-monkey-experiment-and-edgar-schein/

I must say that is a very intriguing experiment...

[Rennhack]

I still hold the opinion that If you don't know who your state representatives are than you seriously have a problem. 

Most people don't even know what district they are in, let alone who there representative is.

Mine is Al Pscholka, District 79.

[GLW]

Most people don't even know what district they are in, let alone who there representative is.

Mine is Al Pscholka, District 79.

Stefanik - District 21, in the land of "electoral fusion",...