~e; Electromagnetic News & Views #92

From brian carroll <human@electronetwork.org>
Date Tue, 16 Mar 2004 20:02:48 -0600


===================================================
Electromagnetic News & Views -- #92
===================================================

00) Electronetwork.org Commentary (3/16/2004)

01) Top Stories of Electromagnetism
02) Electromagnetic health & safety
03) Electromagnetic trash & treasure
04) Electromagnetic security & surveillance
05) Electromagnetic power & energy
06) Electromagnetic current & human affairs
07) Electromagnetic transport & communication
08) Electromagnetic matter & information
09) Electromagnetic trends & inventions
10) Electromagnetic weaponry & warfare
11) Electromagnetic business & economics
12) Electromagnetic artworks & artifacts

===================================================
00) --commentary-- (some notes/thoughts)

Electrical meters seem to be in the news this week, one is
in the 'top story' section related to conservation, others
are in the business section. Thinking about the question of
changing frequencies on transmission lines, and having seen
more about small motors (stepper motors, with many small
magnets that enable certain precision rotational movements),
it seems that a change in frequency would be 'out of step'
with much of the existing hardware which relies upon certain
specific designs to work with alternating current, as the
quote from Networks of Power indicated having to replace a
lot of equipment when moving from 40hz to 50hz, though in
addition that equipment may not work even if power is being
supplied to it because it is specific to frequency, or so
it seems to be this way. If one has a chance, take a look
at the 'battery photograph' in the power section, it is of
note that a company uses styrofoam instead of a battery cell
inside the metal casing. Another thought on having a PDA
that has now died when sent a replacement for battery issues
is that it is wondered why 'circuits' require batteries to
always run power through them if this runs batteries down
over a period of time. A common saying is to take out the
batteries if not using something for a period of time, to
save the equipment and the batteries. Yet, this is a design
issue which could decouple the batteries to save the wasted
energy, as the shelf-life of a battery far exceeds what is
the result of leaving them idle in an electronic circuit.
This seems to be a result of bad design, not bad batteries,
and a standard for conserving the wasted resource could be
figured out and implemented, it is believed, to save a lot
of wasted resources, power, and electronics devices through
some commons sense decisions.  Of interest, also, in the
use of electronics language in politics has been that of
'flip-flop' but also 'fuzzy math' as a form of insult. In
reading about wireless sensor networks it would seem that
without flip-flops (other reading) computers would not now
exist as they do, and without fuzzy-logic, and fuzzy-math,
it is assumed, artificial intelligence and other advances
(in thinking, no less) would be available today. So it is
wondered if political talk is actually a masked ludditism,
a fear of the unknown and a demeaning of new core concepts
that change the nature and understanding of reality, such
as allowing for paradox and for changes in 'time' during
a period of decision making, instead of a static vantage
of events, as if the individual human brain were a limit
upon what is possible in a world of 6 billion of these in
various states of consideration, questioning being alive.


===================================================
01) --top stories--
---------------------------------------------------

Iran Allowing Unfettered Nuke Inspections // towards nuclear  
diplomacy...
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-japan-iran- 
nuclear,0,578846.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>

	'"It is certain. And it will be without any conditions," Rowhani, who  
also heads Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said at a news  
conference in Tokyo.'

Ontario blueprint aims to chop electricity use // conservation  
strategy...
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/ 
20040316/CONSERVE16/TPNational/Canada>

	'The Ontario cabinet will be asked soon to approve a sweeping  
electricity-conservation strategy that would offer both financial  
incentives and penalties to encourage consumers to cut back on the  
power they use, according to senior government officials.' .. 'Under  
the proposed strategy, all homes would get new "smart" electricity  
meters that would monitor and record the amount of power used at  
different times of day. The province could pay the cost of  
installation, or pass it on to utilities.' ... 'The strategy also could  
include providing rebates to those who cut monthly power use by at  
least 20 per cent, as was done in California, and the creation of a new  
office in the government to promote energy-conservation measures in  
government, the private sector and among residential consumers.'

