| Monday
January 14, 2002
Henry Vandenberg says
But We Were Born Free
A US Airways pilot spent the night in jail for
"inappropriate" comments at a Philadelphia International Airport
security checkpoint. He's out on bail now; nobody will say what he said,
beyond there being no immediate threat involved.
This is the same airport (and likely the same US
Airways checkpoint) that shut down a terminal and had the National Guard
search it for guns after a US Airways pilot responded to confiscation of
his nail clippers by sarcastically pointing out he had a (legal with
license in PA regardless of what Philly thinks) pistol locked away in an
airport storage room.
http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/cgi-free/
getstory_ssf.cgi?d0666_BC_PA--Pilot'sRemarks&&news&newsflash-pennsylvania
Backtalk a petty bureaucrat and go to jail. And
these people are going to be made Civil Service and essentially unfirable
within the year? My "drive instead" radius is expanding by the
day.
Henry Vanderbilt hvanderbilt@mindspring.com
My "drive instead" radius is
nearly infinite: I just don't go. For the first time in many years I am not
going to the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference
(Boston this year) because I just don't care to fly. I am not tolerant of
arrogant idiots, and I suspect I could end up in handcuffs over a missed
nail file or tooth pick. Easier not to go at all.
But we were born free.
Hi Jerry, I bet you won't see this on page one. It
sure wasn't on the Nature home page:
"The Antarctic has cooled during the past 35
years despite the worldwide temperature rise, according to a study
published today..."
http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/
2002/01/14/wtemp14.xml&sSheet=/news/2002/01/14/ixworld.html >
This one contradicts a recent page one story, which
proclaimed 2001 one of the warmest years ever. It hasn't even been in our
papers:
"The 2001 calendar year was slightly warmer
than "average," according to global climate data gathered by
instruments aboard NOAA satellites..."
http://unisci.com/stories/20021/0109023.htm
>
Stay Cool! Rod Schaffter --
"Powder and artillery are the most efficacious,
sure and infallible conciliatory measures we can adopt." - John Adams
We really have no idea what is
happening with climate. What we do know is that it has been much warmer in
historical times, and we not only survived but thrived. But airport
security hasn't collected all the fools we have to suffer. It would be
nice if some of the learned professors at least looked at the evidence and
commented on it; but in general the environmentalists just ignore it.
The biggest threat to humanity and
the Earth and its environment is another Dinosaur Killer, a Lucifer's
Hammer. We're overdue for one, but we don't seem to have any great
agitation to go to space and learn how to deal with the threat.
Dear Dr. Pournelle,
This gives the term "Blue Screen of Death"
a whole new meaning: http://www.wininformant.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=19605
--- CES: Microsoft unveils Microsoft Car.NET
Live from Las Vegas: Microsoft on Saturday unveiled Microsoft Car.NET, a
set of next-generation technologies that the company says will
revolutionize automobile-based computing and communications. Based on
Windows CE for Automotive 3.0, Car.NET will bring wireless Internet access
to automobiles through a variety of in-vehicle information systems that
feature speech recognition capabilities for hands-off operation. Motorists
will be able to listen to email, make purchases online, and access music
online. Controls that require typing or reading text will only work when
the car is not moving, a safety feature aimed at curtailing the problems
already caused by clueless cell phone users, who are often a hazard to
themselves and others on the road. ---
This came to my attention because my wife is
researching the safety effects of intelligent transportation systems
(meaning adaptive cruise control, lane keeping systems, systems for
automatically imposing speed limitations but also navigation,
communication and entertainment systems). There is much to say about the
often neglected safety side effects of this stuff!
Jan-Pascal -- Jan-Pascal van Best Delft University
of Technology janb@tbm.tudelft.nl, janpascal@vanbest.org http://www.tbm.tudelft.nl/webstaf/janb/index.htm
-- Jan-Pascal van Best Delft University of
Technology janb@tbm.tudelft.nl ,
janpascal@vanbest.org http://www.tbm.tudelft.nl/webstaf/janb/index.htm
Indeed.
I have been struggling with "electronic
ignition" for at least ten years. Pilot lights work better. You are
in a better position than I to find out if the elimination of the pilot
light saves anything.
This is a serious problem in Chicago, where it is
really cold in the morning if the furnace doesn't ignite. Remember our
temperature range is -20 to +110. We have big furnaces and big air
conditioners.
For the last two or three years we have had
intermitent ignition. We have at great expense ($100-$200) replaced spark
plug and transformer. I even had a creative type who wanted to replace the
furnace--these all from serious reliable, hundred year old furnace
companies--this was not a con, they had not seen this before.
I recently--because I am a computer
person--discovered that it was a wire that was completing the circuit when
in a certain position, and not when in another. The furnace guys would
never figure this out, but they charge $100 every time.
If I could, I would change back to a constant pilot
light which I still have in the water heater. I apparently can't.
