Brian Gongol
Never joke around when there's a microphone in the room
Certain places are meant to be "sterile" environments, like cockpits and air-traffic control centers. By "sterile", that means you keep the nonsense conversation out and stick to the business at hand, at least during critical phases of operation. The AP is reporting that the air-traffic controller responsible for the airplane that crashed into a helicopter over the Hudson earlier this month was talking about barbecuing a dead cat around the time of the crash. And the tapes were recording. Similar distracting chatter contributed to a 2006 crash.
As Hurricane Bill reaches Category 3, standby for breathless TV news coverage
The problem with a big hurricane along the Eastern Seaboard -- and Category 3 is a strong hurricane -- is that it could hit any one of many major cities, including New York. A major hurricane struck NYC in 1938, long before Manhattan was the skyscraper jungle it is today. When it happens again -- which it almost certainly will -- the consequences will be significant. People will die and the damages will be incredibly costly. But as is popular habit in America, we'll probably put off making realistic preparations until too late.
The demise of the USPS streetside mail box
Half of them have disappeared from service in the last 20 years, and with mail volumes declining by 10% a year, more are likely to be retired without replacement. The first one appeared in 1858. Like many industries, the Postal Service has time to reform its business model to adapt to changing technologies and economic conditions, but it can't wait indefinitely.
Is NORAD as safe as it should be?
Some of the many problems with presenting via PowerPoint
The urge to cram too much data and detail into a medium that doesn't permit its reasonable digestion is the downfall of many a presentation
When floods are more than just a nuisance
