Wednesday 29 October 2014

An "Accident" - Yeah, Right!



An "Accident" - Yeah, Right!

Why do the news media insist on calling spaceflight explosions accidents?

I suppose life can be difficult for news reporters. Orbital Sciences' executive vice president Frank Culbertson has been reported as having advised his staff to keep tight-lipped around reporters. "Definitely do not talk outside of our family," the former astronaut has been quoted as saying. [1]

But the fact is, every time there is an explosion — like this latest which has happened at the Wallops Island launch pad — it was done by a human being.

Somebody messed up, in some way.

Someone dropped the ball.

They screwed up.

How could someone have screwed up?

Many ways, for example:

  • Lack of adequate security (ineffective screening of personnel, which resulted in a person being involved who was able to sabotage the mission).
  • Allowing illiterate personnel to be involved with the program.

"WHAT! — how could such a thing happen?"

Well, there are people in our society who have an illiteracy condition which affects their performance on the job. These individuals usually operate hidden from view.

Who are these hidden illiterates?

Meet them:

"[T]he office worker who can’t figure out why his computer erased an important document; the dentist whose fillings need to be replaced more often than they should; the mechanic who “fixed” your car three times for the same problem..."

Find out more:

http://www.appliedscholastics.org/education-issues/hidden-illiteracy-the-ignorance-of-ignorance.html


Reference:
[1] (foxnews.com/science/2014/10/28/unmanned-nasa-rocket-explodes-after-liftoff)


Image credit: Wikipedia

2 comments:

Unknown said...

WE JUST HAD AN INCIDENT ON OUR MAINLAND. A ROCKET HEADING FOR THE SPACE STATION, BLEW-UP SIX SECOND INTO FLIGHT. H

Eamonn Gosney said...

Exactly Harvey,

Another screw up has occurred; another Challenger disaster. The human race can't afford these goofs. Space exploration is expensive enough, without throwing money away due to sloppiness. We need to lift our game if we are ever going to conquer space in any substantial way. There is so much to get done before we secure another habitable Earth-like planet; find a new home during the 'window of opportunity' we have available (before the Earth's 'use by date' arrives). We are currently in a perilous situation (living with our fingers crossed).
More info here:
http://ournextplanet.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/one-planet.html

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