~e; recent EM newsfeeds

From human being <human@electronetwork.org>
Date Sat, 8 Jun 2002 10:50:16 -0500



# Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition & others are having policy impacts...
# this is similar to other issues, such as decaying nuke weapons or
# tanks of toxic chemicals that are leaking, but also the aspect of
# re-use and not having to re-mine these resources. one of the most
# interesting things in this regard heard this week, was that of the
# Yucca Mtn nuclear waste graveyard, being like a nuclear-mine-in-
# waiting, should future warheads need to be re-armed, just go rob
# the graveyard, the casks/caskets, etc. so as to not have to re-mine.
# with regard to computers, there are so many diverse and rare materials
# that go into various aspects of their production that there must be
# some economic and logistic benefit to managing resources wisely.


EPA: Old Computers No Longer Junk
By Kendra Mayfield

http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52876,00.html

"Now, the (.us) Environmental Protection Agency plans to change its 
universal waste rule to encourage re-use and recycling, rather than 
dumping, of electronic equipment.
...
Improper disposal of e-waste that contains heavy metals and 
pollutants poses a significant threat to human health, leading to 
respiratory illness, skin infections, stomach disease and other 
conditions.  "


# this is odd, always thought this is why there were supercomputers, to
# model the big-bang theories, etc, in addition to nukes and weather.
# then, beyond this, wondered if with all the computing power has been
# going to only scientific and mathematically modeled events, and not
# some of the more fuzzy problems. do not know, myself, but wonder.
# also, as the old human-as-machine relates to the human-as-computer
# and then, in turn, as hardware/body, software/mind, which is not
# unique and has been dealt with for years, is that recently it was
# sensed/experienced that online is like the universe, big-bang and
# all, built anew, but sociologically, in oral, written, and audio-
# visual descriptions. not a mirror world, as much as a re-creation
# of the way the world is perceived by those who inhabit it. in any
# case, too abstract, but the human-as-software question is then like
# having a big-bang in the mind, and a universe rebuilt thru perception.
# probably not true nor accurate nor original, but a recent experience.

Universe is a computer
A physicist has worked out how many calculations have happened since 
the Big Bang.
3 June 2002
PHILIP BALL
http://www.nature.com/nsu/020527/020527-16.html


# this story on the fuel-cell crossing of US America is quite interesting.
# to get politics out of the way, it is an easy way to provide evidence
# that there is not a feasible short term fuel-cell rollout of cars
# around the corner, but many it seems have not believed this, nor
# any short-term hydrogen infrastructure as being a first step needed
# to make present-day changes for transforming societal patterning.
# what is of note, in relation to public relations, is 'the first'
# aspect of this journey of a fuel-cell car across the continent,
# and the pitfalls and risks involved, and also knowledge gained.
# it is simialr to the first Ford Model A's or T's which made their
# long distance trips. but that may not have been a concept car as
# much as a mass-production model off the assembly line, and which
# probably had a great public relations (PR) sales-effect as a result.
# i forget the details. so too, though, with 'first' wireless, and
# first train crossings, boats, and the rest. it seems that fuel-
# cells are still an experimental and entrepreneurial project where
# there is a rush to find best solutions, of which there seem to be
# several, if not more than a half-dozen or dozen, different ways
# of fueling the non-combustible cell-as-electromagnetic engine,
# only one of which is hydrogen, others incluce gasoline mixtures.


Fuel Cell Car Coasts Across U.S.
By John Gartner
http://wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52877,00.html

'The Necar 5 sedan left San Francisco on May 20 for a 3,262-mile trip 
that provided the first durability test for a fuel cell vehicle. The 
trip featured diverse weather conditions that included rain, snow, 
sleet, as well as 95-degree heat. DaimlerChrysler said the most 
rigorous test it had performed previously was a 600-mile ride in 
California.

"We feared everyday that we weren't going to make it," said Wolfgang 
Weiss, who led the team of 16 engineers and technicians that drove 
the Necar 5. Weiss said the greatest challenges were getting stuck in 
bumper-to-bumper traffic in Chicago, and the days when the mercury 
surpassed 90 degrees. "Fuel cell engines don't like to get hot or 
stand still." '

_____________________________________________

Firoz Rasul's Power Trip
For 14 years, the CEO of Ballard Power Systems has led a seemingly 
quixotic quest to power cars using hydrogen. Now this technology is 
the best hope for ending our dependence on foreign oil -- and it's 
not as far off as you might think.
By Ralph King, June 2002 Issue

http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,40384,FF.html


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