Designing an energy system for the U.S. in 2100.
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICS II--PHYS-102
SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE
YEAR 2100 ENERGY PROJECT (2003 version)
<http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY_PROJECT/ENERGY2100.htm>

	'Premise: The year is 2100. The U.S. now has a population of  
500,000,000 people. The energy use per person would have risen to  
100,000 kWh/y; however, through CONSERVATION and EFFICIENCY this has  
been effectively reduced to 75,000 kWh/y. Greenhouse concerns and the  
dwindling supplies of Oil and Natural Gas have effectively eliminated  
these fuels from use. Coal is still abundant and being used. In order  
to meet the energy demands, a new mix of resources and technologies are  
in place.'

WORLD ENERGY SIMULATOR FOR WIN 95/98/ME/NT4.x/2000/XP & POWERMACS
<http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY.html>

	'This is a 'game-style' simulator that puts the student in control of  
the Supply and Demand for energy throughout the world. Each of 6  
regions must be maintained based on choices of Scenario which include  
factors such as population and economic growth rates, undiscovered  
resources, efficiency improvements, etc. The goal is to reach a point  
in the future where the energy demands can be met totally with  
renewable energy resources. Students are rated on whether they can  
minimize shortages and environmental damage. Text and animated  
tutorials are included along with built in instructions for play.'

// there are links in the snippet below, go to the page to click to  
stories.
// when the North-East power outage occured last year, it was possible  
it
// was al Qaeda and some security people wrote about computer hacking  
being
// a possibility given the sequence of events (rather than a tree  
branch as
// the official report concluded, and was repeated here by myself days  
ago).
// instead, the same people who claimed bombing in Spain did the same  
for
// the earlier power outage, which still may have been a grid hack  
attack.
// (the .NL or .DK also had power outages, related to supporting  
nations.)

see: 15 March 2004 from Cursor.org // still an open-question...
<http://cursor.org/>

	"The Times article notes that the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which  
claimed responsibility for the bombings in a statement published in a  
London-based Arabic newspaper, also claimed to have been behind last  
summer's blackouts in the U.S., Canada and Britain. Plus:  'Spain's  
3-11: Basques, bin Laden, or both?"

Beyond the Duck Blind // call for Supreme Court to vote Scalia off VP  
case...
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/15/opinion/15MON1.html>

	'Supreme Court arguments are only six weeks away in the Sierra Club's  
challenge to the secrecy surrounding Vice President Dick Cheney's  
energy task force and the formulation of the Bush administration's  
energy policy. And Justice Antonin Scalia, Mr. Cheney's duck-hunting  
buddy, still stubbornly resists stepping out of the case. To protect  
the Supreme Court's integrity and legitimacy — and honor the rule of  
law — the final choice can no longer be left to Justice Scalia alone.  
Unless he suddenly reverses himself, the Supreme Court as a whole has a  
duty to intervene, much as it reviews the recusal decisions of  
lower-court judges.'

UN nuclear watchdog wants to return to North Korea
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/75605/1/ 
.html>

U.N. Official: Libya Disappointed by Nuclear Show // or: don't  
politicize peace.
<http://www.reuters.com/ 
newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4579805&section=news>

	'"It looks like unilateral U.S. disarmament of Libya and Libya wants  
it recognized as disarmament under the nuclear  Non-Proliferation  
Treaty, the NPT, and IAEA auspices," the  Vienna-based official added.'

---------------------------------------------------
02-- electromagnetic health & safety
---------------------------------------------------

Ultra-fast shocks scramble cells
Powerful electrical pulses might zap tumours. // more on  
nano-firstpulsing
<http://www.nature.com/nsu/040315/040315-2.html>

	'Using very short, very powerful electric shocks, researchers are  
developing a way to jolt cancer cells into committing suicide, or  
healthy cells into healing wounds.' .. 'The technique involves blasting  
cells with nanopulses. These are high-power electrical bolts that last  
a few billionths of a second. They deliver millions of volts - enough  
power to light up a city, but each burst lasts much less than the blink  
of an eye.' ... 'Quite how nanopulses trigger cell suicide still leaves  
scientists scratching their heads....' ... 'However they work, the  
nanopulses are prompting a flurry of ideas for their use....'

