The Off Topic Topic

[HVC]

I used to watch that show all the time. But like you said they got much better and as a whole Korea has a good safety record I believe.


*edit* you do have to worry about nepo babies turning your flight around over peanuts though.

[DGuller]

There was that 777 crash in San Fransisco 10 years ago.     In that one, though, it was the case of turning a complete lack of problems into a catastrophe.

[grumbler]

I agree with DGuller.  This doesn't look much like an aircraft issue so much as a crew issue.  Reports indicate that the crew gave no indication of anything wrong, they didn't dump fuel, they didn't deploy flaps, and they came down at a much, much higher speed than normal.  All of that makes no sense, even in the "authoritarian cockpit" scenario.  Maybe some of that is just wrong.

[DGuller]

One theory that I read in the YouTube comments is that the pilots may have shut down the wrong engine.  Now that I learned more about the crash, I think that theory would explain pretty much everything. 

If they shut down the wrong engine, then they would be flying on one engine that must not have been giving a lot of thrust.  They would definitely not have much time to land the plane, and thus they would rush it.  And, if you're the kind of crew that would shut down the wrong engine, you're probably going to be the kind of crew that would not be best at landing the plane when you don't have time for all the checklists.  It would also explain why only one thrust reverser was deployed, and on the bad engine at that.

[mongers]

One theory that I read in the YouTube comments is that the pilots may have shut down the wrong engine.  Now that I learned more about the crash, I think that theory would explain pretty much everything. 

If they shut down the wrong engine, then they would be flying on one engine that must not have been giving a lot of thrust.  They would definitely not have much time to land the plane, and thus they would rush it.  And, if you're the kind of crew that would shut down the wrong engine, you're probably going to be the kind of crew that would not be best at landing the plane when you don't have time for all the checklists.  It would also explain why only one thrust reverser was deployed, and on the bad engine at that.

It makes a horrifying crash, worst still because it seems all bad mistakes were made, whereas any one or two not made could have mitigated this utter disaster.

[Josquius]

I think the point was not that the old people are not employed anymore, but rather than the stores feel it's necessary to replace them with big guys who mean business.

Take the point on crime but supermarket security guards don't mean business. At least here it's normally one (often not young) guy, often an immigrant in a really low paid job for an agency. I saw a nasty raid by a guy on the liquor shelves (behind the counter) in a Co-op once and he literally just shoved the 50 something African man who was security guard out the way to get away.

I don't think it's replacing them with big guys who mean business but corporate saying they're doing something by sending someone in a security guard jumper at the lowest possible cost.

Obviously I don't really think anyone, even businesses, should be made to bear the cost of a secure society. It's a social good. It's not great that the local Co-op now looks like a bank. I think it does add to the slight feeling of ambient disorder. And in all cases minority communities are often bearing the brunt - both in terms of corner shops, staff, affected communities. The small retailers association, of 10,000 small shops, have asked for more action on this as in some areas (like the North-East) shoplifting is up by two thirds in recent years and have said that it's becoming more brazen and more aggressive.

But at least in London, the Met don't even attend half of all reported shoplifting incidents. Apparently "it's not realistic" (according to the Met) to expect them to attend more.

Yeah basically.
Though as I say those I've seen do seem to have stab proof vests and are almost universally large west African guys.
Threatening enough to random junkies and kids but not going to stop something serious.

The metro here has long had complaints about security and responded by putting security on random trains... But they too went down this avenue of cheapest contractor possible. In their case though it's almost universally always small Asian guys. Who don't seem to do anything at all but stand around and chat to each other, ignoring kids being anti social.

For example in the case of policing, I think a big part of it is Cressida Dick's strategy which was around closing down lots of redundant, under-utilised, inefficient police stations and moving to (what to my ears sounds like more of an American model) a model of bigger central police stations with police out and about in vehicles. The theory was more efficient and cheaper, but also more responsive in the event of a big issue because instead of pulling from loads of small stations you can pull from a few large ones. That was her statement on taking up her position as Commissioner (on appointment by Sadiq Khan and Amber Rudd).

A bit of history I learned last year that I didn't know before via a visit to Beamish museum where they're getting on with their 1950s town.
Here they have a police house. That is two semi detached houses that were built as part of an estate, joined up by a small police office in the middle.
The two bobbies would live here on the estate and have their office right next door.
I've only ever seen similar in Japan with koban /police boxes are the norm.
It does seem like a much better way of doing things and I really should find out why we dropped this. I suspect raw surface money.

[The Minsky Moment]

Most Consequential Finance Ministers in World History

1) Manmohan Singh
2) Alexander Hamilton
3) Charles Montagu
4) Jacques Necker
5) T: Sergei Witte/Yegor Gaidar

[Barrister]

There's actually a video that was making the rounds lately of two shoplifters in the back of a cop carrealizing that stealing is a felony in California again. Sometimes being "soft on crime" does increase crime.

