>
> In this case, I think the conceit was that the computer found the *strong
> correlation* between tornado damage reports and trailer parks (since that
> is where the threshold for damage is lower than conventional homes).

Populated areas might have been defined for the computer as 'areas with a
population density above a certain threshold' to eliminate the extra load
of having the computer calculate a path that also avoids that one hermit
out in the middle of nowhere, the programmers being concerned mostly with
cities and suburbs. The computer's solution? Eliminate "populated areas" by
spreading the local population out evenly over the ground, using RV
trailers as the method by which such widespread housing could be
comparatively quickly/easily/cheaply established. Boom - problem solved!
That might be overanalyzing the humour, though. :P
-Arlo James Barnes
============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com

Reply via email to