// read of a statistic a few years ago-- in schools and workplaces
// a certain (majority) percentage do not wash hands then go to use
// community keyboards which never are cleaned, passing germs, etc.
// may be a good idea to start using cloth gloves on public keyboards.

Toilet seats cleaner than keyboards
<http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/ 
0,7204,8944539%5E15841%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html>

	'The University of Arizona study study recommends that office work  
stations be regularly disinfected since they can on average contain 400  
times as many germs as a toilet seat, said Charles Gerba, a University  
of Arizona microbiologist.'

---------------------------------------------------
03-- electromagnetic trash & treasure
---------------------------------------------------

// + National Nuclear Security Administration judges security for  
non-nuke sites

Training for nuclear plant guards reduced // conjures up 'Homer  
Simpson'...
<http://salon.com/news/wire/2004/03/16/training/>

	'Nuclear weapons plants have eliminated or reduced training for guards  
responsible for repelling terrorist attacks, leaving the government  
unable to guarantee the plants can be adequately defended, the Energy  
Department's internal watchdog said Tuesday.'

Bison have nowhere left to roam
<http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994762>

	'The migration of America's great mammals is being cut off by  
encroaching human habitation and energy plants and pipelines.' ...  
'"The number of oil and gas wells going in is so phenomenal that it is  
altering an area that was a natural environment and turning it into an  
industrial landscape," says the Sierra Club's Kirk Koepsel.'

---------------------------------------------------
04-- electromagnetic security & surveillance
---------------------------------------------------	

Two charged with illegally exporting sensitive technology
<http://salon.com/tech/wire/2004/03/16/china/>

	'According to the indictment, the two men illegally purchased and  
exported to China 24 low-noise amplifier chips that are used in U.S.  
military aviation radar systems, including the Army's Hellfire  
missile.' .. 'The indictment alleges the two never obtained the  
required export license for the chips, which also have civilian uses.  
Instead, the indictment says that in shipping declarations filed with  
the government the two men listed the chips as "transistors" worth only  
$20.'

// on wireless sensors, have been thinking that a series of 'springs'  
could
// be used with a piezo-electric plate to generate current from  
vibrations
// and the springs could enhance the movements, if winds could be  
maintained
// for consistent bending, such as on traffic lights. versus purely  
solar.

SensorNet Proposed As System To Protect Millions Nationwide
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040315071533.htm>

	'chemical, biological and radiological threats, will allow informed  
first responders to be dispatched within minutes of an event.' ..  
'Nationally, the system would combine assets from government and  
private sectors to provide state-of-the-art sensors and remote  
telemetry by strategically locating and connecting remote sensors on or  
at existing commercial and government facilities. Critical information  
then can be sent simultaneously to incident management centers at the  
local, state and national levels within minutes of an event.' .. 'First  
responders would know the critical details of the event, including  
assessment of the chemical or biological hazards as well as levels of  
radiological releases. In addition, emergency management personnel  
would know the projected path of the plume in time to take corrective  
action. Furthermore, it is possible to rapidly deploy a nationwide  
SensorNet system because much of the technology and infrastructure  
already exist.'