So I was at a conference for my job.  We had presenters from I think it was the Vancouver PD (or RCMP - some police from that part of the world) who said they had OC guys, on tape, admitting that while they'd certainly commit this particular crime in Canada, they'd refuse to in the US - because the penalties are so much worse there.

I'll freely admit that deterrence as a sentencing principle is not 100% successful.  You still have lots of murders being committed despite it having the strongest penalties going.

But just because it's not 100% successful doesn't mean it's useless either.

At times stores have experimented with policies to not actively stop shoplifters.  The idea is sensible - they don't want their employees potentially getting hurt, maybe even seriously.  Problem is once word gets out what stores those are they get hit much, much worse.

[mongers]

Most Consequential Finance Ministers in World History

1) Manmohan Singh
2) Alexander Hamilton
3) Charles Montagu
4) Jacques Necker
5) T: Sergei Witte/Yegor Gaidar

This post deserves further discussion, but since I've only heard of three of them, I'm not the person to do that. 

[Neil]

Most Consequential Finance Ministers in World History

1) Manmohan Singh
2) Alexander Hamilton
3) Charles Montagu
4) Jacques Necker
5) T: Sergei Witte/Yegor Gaidar

I don't understand the argument for Singh there, especially at the top.  And Pitt the Younger should probably be there. 

[HVC]

One theory that I read in the YouTube comments is that the pilots may have shut down the wrong engine.  Now that I learned more about the crash, I think that theory would explain pretty much everything. 

If they shut down the wrong engine, then they would be flying on one engine that must not have been giving a lot of thrust.  They would definitely not have much time to land the plane, and thus they would rush it.  And, if you're the kind of crew that would shut down the wrong engine, you're probably going to be the kind of crew that would not be best at landing the plane when you don't have time for all the checklists.  It would also explain why only one thrust reverser was deployed, and on the bad engine at that.

Haven't watched it, but it appears to be a wellish followed plane YouTube channel and you mentioned watching videos so I thought of you when it showed up.

[celedhring]

Most Consequential Finance Ministers in World History

1) Manmohan Singh
2) Alexander Hamilton
3) Charles Montagu
4) Jacques Necker
5) T: Sergei Witte/Yegor Gaidar

Interesting that several of them actually failed - but I guess that's the point of the "most consequential".

Did Morgenthau have a relevant role in Bretton Woods? I'm no expert but that's probably one of the most consequential economic events in the XXth century.

[PJL]

Most Consequential Finance Ministers in World History

1) Manmohan Singh
2) Alexander Hamilton
3) Charles Montagu
4) Jacques Necker
5) T: Sergei Witte/Yegor Gaidar

Interesting that several of them actually failed - but I guess that's the point of the "most consequential".

Did Morgenthau have a relevant role in Bretton Woods? I'm no expert but that's probably one of the most consequential economic events in the XXth century.

It's Mongatu, not Morgenthau. He's the finance minister that set up the Bank of England, the first major European power to do so, and thus paved the way for national central banks.

[celedhring]

Most Consequential Finance Ministers in World History

1) Manmohan Singh
2) Alexander Hamilton
3) Charles Montagu
4) Jacques Necker
5) T: Sergei Witte/Yegor Gaidar

Interesting that several of them actually failed - but I guess that's the point of the "most consequential".

Did Morgenthau have a relevant role in Bretton Woods? I'm no expert but that's probably one of the most consequential economic events in the XXth century.

It's Mongatu, not Morgenthau. He's the finance minister that set up the Bank of England, the first major European power to do so, and thus paved the way for national central banks.

I know who Montagu is. I'm saying whether Morgenthau - who chaired Bretton Woods - would merit inclusion or it was others who where the actual architects of the system.

[The Minsky Moment]

Interesting that several of them actually failed - but I guess that's the point of the "most consequential".

Did Morgenthau have a relevant role in Bretton Woods? I'm no expert but that's probably one of the most consequential economic events in the XXth century.

IIRC the main US player was Harry Dexter White, who was a senior deputy (and as it turned out also a Soviet agent).  The impetus behind Bretton Woods was Keynes, who had no ministerial portfolio; one view of the proceedings is that White watered down Keynes' conception and turned it more towards the interests of American power.

As to the first issue, Necker succeeded in some degree in stabilizing finances and in setting the foundations for greater state capacity; ultimately the regime he worked for was not the beneficiary.  Witte was a key player in the turn of the century Russian industrial lift off, which had significant geopolitical impact; again, the regime was unable and unwilling to take advantage.

On the idea that true failure can be highly consequential, Andrew Mellon and John Law would also be candidates.