We got Osama! Now on to easier targets?
We got em! He was elusive but after a decade, justice for the victims of 9/11. We engaged in two wars, spent trillions of dollars but at long last—we got em! A celebration is indeed in order, as anything that might lessen the grief of those affected on that horrible day is appreciated. However, at this time, we have an opportunity in front of us to focus on other killers, whose techniques might not be as brutal or intentional but aftereffects are just as damning.
We recently released a report that referenced the hundreds of people who have died because of malfunctioning construction cranes. The culprit in this case, the decade long series of hoops (including six industry consultations) that Congress makes OSHA officials jump through to get new noncontroversial safety rules passed. Even when there is initial media attention, such as in the case of the Massey Energy mining disaster at Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, a little over a year later and little has changed.
Then there are the needless victims of products like dangerous weight loss supplements and latex gloves that the FDA should take off the shelf . . .