RE: Technical author leading resistance to background checks

["Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>]

> From: McLauchlan, Kevin

> Maybe that's because engineers, as a class, are capable of actually
> understanding statistics and probability....

<...>

> .... while bureaucrats and certain other people are insidiously
> suggestible, frighteningly prone to knee-jerk reactions, and 
> dismayingly
> unable to understand the statistical implications of ONE event over a
> period of (HOW many) years that JPL has existed, occurring among a
> workforce of (HOW many) thousands.
> 
> Of course, that's not totally surprising in a world where:
> 
>  - "ONE person dies in horrific accident in the city today" 
> 
> will get reported EVERY time, while 
> 
>  - 4 million commuters drove safely to work and back home in the city
> today" 
> 
> will get reported... oh... approximately never.
> 
> But hey, overreaction is more fun, and is a guaranteed employer.
> 
> Kevin
> 

Rrright.  There's little point in discussing how "safe" things are, except
for a "feel good" story, but when something is unsafe, people should know.
Now, for the logic in the case of security.  When something bad happens, we,
as a society, should take reasonable measures to prevent it from happening
again.  Back in the really old days, people didn't lock their doors.  Then
there were reports of burglary and other home invasions and, voilà, locked
doors.  How many people in an area where burglaries occur would argue that
locked doors are excessive?

The bottom line is, when something bad happens, measures should be taken to
prevent it from happening again, regardless of 'past' probability.  Waiting
for a trend is irresponsible.

Lauren

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