What do you think the odds are that anyone in the United States can be killed by an earthquake in Japan?
Astronomical would be my guess.
But it happened. And who could have guessed the person stupid enough to be killed by an earthquake in Japan would just happen to live in California?
I looked up the U.S. and World population clock and as of March 12, 2011, the population of the U.S. is 310,969,774.
So this guy in California who managed to get himself killed at least brought the odds down from astronomical to 310,969,774:1.
That is the way math works, isn’t it? If not, you know the drill … either ignore the blog or give me the embarrassing details in your comment on just how stupid I am at math. I prefer the former. If you prefer the latter, I hope you feel better. Now back to my (subtle hint) blog . . .
And he managed to get himself killed in Crescent City! A place with a history of tsunami waves causing death and disaster. But he was not alone in his daring nature to kill him. People in Orange County went out to the beaches, which were closed and guarded by police officers, to see any tsunani waves that might occur. (They were disappointed.)
There is really no way to tell whether or not the warning will produce significant waves until they actually happen. We were told the difference in size of waves could be huge just a mile up or down the beach … it all depends on the topography of the particular beach.
So the locals went out to the beach, cameras in hand, and at least one family took their toddlers!
That said, even with the reduced odds of being killed in California by an earthquake in Japan, I’m pretty comfortable with the new odds.
I’m not very comfortable living among the stupid people who inhabit parts of this state.
Math morons excluded.
I’m not sure, but I think the odds remain the same whether or not the event comes to pass. For example, if you flip a coin one hundred times and it lands on tails seventy three times, the odds are still fifty / fifty that it will land on heads the next time you flip it. I other words I don’t think you can decrease the odds of an event happening by having it occur. So the moron in California who decided to go into the water and ended up dead didn’t make it safer for anyone else. I know you know that, but I just wanted to clarify the odds thing.
[You just couldn't leave it alone and let me bask in the sunlight of math, could you? And you of all people ... one of my very closest friends.]
What can be said in the face of such……………………….?????????????
[Apparently a LOT, if you read the other comments.]
Well, well, well . . . I mean, are we REALLY surprised that the one American who managed to kill himself in the Japanese earthquake was a Californian?! I think not. Although, if we all remember hurricane Katrina in 2005, thousands of New Orleanians & Louisianans rendered themselves either in horrific danger or death because they refused to leave in the face of certain destruction.
If it weren’t so sad, it would be funny.
You did really well there, Greg, with your statistical computations! I’m proud of you. High praises to you today! (See – I CAN be nice. Occasionally. Okay, on rare occasion. Practically never, but whose counting.)
Cheers!
Dee
[If my friend, Steve (wallysdad), is right, then I still blew the computation! Oh well ... as the title of the blog says, it's just an attempt (feeble at that) at math, which is the best I ever do.]
Is it tenacity or that other word you used that ends in “itidy” that motivates you to continue pursuing complex math problems in a public forum?
We may need to seek professional help on this problem. Although whenever you use the word “math” in the first few sentences of a post I know we are in for a fun ride.
So here’s one for you. If train A leaves the station at 5:00 going 50 MPH and train B leaves the station at 5:30 going 60 MPH how long before Greg realizes he shouldn’t tackle math problems in a blog post?
[C'mon, Randy, which direction are the trains going? I can figure this out ... honest I can.]
Ok Greg, I’m joining the fun…Here’s another one for you!
10 fish were swimming, but 6 of them drowned. But, 2 of them suddenly came back to life. So, how many of them in all actually survived?
Scroll down for answer-
[What kind of fish and which direction were they swimming ... oh, never mind. Fish don't drown. But I do know for a fact that mathematical things can be done with the numbers 10, 6, and 2.]
Stop counting, Fish can’t drown!
Now, Greg, aren’t you glad that you & I are BFF?! In fact, after reading all of the other comments here on this post, I reckon I may the only person left with whom you maintain a friendship.
And, I’m so proud of myself because I don’t always take the high road where your math skills are involved, but I intentionally did so this time. I mean, I read wallysdad’s comment and could have said something to let you know he was correct, but I re-read your post very carefully and found there was room for doubt about your conclusive computations so gave you the benefit. That’s what TRUE friends do for one another, don’t you think?
Bless your heart!
Cheers!
Dee
[Dee: You have proven yourself as definitely holier than some of these other slackers! But I love all those slackers as well.
]
Believe me, Greg, if there was ANY holiness, it was only fleetingly temporary!
I just read an article about the guy that was killed… he was a transplant from Alabama. Go figure…