The following is an article from “Scientific American” entitled “Monumental Error” by Steve Mirsky. I have omitted the names of about a hundred non-icons such as The Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.

On May 31, the Department of Homeland Security announced their 2006 antiterrorism funding grants to U.S. Cities. New York City had its funding cut by 40% from last year.

Homeland Security officials said that they had determined the amound of each grant based on a formula. The formula counts the presence of “national monuments or icons”. Homeland Security officials determined that New York City had no such monuments or icons. Scientists also develop formulas. When a formula produces results that are obviously nonsense, scientists examine the data.

Responding to a hurricane of criticism, Homeland Security Secretary Michaeld Chernoff explained that the Empire State Building was purposefully placed in the “large office building” category rather than the icon category because the designation helps to generate a higher risk score. Here is a flash for the folks generating their formula: the Empire State Building is both an office building and an icon.

When a formula produces results that are obviously nonsense, scientists may also scrutinize, modify, or even discard the formula itself. It's not easy, but somebody has to do it. Seriously, somebody has to.

We went to my wife's fiftieth high school reunion. (see picture in the gallery) It is the first time we have been to a high school reunion. Other than the fact that everyone seemed so much older than us, it was a ball. I did not know her in high school but she must have been very popular as well as being a spectatcularly beautiful girl. Every one greeted her with such sincere warmth. If you get a chance to go to your reunion, by all means, go.

The second is Ernesto passing through the area. It was a frog strangler. Lots of rain. The news coverage was extensive. So many scenes of folks helping others. It makes me proud of living in the area. Lots of the stalled cars got pushed out of the water by guys, many of them kids, with their soaked shirts off. A hospital lost its backup generator when the regular power went off. Local folks brought their personal generators so critical equipment could be kept working. People are pretty nice.