---------------------------------------------------
05-- electromagnetic power & energy
---------------------------------------------------

ELECTRIC POWER AROUND THE WORLD  -- The table below summarizes  
information
on the electrical systems in use in most countries of the world.
<http://kropla.com/electric2.htm>

Appliance and Commercial Equipment Standards
<http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/>

ENERGY MANAGEMENT SIMULATORS // free mac/pc software
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY PROJECT: (NEW 3/11/04) U.S.ENERGY 2004:
UNITED STATES ENERGY SIMULATOR FOR WIN 95/98/ME/NT4.x/2000/XP &  
POWERMACS
<http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY.html>

	'There are now five simulator packages available.  The newest, is an  
international version of the Energy Project 2100 project described  
below.  There is also a new U.S. Energy 2004, which is an updated and  
simplified version of the 2001 simulator.  Each simulator puts the  
student in charge of some aspects of national energy management.  In  
most cases, the primary control is over the actual resources used to  
provide energy.  The 2001 U.S. simulator is more detailed but also  
requires more time to complete than the new 2004 version.  The Energy  
Project 2100 package is very detailed in looking moving the energy  
resources from the fossil fuels to renewable energies, but because of  
the intrinsic 5-year time increments can be completed in a reasonably  
short time.  The World simulator can be used for either detailed study  
of the international picture or in an automated mode to quickly 'see'  
what happens as certain key parameters (such as population growth) are  
adjusted.'

[and] ENERGY PROJECT 2100:
<http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY.html>

	'This program is a new energy simulation that follows the general  
guidelines of my Physics 102 (Energy) class project.  See  
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/ENERGY_PROJECT/ENERGY2100.htm for details  
on that project.  This new simulator is more compact and plays more  
quickly than the two simulators below.  It deals more specifically with  
the task of replacing oil and natural gas with renewable resources by  
having the student decide how many wind generators, photo-voltaic  
panels, new dams, new nuclear plants, new geothermal plants, acres of  
farmland to dedicate to fuel crops, etc.  The cost of all of this is a  
major factor and includes both debt service and the replacement costs  
of units that wear out.  Other factors are considered such as increased  
efficiencies and possible conservation steps as well as the need to  
store some of the solar and wind energy.  By using five-year steps and  
the ability to retain most settings, the exercise can be completed  
relatively quickly...'

// outstanding idea -- there are large areas of open land alongside
// freeways on embankments (in the .US highway system, at least)...
// a system like this could be used also, to keep traffic systems on
// during power outages, possibly, or other emergency backup systems.

M-WAY barriers create electricity
Solar panels have been installed along a stretch of motorway as part
of a project to find new ways to generate eco-friendly electricity.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/dorset/ 
3504278.stm>

IRAN, Iraq ink electricity transfer agreement
<http://www.payvand.com/news/04/mar/1094.html>

Mercenaries aimed to topple oil-rich despot -- The inside story of
the ties that bind President Obiang and powerful American interests
<http://news.independent.co.uk/world/africa/story.jsp?story=501017>

G.E. Signals a Growing Interest in Solar
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/13/technology/13solar.html>

	'General Electric will acquire the major assets of the largest  
American-owned maker of solar equipment, in a move the solar power  
industry sees as a major vote of confidence in the business.' ... '"It  
shows we are a mainstream industry, or moving that way," said Bob  
Kenedi, general manager of the solar systems division of Sharp  
Electronics, an American subsidiary of the Sharp Corporation of Japan.  
Sharp has emerged as the clear market leader in solar power equipment  
with a sixfold increase in production since 1999, and it opened its  
first American assembly plant, in Memphis, last year.' ... '...  
analysts and solar manufacturers figure G.E. is responding to signs  
that rising prices for hydrocarbon-based fuels and improvements in  
solar products and manufacturing technology have laid the foundation  
for large-scale producers to finally start making steady profits - even  
as major supporters like the Japanese government and California reduce  
subsidies to consumers.'

// this image is in a book I am now reading, and it shows how
// one 9V battery has less cells than others. so have taken
// apart a dead battery here (there is some toxic stuff that
// is all around it, not sure how the ones in the image are so
// clean) -- yet one battery has styrofoam stuffing in it (!!)
// note: also, found this authors book at Microcenter, 4.00

==> Chapter 7: Nine-Volt Batteries // see photographs of  
stuffed-battery (url #2)
<http://www.robotroom.com/RBFB.html>
<http://www.linefollowing.com/robotroom/RBFBNineVolt.jpg>

---------------------------------------------------
06-- electromagnetic current & human affairs
---------------------------------------------------

Bomb blasts captured in chilling voice mail message
A radio station Friday broadcast a chilling, 12-second recording
of terrorist bombs exploding on one of the Madrid commuter trains
as an evacuated passenger screams in fright.
<http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/03/12/spain.bomb.voicemail.ap/>

Inventor of Ctrl-Alt-Delete reboots into retirement
Bradley leaves IBM after 281/2 years, plans to still teach
<http://www.courier-journal.com/business/news2004/02/28/biz-4- 
ctrlaltdel28-3264.html>

// this is interesting news for the use of recording media and its
// misinterpretation and the speed at which information travels...

GLOBE REPORTER CLAIMS TAPE RECORDED KERRY 'MORE' LEADERS NOT
'FOREIGN' LEADERS;  TRANSCRIPTION 'SCREW-UP' // drudgereport.com flash
<http://drudgereport.com/kerrybo.htm>

---------------------------------------------------
07-- electromagnetic transport & communication
---------------------------------------------------

RFID: More Fun Than You Might Think // reading RFIDs with mobile phones
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/23358.html>

	'... Researchers at PhilipsLatest News about Philips want to make RFID  
fun.' .. 'They aim to do this by putting an RFID reader in every mobile  
phoneLatest News about mobile phones, so that users could look at the  
contents of a tag simply by holding their phone up against it.' ..  
'Once the code is extracted, the phone would look it up on the Web and  
display the information it had retrieved on the screen.'

// thinking of the huge resources needed for the mars rovers, even after
// landing (there is a long-period before any decision is sent to the  
rover
// to check to make sure it is a good decision) - there seems to be a  
big
// leap between this fragility (moving about a landscape with a control-
// center behind the robot and tens of people and lots of resources, and
// a group of university-groups and hobbyists able to go great distances
// autonomously. maybe the challenge is even beyond even NASA as of now.

All robots break down in Pentagon race
<http://salon.com/tech/wire/2004/03/13/robots/>

	'... Two of the entries covered about seven miles of the roughly  
150-mile course while eight failed to make it to the one-mile mark.  
Others crashed seconds after starting.'

Brooks: Retired Robots
<http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/humanoid-robotics-group/retired-robots/>
<http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/genghis/genghis.html>

US government faked Bush news reports // Video-News-Release as tactical  
media?
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/ 
0,13918,1170535,00.html>

	'Investigators are examining the film segments, in which actors  
pretending to be journalists praise the benefits of the new law passed  
last year by President Bush, to see if they could be construed as  
propaganda.' ... 'The government also prepared scripts to be used by  
news anchors...' ... 'Lawyers from the investigative arm of Congress  
discovered the tapes as part of an investigation into federal money  
that was used to publicise the new law.'

OVERVIEW: Eight Major Trends
The State of the News Media -- An Annual Report on American Journalism
<http://www.stateofthemedia.org/narrative_overview_eight.asp?media=1>

Web name wait lists 'will hurt the little guy' // WLS
<http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994768>

---------------------------------------------------
08-- electromagnetic matter & information
---------------------------------------------------

Stretchy wires form bendy circuits
Rubbery electronics might be possible using gold springs.
<http://www.nature.com/nsu/040308/040308-13.html>

	'US researchers have made electronic circuits that can stretch like  
rubber. The flexible wires might create wearable electronics or  
artificial nerves that can bend inside the body.' ... 'Straight wires  
normally break if stretched; but they do bend easily. Turning wire into  
a coiled and extendable metal spring exploits that property.'

Robots to Get Boss Upgrades 
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/ 
0,1282,62622,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_6>

	'Brooks, whose robot vacuum cleaner, Roomba , picks up after tens of  
thousands of bachelors and baby boomers every day, said engineers  
should start building robotic assistants for the elderly.' .. '"The big  
future applications will be for the aging populations of the United  
States, Europe and Japan," said Brooks.' ... 'Robots will substitute  
for low-cost, imported elder-care workers in developed countries where  
help is becoming scarce, said Brooks. They said technology required for  
autonomous home health-care robots may not be ready for 15 years or  
more...'

