One of my hobbies is reading books (including case studies) about failures in large complex systems. This is a very common pattern, so common that it has a name: the swiss cheese theory of system failure. All systems have layers or sequences of components. All components have holes (failure modes). For the most part,…

The worst part of this debacle was that Memorial Pizza hadn’t actually refused to cater a gay wedding. An investigative journalist knew they were religious, and went and interviewed them as to whether they would serve a gay wedding or not. The lady answered “probably not” and that became the story.

People shut down…

Are you folks aware that this is one of the last few sites out there where the majority of the commenters are still on the global warming bandwagon? Even the commenters on such liberal stalwarts as Daily Beast and Slate have fallen to the forces of reason. About all that’s left at this point is the Gizmodo/Gawker/IO9…

Because everyone thinks the same 1950's era plants will be built today.

Um fact check!

Excellent! I think you covered just about all the cliches!

You know it's sad how criminally under flown those planes are. I have a few deployments and well over 1000 hours as a P-3 mission commander and instructor pilot. We used to be able to fly it like we stole it, but as it was nearing the end, big Navy took away all of the fun with speed, g, and other maneuvering…

What's the deal with using the word Porn after all sorts of subjects that aren't actually porn at all? Food porn? Gadget porn? Car porn? Abandoned structure porn? Come on, people. I get that sex sells, but it's such a thinly veiled marketing scheme it's ridiculous.

I bet the Carrier Battle Groups are wishing they still had the Tomcat. This is exactly the threat they Tomcat and the Phoenix were designed to protect the fleet from. Now they have to hope that their SAMs are good enough to stop the missiles rather than having the Tomcats go out and kill the Backfires before they…

Good for you. I bet you get onto people if they don't sort their trash properly at a party.

I don't think you're sorry to be a killjoy, but rather enjoy it. Just like I'd really enjoy riding on this badass boat. Life is way to short to be complaining about this. Nature is HUUUUUUUGE. There are plenty of places to go and not be bothered by these.

"Why aren't there more desalination startups?"

No, seriously. This is the first character I thought of. Damn it!

That is the guaranteed way to turn yourself into lunch meat. One person makes an abrupt lane change, and you are a 1KM long smear.

She is the worst Prius driver in the world.

I have no sympathy for these people. That airport has been there far longer than they have. And if anything, jets have become MUCH quieter over the past 10 years as old low-bypass powered planes like the 727, DC-9, DC-8, 707, and early MD-80 series planes have been phased out of service.

Nobody is against an open and neutral internet. People are against the openness being achieved through government regulation rather than encouraging market action. If you want to bring these companies under control make them compete, don't just give them a monopoly with rules they have to abide by created by a…

Kind of ridiculous to add Curtis LeMay and Gen Harris in there, really. PC nonsense, that.

You know, if you really want something to get upset about, you should check out gunbroker.com.

This is basically the ebay of firearms, and subject to all applicable laws*, you can buy almost any type of gun you can imagine over there.

I really liked Tron legacy. One thing to change though. Never ever ever bring back creepy cgi Jeff Bridges.