I had another thought on the Fukushima incident that I think is interesting. A number of years ago, I read an interesting book called “To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design“. While a short book with only a few detailed case studies, it does lay out how failures are a …
Category Archive: History
Mar 18
On Fukushima
The Fukushima incident raises a number of questions about the design and operation of nuclear facilities. Most notably: How is it that no one had considered the possibility of a subduction earthquake followed by tsunami in that location? Why were the emergency generators located in the “wash zone”? However, as bad as this incident is, …
Mar 17
On Earth Hour
Everyone should read Earth Hour: A Dissent, by Ross McKitrick. He makes some very good points. The greatest is right at the beginning and closing: I abhor Earth Hour. Abundant, cheap electricity has been the greatest source of human liberation in the 20th century. Every material social advance in the 20th century depended on the …
Feb 02
On Egypt
I do not claim any particular knowledge of the situation in Egypt. However, I find this commentary, written by an Egyptian who appears to have been paying attention to the changes in the that most ancient nation over the past years. Interesting that the great conclusion of this was that the apparatus of the state …
Jan 06
Tolerance in the Muslim World
I find it frustrating that extremist Muslims and Islamist governments complain about western voices being anti-muslim in the West, and using the instruments of liberal democracy to try to prevent being “insulted”, while at the same time condemning, attacking and persecuting non-muslims in their own countries. If Muslims want to be treated as equal partners …
Oct 24
First Nations history in the schools
Recently, my daughter came home with homework that asked the question “Why should we learn about the histories and cultures of the First Nations?” She had begun to answer this in essay form, and asked me to read it. I was frustrated by the instruction she had clearly received at school, as it seemed to …
Oct 21
America in Color from 1939-1943
This is an exceptional photo essay at the Denver Post. Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943 – Plog Photo Blog.