The Animated Chalkboard-2000 // free mac/pc physics software
<http://www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/CHALK.html>

	'5) E&M: This set offers electric field, electric potential, and  
electric equi-potential mapping programs, an electric force program  
where you can turn charged particles loose in 2 or 3 dimensions and  
watch their motion, an animation showing magnetic fields and the  
effects of fields on moving charges, and one that 'attempts' to show  
something of the creation of E&M waves.'

A Rose by Any Other Name: Intel's New Chip Labels
<http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/23352.html>

	'Intel plans to institute a new labeling system for its PCLatest News  
about PC chips, focusing on overall performance rather than clock  
speed, according to industry sources.'

High-performance, Single-crystal Plastic Transistors Reveal Hidden  
Behavior--
Printing circuits on sheets of plastic may offer a low-cost technique  
for
manufacturing thin-film transistors for flexible displays, but  
maximizing
the performance of such devices will require a detailed, fundamental
understanding of how charge flows through organic semiconductors.
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/03/040312090304.htm>

	'The fabrication technique -- developed by researchers from Illinois,  
Rutgers University and Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies -- not  
only provides a way to study the physics at the heart of charge  
transport in these unusual materials, it also has resulted in the  
highest mobility recorded in an organic semiconductor. The use of  
transistor stamps promises to open up the field of basic study of  
organic semiconductors by allowing devices to be fabricated from  
pristine organic crystal samples that remain untouched by conventional  
chemical or mechanical processing.' ... 'As charges flow through  
conventional thin-film polycrystalline materials, they encounter  
boundaries between the crystals that disrupt their movement. By  
studying single crystals, Rogers and his colleagues can eliminate the  
effects of these grain boundaries and examine the intrinsic transport  
properties of the crystalline material itself.' ... 'Because the bond  
between stamp and crystal is not permanent, the researchers also can  
remove the crystal, rotate it, and reattach it to the substrate.  
Repositioning the crystal allows the scientists to explore the  
dependence of the mobility on the orientation of the transistor channel  
relative to the crystal axes.'

---------------------------------------------------
09-- electromagnetic trends & inventions
---------------------------------------------------

Guinness Record for Toshiba's Tiny Hard Disk Drive // via NewsScan...
<http://www.reuters.com/ 
newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=YX5ZXPK3QKXTUCRBAEZSFEY?type=technologyNews 
&storyID=4575033&section=news>

// flattening coins on railroad tracks is one thing: electromagnets  
another...

Coin Shrinking and Can Crushing
Electromagically© Shrunken Heads, Tiny Tails, & Slimmer Cans  
<http://205.243.100.155/frames/shrinkergallery.html>

	'FIRE! The Shrinker is triggered remotely... you really don't want to  
be anywhere near the system when it fires. You can also see the highly  
conductive arc inside the trigatron switch (the cylindrical object to  
the right of the blast shield) as it switches over 100,000 amps into  
the work coil. The resulting magnetic field can erase nearby credit  
cards. And yes, it makes a BIG bang!' .. 'A closeup image of a Kennedy  
half being shrunk at 6,500 joules. A neutral density filter allows us  
to see more detail of the ball of plasma that's created when the work  
coil explodes. Any residual system energy is rapidly dissipated by both  
the plasma discharge and via a bank of high-power bleeder resistors.  
Voltage metering, audio, and LED alarms warn if any dangerous charge  
remains on the capacitor bank.  The shrunken coin is retrieved after  
the high voltage capacitors have been fully discharged.'

