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Doing The Math On Terrorism
from the we-all-use-math-every-day dept
Maybe somebody's been watching too much CBS on Friday nights: a professor at the University of Wisconsin is using math to try to predict where terrorists might strike. That sounds awfully similar to the show Numb3rs, where a math professor helps his FBI-agent brother solve cases using all sorts of math. But, like the show, this plan seems a little hard to believe, though it did score the prof a government research grant. While some type of mathematics or statistical analysis might be useful to help fight against terrorism, aren't there other efforts that could yield better and more specific results, like improved intelligence? Of course, some people might think that area's already covered.
Reader Comments
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Just an observation.
Isn't the show actually called "Numb3rs"?
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Re: Just an observation.
Yup.
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Re: Just an observation.
thanks.
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Re: Just an observation.
Yes, we'll let the poster off with a slap on the wrist, seeing as how the show isnt worth watching, you cant expect him to correctly name the 1337 title -_-
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Well I'm glad I read that
So she's trying to use "science" to do something a sociologist or social anthropologist should be doing? There are no equations or multipliers for how freaked out people get when something happens.
Media coverage and overly emotional accounts do more than the nature of the actual event.
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No Subject Given
If someone can get a grant to study why people like coffee houses, why not this? PS can I get a grant to study why people are so stupid as to click on spam?
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Leave the man alone!
The important thing to consider here are historical events such as WWII. Things such as cost effective rubber were developed by American scientists that we still use today. Space travel and satellites are another good result of war time ingenuity that now fuel our hunger for global information. We NEED change, we have become lazy and if one person sees a way to solve a problem... by all means let him run with it. If it fails... then we can laugh.
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Intel[ligence]
It seems so much money, time, and effort is being spent on gathering the most accurate intelligence about terorism yet, when the president receives memo's stating Bin Laden is going to attack, he does nothing.//
What good is all this if when presented with good intelligence it isn't acted upon? But when we hear the Iraq has WMD's we go to war...sounds like a case of selective hearing...
Cheers!
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Re: Intel[ligence]
When did we get attacked by Osama and we were told before hand?I must have missed it,or was that the Cole(clinton),Embassy(clinton),,,,too much tee time for you............
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Re: Intel[ligence]
Well, since we've been warned again, what exactly shall we do this time to prepare? You seem to have all the answers, I wish we knew about you before all this happened!
It makes no difference. If Bush had announced that 19 terrorists were about to crash 4 specific flights into 4 specific buildings, you would still think he screwed up.
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Sorry
I apologize for my University, in the sprit of the administration thinking that they can do anything "just a well" as an ivy league school, some genuinely sensless studies take place in order to appear cutting edge.
Wow, I just realized that my tuition pays for this guy to pretend to be max from the movie PI. Once again, sorry everyone.
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Ignobels
Looks like one for the IgNobel Awards.
http://www.improb.com/ig/ig-pastwinners.html#ig2005
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