kallend 1,625 #101 December 1, 2016 billvon Well, I've hired a lot of people over the years for white-collar jobs, and never once did the job description include putting themselves in harm's way to protect someone else. I guess we should respect tandem masters, AFF instructors, flight instructors, airline pilots... too, then.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #102 December 1, 2016 Riskiest job in history I can think of - being a principal member of the Beatles. 25% shot dead, 25% nearly killed in a home invasion, only 50% unhurt in their career. After that it's probably US president - they're running at about 1 in 10 successfully assassinated in office and the numbers only get worse if you include full blown attempts on their lives. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 1,914 #103 December 1, 2016 Prostitution is also a very risky profession. Be sure to thank the next streetwalker you see for his or her service. Seriously though, people choose or sometimes fall into jobs for all kinds of reasons. Some of their motives are laudable, and sometimes less so. I'm inclined to give people who serve the benefit of the doubt and I will almost always assume at least some good motives. But I also know that there are outliers in the military and police etc.. Just like in every other job. Burning flags? I'm with the camp that finds it a little off putting. But I would never consider making it a punishable offense. I don't want to live in that sort of place.Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,123 #104 December 1, 2016 QuoteFirefighting, like many other low-paying jobs, is not a job you generally take for the money. You and I have a different perspective on this I guess. Here in Canada firefighters make very good money for the hours they actually work as opposed to being present at the hall. A very high percentage of them are able to work full time second jobs. So on top of the roughly $85,000 a year, they are able to supplement that meagre salary with a second full time job. Of course the job also comes with full benefits and a fully indexed pension. Not a bad gig for working 8 days a month. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,123 #105 December 1, 2016 billvon>And so those people have no existence or personality outside of what is >contained in their job descriptions? They're never willing to do anything that isn't >enumerated within their contracts? Of course not. Now you're just being obtuse. He isn't being obtuse. You keep saying these people would not be willing. You bring up their job description as proof of their lack of willingness. If anybody is being obtuse through this, it would be you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,123 #106 December 1, 2016 kallend***QuoteIf there are construction workers out there who regularly put themselves in the way of danger to save other people's lives - then they would have my respect as well. From my experience, though, they put themselves in danger to make money and to build stuff. And the stuff they build saves other people's lives. Hospitals, bridges, homes, shelters, stores etc. Their job is significantly riskier to do that than the job of a police officers. And I highly doubt most police officers and firefighters chose the job to save lives. And commercial fishermen. Much more risky than police work, and they FEED people. Without food, people die. And many a story of commercial fishermen risking life to save other people on or in the ocean. But they smell and don't have a nice uniform, so less respect for them. Plus it doesn't say "save people" in their job description, so clearly they aren't willing. Even less respect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gowlerk 1,914 #107 December 1, 2016 My heroes. http://www.pararescue.ca/Para_Rescue/Welcome.htmlAlways remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rifleman 61 #108 December 1, 2016 brenthutch Flag burning is political speech, incendiary speech (pun intended) but speech nonetheless and as such is protected by the first amendment. Cue this moron who tried to burn the EU flag as a protest against the UK remaining in the EU only to fail because of EU flammable materials regulations.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXKv07ghKIwAtheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,625 #109 December 1, 2016 SkyDekker******QuoteIf there are construction workers out there who regularly put themselves in the way of danger to save other people's lives - then they would have my respect as well. From my experience, though, they put themselves in danger to make money and to build stuff. And the stuff they build saves other people's lives. Hospitals, bridges, homes, shelters, stores etc. Their job is significantly riskier to do that than the job of a police officers. And I highly doubt most police officers and firefighters chose the job to save lives. And commercial fishermen. Much more risky than police work, and they FEED people. Without food, people die. And many a story of commercial fishermen risking life to save other people on or in the ocean. But they smell and don't have a nice uniform, so less respect for them. Plus it doesn't say "save people" in their job description, so clearly they aren't willing. Even less respect. It doesn't say "save people" in a soldier's oath either. In fact they may well have to kill people instead.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,123 #110 December 1, 2016 Yes, but not Americans, outside of the occasional drone strike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #111 December 1, 2016 >I guess we should respect tandem masters, AFF instructors, flight instructors, airline pilots... too, then. Sure, why not? There are some good ones out there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,625 #112 December 1, 2016 billvon>I guess we should respect tandem masters, AFF instructors, flight instructors, airline pilots... too, then. Sure, why not? There are some good ones out there. But no-one claims that they put their lives on the line for the sake of a flag.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #113 December 1, 2016 >But no-one claims that they put their lives on the line for the sake of a flag. OK. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
headoverheels 291 #114 December 1, 2016 kallend***>I guess we should respect tandem masters, AFF instructors, flight instructors, airline pilots... too, then. Sure, why not? There are some good ones out there. But no-one claims that they put their lives on the line for the sake of a flag. Flag jumps can be pretty dangerous. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elisha 1 #115 December 2, 2016 mr2mk1g Riskiest job in history I can think of - being a principal member of the Beatles. 25% shot dead, 25% nearly killed in a home invasion, only 50% unhurt in their career. After that it's probably US president - they're running at about 1 in 10 successfully assassinated in office and the numbers only get worse if you include full blown attempts on their lives. Sample size too small in the first example to have any credibility. Second example bigger, but still low credibility. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites