The article describes how scientists painstakingly gathered data on the quakes, and then tried to find ways to communicate the results--which are quite definitive--to politicians who often have financial reasons to disbelieve them.

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it!" --Upton Sinclair

instead of teaching them computer science and information theory so they could solve the questions themselves

Do you have an example of a principle of computer science or information theory that cannot be tested?

Why is teaching to the test a bad thing? Is it because the test does not measure the skills students are expected to be learning? Or is it because teachers depend on repeated drills with old test questions to prepare students?

Neither one points to an insurmountable flaw with standardized testing.

had an idiot reprogram the brake software. Sure he's 'liable' but you're now dead...

I think the real issue is that manufacturers don't want you to even look at the code, probably because they would be embarrassed at what you might find.

The other half is companies that don't properly secure their information systems. And with a law like this in place, there's even less reason to.

You're talking about aerial drones. What about ground drones?

Aren't there any ways to get us a step closer to the goal of equal opportunity for all that doesn't take away freedoms?

Studies have been done and published then buried over the last 100+ years that clearly show intelligence differences between races.

After correcting for cultural differences (e.g. Asians focus on education more than other races), does your claim still hold true?

No, but it would be nice to have one where everybody has the exact same amount of opportunity.

I think it's more likely that the male co-pilot could overpower the female flight attendant while the pilot is in the lavatory--no conspiracy necessary.

Putting guns in cockpits only makes the task easier.

Really what's needed is to have 3 people in the cockpit at all times to eliminate the near-guarantee that a single person could take over the plane.

It would also help to give airliners a "return to home" feature that could be triggered from outside the cockpit, similar to the emergency brake on passenger planes.

You have a good point, but H1Bs are slave labor because it gives the employer power to kick an employee not just out of the company but out of the country. It's tough for locals to compete in that market.

That same logic can be used to justify data mining of social networks.

When deciding whether to break up a monopoly, does it really matter how it formed?