9/11 was obviously one of the major tragedies in American history.  It was a horrific event, causing thousands of people to prematurely lose their lives, led by a group of men who overtook the airplanes using items such as box-cutters, fear, etc.  What happened?  Summarizing what I understand to be the driving factor behind creation of the “Department of Homeland Security“: lack of communication and sharing of intelligence amongst government agencies.  Could the events that unfolded that tragic morning have been prevented, had proper communication channels been available?  We’ll never know.  Regardless, the American public needed to know it was safe to fly in the immediate days, weeks, months, even years following.  Steps were taken.  DHS was created.  Cockpit doors reinforced.  Additional training and ticketing procedures were put in place to raise flags.

Then, the shoe bomber.  His attempts to detonate the plane failed, but it gives the TSA another reactionary element to their scanning procedures.  We now take our shoes off to be scanned.

Enter the underwear bomber of Christmas 2009.  On an International flight to Detroit, he attempts to detonate a device he has hidden in his underwear.  The attempt to cause destruction, ultimately fails.

Now we have scanners that see through clothes.  Do you see the pattern?  Everything to this point from the TSA has been reactionary.  In the years following 9/11, were there attempted hijackings of domestic flights?  None that I’m aware of.  Were there any cases of explosive devices found in the shoes we all removed to have scanned?  Again, none that I’m aware of.  It has only been a year, but no other individual has attempted to ignite his underwear, that I’m aware of, on a domestic flight within the US, let alone another international flight.  We does the government assume that terrorist organizations will only use air travel as a means of destruction?  It happened once.  Yes, it was tragic, horrible, and inexplicably terrible.  But, does that mean we should now assume everyone is a suspect if they’re flying?  It doesn’t make sense.

Why is security so paramount to air travel to the extent it is today?  The metal detector and baggage scans appear to be working just fine.  Statistically speaking, I’m putting myself in MORE danger by choosing to drive than I am flying in a plane that is full of unscanned individuals.

As a corollary, does anyone fear entering a Federal building upon the chance that someone could park a Ryder van outside packed with explosives?  No.  Measures were taken in the months following, I believe, to ensure a vehicle could not be parked so close to the building, but no rights are violated, no one is searched beyond a metal detector as a means of entering the building.

Logically, it just doesn’t make sense that this much security is required to partake in air travel.  More people die in DUI related accidents than were ever killed in 9/11 – yet, there are no checkpoints upon entering the interstate.  There is no alcohol detection required to start a vehicle.

I took my 2005 Toyota 4Runner in for a full-set of new tires (all 4 replaced).  I was called a couple hours later, and was told by the technician that they replaced a TPMS sensor.  They did not state that it was broken prior to bringing it in, nor did they state that the technician broke it while replacing the tire.  They did state that there would be no charge to me (I assume this is an acceptance of fault).

I later picked up my vehicle, received my receipt which showed the replaced TPMS sensor, no charge.  Within 36 hours of having this work done, the TPMS system light illuminated and began flashing on the dashboard.  Upon consulting my owners manual, it stated this indicates a ‘malfunction’ of the TPMS system, not a pressure problem on the tires.  I checked pressure to validate this.

I brought the vehicle back to Tires Plus to have the light evaluated.  I was told they were booked, and to bring it back Sunday.  I did so, and was again told, they were booked, could I come back Monday.  I did.

Monday, I was told that they ran a test, and the light was signaling a problem with the spare tire sensor.  Which had NOT been worked on.  I was told that they’d have to replace it, but it wouldn’t be free since it is a sensor they didn’t work on.  They reset the indicator, and within 24 – 36 hours, it came on again.

This is extremely suspect.

a)  I was not told why they needed to replace one of the TPMS sensors.

b)  If I was given the original replacement for free, at no admitted fault of the technician, why not give me another for the spare?

c)  There was no indication of a problem prior to bringing my vehicle to Tires Plus, yet within 36 hours, a sensor dies?

Looking at the error, my blood began to boil:

PHP Fatal error: Column count doesn't match value count at row 1

So, I investigated where this was happening, and found it.  Effectively, when you write an INSERT like this:

INSERT INTO table VALUES ('1', '2', '3');

The DB will automatically match your values up with the columns.  Except, you’ve effectively broken the code because any change to the schema will change the number of columns.  Second, you cannot guarantee the column order on a table, so you just broke any chance of compatibility with another DB back-end.  Especially, in the case of multiple branches of a project being updated, you must be defensive about coding practices against the database.  You cannot assume anything about the mainline of development beyond your branch.

So, a small lesson.  Anytime you’re writing an INSERT, always, always, always, declare the column listing like so:

INSERT INTO table (col_1, col_2, col_3) VALUES ('1', '2', '3');

Now, you see that the DB doesn’t have to think about which columns you’re populating, you told it directly.  This also guards against the change in column order, as well as, the addition of new columns.  Remember, if you’re adding columns that are set to ‘NOT NULL’, be sure to set a sane acceptable default, and you shouldn’t have compatibility issues with your old inserts.

Closing side benefit, I can look at this new INSERT, and know what the columns are.  Given the first, I’d have to go check the DB, and verify the column order, etc.  Always put column names in.  Always.

Today on the radio one of the co-hosts was talking about a report from 60 Minutes about requiring restaurants in New York City to post nutritional information on the menus.  As if the nutritional board wasn’t enough, or if you really cared, asking the manager somehow failed to get you the information you’ve been seeking.

You know “what really grinds my gears”?  People blaming the fast food industry for making America fatter.  As if people that eat fast food don’t realize that the food isn’t good for them.  Ask anyone on the street, “If I dunk food in a vat of boiling oil (fat), is it healthy for me?”  Of course not!  People know it, but they keep eating it.  What reason does McDonalds have to change the way it makes food?  McDonalds doesn’t have the responsibility to maintain the health of America.  Secondly, if McDonalds doesn’t provide the fat, someone else will.  McDonalds isn’t the problem here, folks.  It’s the people visiting the McDonalds.

Now if the health industry wants to run some type of campaign to make America healthier, and they use stats from the fast food companies for nutritional content (or lack thereof), by all means.  But, in no way should they create legislation that affects the fast food industries business (by directly making them change anything).  I believe anything they want to do to change the business should be indirect.  Make the people want to change.  If the people want McDonalds to change, it will.  Until then, nothing will change.

Hopefully, this isn’t the last “Grinds My Gears” post.