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I have an idea. Does anyone recall the main character in Issac Asimov's Foundation series? His name is Hari Seldon ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seldon_Crisis ). Seldon had the uncanny ability to predict crisis and present the solution for that crisis. Similarly, I wonder if a couple of nerds and a crate of Red Bull could do the same for Crown Heights?
I live in close proximity to crime. All sorts of crime. For instance, there has been at least three shootings in a nearby building. And of those three there were least two deaths. What if one were to chart all of the murders that happen in Crown Heights, would we see the emergence of a pattern? I know it sounds crazy, but, think about it. Maybe there IS a pattern. Maybe were we to 'Seldonize' the neighborhood we could say, 'Uh-oh, Franklin Avenue is due for a shooting this week, better stay indoors.'
The recent shooting on Park Place is described as 'random', because no one knew that violent act would occur there. But, come on, let's be honest: It was Labor Day. We ALL knew that SOMEBODY was going to get hurt that day. Our handicap is that we could not determine where that injury would occur. So how random was it? If we knew there would be blood, but we did not know where there would be blood, then what that implies is that our innate math is accurate, just not dead-on. Knowing that there will be violence but not know where there it will be -- is like knowing that if you add two numbers together the result will be greater, but you don't know what that exact amount is. So what is lacking is the PROCESS to determine the accurate amount.
Maybe it appears to be random because we do not possess the TECHNOLOGY to link the effect to the barely discernible causes. Maybe if we had some sort of statistical tool, it would aid us in determining, dare I say it, the violent future.
Of course this would not be pinpoint accurate, but, it would definitely be eerie.