[and] More Arcs 'n Sparks! // videos, exploding transformer...
<http://205.243.100.155/frames/longarc.htm>

Goodbye CAD. Goodbye BIM. Hello PEN.
Paul Seletsky, Director of Technology, Davis Brody Bond, LLP
AECbytes Viewpoint #3  March 10, 2004 // via archnewsnow...
<http://www.aecbytes.com/viewpoint/issue_3.htm>

	'... Suddenly, ideas that seemed impossible from the architect's or  
engineer's perspective would become possible again—because they would  
essentially be derived from the same single database repository and  
would include:  Direct, 'real-time', collaboration within and between  
all engineering disciplines, and the owner, and the GC; direct  
fabrication of building components; material cost-calculation (as  
opposed to mere estimation); construction simulation and  
construction-site logistics simulation; electronic radio-frequency  
identification (RFID) 'tagging' of all building components, thermal  
energy and computational fluid dynamic analysis (both around and within  
the building); real-time monitoring of heat-gain within sections of the  
building, alongside dynamic cooling systems provided on an 'as needed'  
basis; pre-emptive identification of building component failure,  
pedestrian traffic analysis, robotic construction techniques; dynamic  
structural member sizing; delivery of a digital 'owner's manual' for  
facilities management provisioning; the list of services goes on and  
on.' ... 'So what can architects or engineers do today? Learn how to  
use the PEN tools! Then, explore possible collaborative ventures.  
Unfortunately, the AIA and a vast majority of practitioners in the  
profession don't understand or appreciate the significance of what's at  
stake here, or have not been duly informed. There are limited  
educational opportunities, due in large part to the myopic vision of  
the educational community in focusing solely on producing the next  
generation of star designers and, thus, limiting the pool of available  
practitioners fluent in developing new PEN methodologies. Having been  
promised for years by various commercial vendors that CAD and  
technology would revolutionize their practices, architects have boiled  
their technology decisions down to making the right CAD or BIM software  
'choice' from a single source—and have paid the price for it in terms  
of exorbitant 'subscription' fees. Technology in this scheme of things  
becomes a nagging cost drain, taking time and resources away from  
effectively producing designs and running a business. Now, similarly to  
'The Boy Who Cried Wolf', the real moment of truth has arrived but will  
anyone believe the messenger?'

---------------------------------------------------
10-- electromagnetic weaponry & warfare
---------------------------------------------------

Iran Postpones Visit by U.N. Inspectors
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3854541,00.html>

	'ran abruptly froze further U.N. inspections of its nuclear program  
for six weeks on Friday, throwing into turnmoil international attempts  
to verify Tehran's claims that it is developing atomic power and not  
weapons.' ... 'One diplomat described the freeze until the end of April  
as counterproductive to Iran's stated aim of dispelling suspicions  
about more than two decades of secret nuclear activities that included  
uranium enrichment and other activities that can be used to make  
weapons.'

Missile incident rattles Canada:
'Nuclear fallout knows no border,' lawmaker says
<http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/164710_missile13.html>

Powell Seeks Answers on Pakistan Nukes
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap- 
powell,0,5661923.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>

---------------------------------------------------
11-- electromagnetic business & economics
---------------------------------------------------

U.S. gasoline prices hit record high  // $1.77/gallon
<http://salon.com/tech/wire/2004/03/14/gas_prices/>

// what was that 'irrational' exhuberance thing all about?  
(snap-crackle-pop).
// ~ $30/barrel has been stated as an indicator for sustainable oil  
pricing...

[and] Gasoline Demand Rising Despite High Prices // SUVs + McMansions +  
$$$
<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040315/ 
ap_on_bi_ge/gasoline_consumption_2>

	'Despite near record-high gasoline prices, U.S. motorists continue to  
increase consumption and, with supplies tight, that is helping to keep  
fuel costs propped up.' ... 'Analysts attribute this increase to  
improving economic conditions, rising population and consumers'  
preference for gas-guzzling SUVs.' ... 'On Monday, the price of April  
oil futures surged $1.25 to $37.44 per barrel on the New York  
Mercantile Exchange. It was the highest closing price since March 12,  
2003, when Nymex oil futures were $37.83 per barrel.'

