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[Apr. 18th, 2007|10:44 am] |
A couple more notes on the Virginia Tech incident.
1. If the University rules prohibit guns on campus, then Cho Seung-hui could not store his weapons in the dorm legally. He either did it illegally, or kept them in some place off campus.
Consider adding "safe storage" requirements to the gun purchase background check. For example, when one lives in a place, e.g. an apartment, that prohibits guns on premises, he has to produce a "secure storage" evidence in order to purchase a gun. In general, there are only two places where one might store a weapon in a community that doesn't allow gun carry. It's either a private residence, or a shooting range. In Cho's case that would be a shooting range. Removal of weapons from the shooting range can be easily prevented.
2. The press again stigmatizes people who seek mental help. This is really unfortunate. |
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[Apr. 18th, 2007|11:48 am] |
Freakanomics blog on air travel safety:"One accident per 1.5 million flights! That’s the equivalent of you and 100 of your friends taking one flight every day of the year for 40 years straight. For something as complicated as flying, this is a monumentally low fail rate. Furthermore, as USA Today summarized, the key factors in the accidents were “bad weather, miscommunication and lapses in crew training.” But not, notably, equipment failure or aeronautical miscalculation."
Humans can build highly reliable systems. And it took us only a hundred years to figure it out. Quite amazing. Also of note, the high price of failure. What are other industries that have similar risk profiles?
A good example of an invention-innovation-routine transition. |
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[Apr. 18th, 2007|03:41 pm] |
命也焼く野の虫を拾ふ鳥
inochi nari yaku no no mushi wo hirou tori
such is life--
the burning field's bugs
a feast for birds
translated by David Lanoue
c'est la vie -
букашки в горящем поле
пир для птиц |
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[Apr. 18th, 2007|03:55 pm] |
Russia the most dangerous place to fly in 2006
The industry on average had 0.65 serious accidents per million flights for Western-built jets or one accident for every 1.5 million flights.
In the CIS the rate was 8.6 accidents per million flights, or twice the rate of Africa, where the level fell to 4.31 from 9.2. |
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