If you can, do not change from pilot lights.
They work.
Charles
Actually the new system works just
fine, and we have had two other floor furnaces converted from pilot lights
to electronic ignition that have served us well for years.
Understand, in Los Angeles we won't freeze if the electricity goes off and
that shuts down the floor furnaces. We'll still have the oven, and for
that matter there's no condition here that's life threatening if you are
inside and have sweaters and blankets. And I have fireplaces, for that
matter. In other places I might think about it, but here electronic is
reliable enough, and since my floor furnaces are nearly inaccessible, I
feel much safer without flames down there.
And
Roland reports that the Microsoft Store went off line:
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/307
Which I suppose should not be
surprising.
And from Jim Warren on our
priorities:
Didn't expect to send more on this, but these are
too good(?) to keep to myself -- feedback to my msg re protecting against
loss of wallet or purse. --jim
1. Apparently a great service from the
government -- >I highly suggest folks read the FTC web site at >
> http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
> >I was a victim of ident theft in
August 2001 and my billfold was >also recently stolen. The folks here
are some of the most helpful >I've ever dealt with and *much* more
responsive than ANY Federal >Gov't agency I've needed to call as an
individual. > >Here are more details about this innovative program
and other useful numbers. > >Toll-free: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338);
TDD:202-326-2502 > >By mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse >
Federal Trade Commission > 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW > Washington, DC
20580 > >Online: Online ID Theft Complaint Form
2. A good'n'bad story from a neighbor, about the
massive mailbox theft that was going on locally, a coupla years ago --
>I had my credit card stolen from my
mailbox a couple of years ago by >a team of Russian mafia. They were
caught by a very alert and brave >lady on Old La Honda Rd. who saw them
rifling thru mailboxes and >followed them down the hill with the
Sheriffs Dept. on her cell >phone. She basically "pushed"
them right into the arms of the law. > >I got a call from the DA's
office inquiring if I wanted to make a >statement to be presented at
their sentencing. I said I'd make it >in person. They were already on
probation in SF for hit and run, >not making restitution, credit card
theft, etc. I stood up and >suggested they be hung by their balls as
they were not going to >benefit from rehabilitation or probation. They
were going to >continue preying on trusting and naive Americans. The PD
had found >an entire! house full of goods charged on stolen credit
cards and >couldn't do anything about it due to some archaic law
constructed to >protect the bad guys. > >They got 2 and 3 months
jail time respectively. A mere slap on the >wrist...in my humble
opinion. They charged over $15,000 on a credit >card belonging to a
resident on Grandview Dr.
(But at least we give long prison sentences to folks
caught with 2 oz. of grass [unless of course, they can afford a good
lawyer].) --jim
Which needs no comment.
Dr.Pournelle,
I thought you might find this web site rather
interesting. I stumbled on it while I was researching the Marine Corp
Martial Arts system.
www.hoplology.com
Also, have you seen the new "digital"
camoflage utilities and the tan "rough side out" combat boots
being made standard issue for the USMC.
www.tecom.usmc.mil/mcub/utility/index.html
It appears that the Legions are getting new and
distinct new uniforms.
Ron Booker
I was an early subscriber to a
newsletter entitled "hoplology" and I suspect this is an online
version. I haven't seen it yet.
Hi,
I have One Good Reason why people will never switch
over to using Linux (or anything else) as a desktop OS ...
DirectX and OpenGL.
ie. Games .... the good ones - not just solitaire
for KDE.
Also, I found KDE to be a sluggish. It's just like
Windows 3.0 running on top of DOS. It's a program not part of the OS.
I do agree, however, that we need competition,
that's why my heart is set on waiting for OpenBeOS.
Regards,
Phil Greenway IT Manager
I am told that's changing, but so
far you are of course correct. On the other hand, some very good games
have been ported to Linux.
Hope you can find time to follow this debate on
hydrogen fuel cells on politechbot.com
http://www.politechbot.com/p-03023.html
Andy
I probably won't but someone will send
me a good summary.
Hi Jerry,
I'm sure that you hear a million of these, but here
is my own personal horror story.
I recently bought a P4 from Dell that comes with
Word 2000 pre-installed. I noticed that no matter how I configured the
program I was unable to send out a Word file as an e-mail attachment. I
was able to send out the file in the body of the e-mail, but not as an
attachment.
The good news is that Dell customer support was
excellent and spent the required time to fix the problem. The bad news is
that the required time translated into me spending close to four hours on
the phone with them (two evening sessions) while they tried various
things, including reinstalling Word. It turns out that the WIN.ini file
needed editing, and once they knew the fix it was a matter of ten minutes
work. The fix is in a file called Q290797, which can be located on the
Microsoft site. The hard part is finding it. Fortunately Dell has great
service; otherwise I'm not sure what I would have done. I'm not a computer
techie although I have been using them since Apple II+/Franklin days. I've
also enjoyed your column for many years. Of course it's a lot more fun
reading about someone else's problems than having to deal with my own.
Cheers.
Mark Friedman Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
Please visit our web site at www.anchin.com
<http://www.anchin.com>
I am pleased to hear that Dell took
the trouble to do that. I suspect I have a similar ini problem: I can't get
the photo editor in the Office 2000 suite to work properly on one of my
machines. It's not a big enough problem that I have attacked it yet.
And an advertisement about a
conference I often go to, and may get there this year:
CONTACT 2002 will be held at
NASA/Ames and the Marriott Hotel in Santa Clara on March 1-3, 2002. Our
keynote speaker will be Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart. The theme of
Ames Day, organized by Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute and Michael Sims
of NASA, will be "The Search for Extraterrestrial Life -- Is the
Cosmos Rife with Life?." It is dedicated to CONTACT board member Poul
Anderson, writer, friend, gentleman and starfarer.
Please take a moment to look over our highlights and
stellar cast this year. Participants are listed at the end of the file.
Join us at CONTACT 2002!
See www.cabrillo.cc.ca.us/contact and
softwaremanagement.com/contact.
Highlights of the program:
Keynote Speaker - Apollo 9 Astronaut Rusty
Schweickart
Astronaut Rusty Schweickart set records on the
Apollo 9 mission in 1969 by piloting the first manned flight of the lunar
module in space and pioneering the portable life support backpack in an
extended EVA. Rusty is the founder of the Association of Space Explorers,
the international professional society of astronauts and cosmonauts. He
has won numerous awards in appreciation of his service onworld and
offworld.
Tribute to Poul Anderson
CONTACT 2002 is dedicated to Poul Anderson, one of
the greatest SF writers of all time. A tribute by scientists, writers and
artists will celebrate his life and work. Speakers will include Marvin
Minsky, Greg Bear, Jerry Pournelle and Vernor Vinge.
Ames Day - Is the Universe Rife with Life? Search
for Life in the Universe.
Is biology an improbable accident, confined to a
single, watery planet? Or could life be as common as chain motels, a
regular happenstance on myriad worlds? Contact 2002 will present the
latest news from the frontiers of astrobiology, space exploration, and
SETI, and get you a little closer to the answer to these perennial, and
profound questions. Major Subject Areas: What are the conditions on other
worlds, how might life have arisen, and how could we find it? Organized by
Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute and Michael Sims of NASA Ames, its
speakers will include SETI originator Frank Drake, Mars activist Bob
Zubrin and exotic life explorer Penny Boston.
Botball - Student-programmed robots play ball. Join
in.
Botball is a national program where middle and high
school students design, build and program AUTONOMOUS robots (no
remote-control) to play in that year's game. Details about the Botball
program can be found at www.botball.org. Join in the game and learn to
design robots. Developer Dave Miller will be head coach.
World Building Workshop
In honor of the event he created at CONTACT, we will
inaugurate the Poul Anderson World Building Workshop, headed by geologist
and writer, Steve Gillett. Come and build a world.
.SOLSYS
Our national award winning simulation will be
demonstrating its operations on line. Students at colleges and university
around the country build their colonies and interact within a virtual
future community in space. Originator Reed Riner will host. Visit a city
in space, walk on the moon, talk to Martians.
COTI Hi
High School students create two planets and aliens
and then play out ET contact. Our COTI scenario is the basis for an
educational curriculum developed by Oroville High. See
www.cabrilo.cc.ca.us/contact/edu.html
Old-fashioned COTI -
Scientists and artists join attendees in designing a
world and lifeform, then simulate contact with future human society.
www.cabrillo.cc.ca.us/contact/coti.html
Education for the Future
Latest techniques and programs for the next
generation, innovative uses of imagination to teach science. Learn about
virtual reality simulations of space communities, students building robots
and designing star systems.
Art Galleries
Displays of works by noted artists will be organized
by Joel Hagen.
.... plus symposia on exploring the future of
humanity.
Expected participants: Karen Anderson, Lara Battles,
Greg Bear, Barry Blumberg, Penny Boston, Chris Butler, Chris Chyba, Frank
Drake, Rob Furey, Jim Funaro, Joel Hagen, Al Harrison, Mark Lupisella
Michelle Merrill, Dave Miller, Marvin Minsky, Dave Moore, Chris McKay,
Charles Ostman, Jerry Pournelle, Reed Riner, Don Scott, Seth Shostak,
Michael Sims, Elizabeth Vaiu, Vernor Vinge, Richard Zimmer and Bob Zubrin.
CONTACT welcomes professionals, students and
enthusiasts in the sciences, science fiction and the arts. Everyone's a
participant! Limited registration provides opportunity for interaction.
Come and be part of our eighteenth national gathering in an informal and
synergistic atmosphere. This is the one you've been hearing about! For
three days of hard work and hard play, join us...
TOP
|
CLICK HERE for
a Special Request. 