China's Economic Engine Needs Power (Lots of It)
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/weekinreview/14yard.html>

	' Electricity consumption jumped by 15 percent. Domestic coal  
production rose by 100 million tons - and still there were shortages.'  
.. 'Yet China's appetite today is modest compared with what is  
estimated for the future; the country's energy needs are expected to  
more than double by 2020. This prospect has the Communist Party  
reportedly rolling out plans for at least 100 new power plants,  
including nuclear, hydropower and coal-fired ones. It has also raised  
concerns that efforts to improve China's polluted environment will be  
muted by the demand for power.' ... '...This helps explain why energy  
security is an increasingly important issue for Chinese leaders,  
particularly regarding oil.'

Oil bounces as Opec sticks to planned cuts
<http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/ 
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1078381773432&p=1012571727085>

	'"The important factor for oil remains demand and that is holding up  
very well, and more people are accepting that China is going to be  
stronger than they expected," said the [London-based] oil trader.'

Putin to widen access to gas pipelines
<http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/ 
FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1078381793517>

	'Vladimir Putin has pledged to allow independent gas companies greater  
access to the state controlled gas pipeline network as one of several  
liberal economic reforms following his landslide re-election in  
Russia's presidential race on Sunday.' .. 'On Monday, he ruled out a  
rapid move towards "full market conditions" that would substantially  
increase the price of domestic gas. But he said commercial producers  
should be able fully to use the pipeline controlled by state-backed  
giant Gazprom for domestic sales.' ... '... Gazprom controls about  
one-third of the world's gas reserves.'

// a version of these new meters has been installed here, an installer  
said
// a van drives up the street every so often collecting data by  
radiowaves...

Smart meters to transform electricity market // .AU
<http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/16/1079199223517.html>

	'The introduction of new meters doesn't sound particularly radical or  
controversial, but these aren't just new meters but "smart" meters  
capable of capturing data on household usage of electricity every half  
hour.' ... 'In theory, if customers have better and more timely  
information about their usage of electricity and its cost they will  
change their behaviour to use it more efficiently.' ... 'The big gains  
from more efficient electricity consumption would come in its impact in  
moderating demand and prices during peak periods. There would be  
potentially huge savings from reduced investment in over-capacity and  
network infrastructure and far greater security of supply - fewer  
"brown-outs."' ... 'In a smart meter environment, those with the most  
to gain - the biggest users - would be the most attractive customers  
and have the most negotiating clout.'

[and] No more electricity meter tampering
<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/562577.cms>

---------------------------------------------------
12-- electromagnetic artworks & artifacts
---------------------------------------------------

// just visited a surplus computer parts store and saw decapitated
// laptops whose LCD screens were selling for 10-15 USD and wondered
// how these could be turned into picture frames for a gallery, to
// cycle b&w photographic works. here's information for the skilled.
// it would seem possible to do this with a flash card instead of HD,
// it would be ideal if some custom box could drive the display w/out
// a computer needed-- that is, get a box with plugs, add screen, etc.
// have a cheap partially-DIY slideshow kit for artists/experimenters.
// such a device could be designed to multiplex to multiple LCDs, etc.

DIY LCD photo frame: // linux based...
More software options and details on the install. by Paul Wallich April  
2004
<http://www.popsci.com/popsci/computers/article/0,12543,600338,00.html>

Lichtenberg Figures are "Captured Lightning TM " // amazing.
<http://205.243.100.155/frames/interesting.html>

[and] Lichtenberg Figures: What are they and how are they made? //  
fossils
<http://205.243.100.155/frames/lichtenbergs.html>

	'Lichtenberg Figures are branching, often tree or fern-like patterns  
that form as the result of a high voltage discharge. The first  
Lichtenberg Figures were actually 2-dimensional patterns formed in dust  
on the surface of  a charged plate in the laboratory of their  
discoverer, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1799), a German  
physicist. He made this observation in the late 1700's, demonstrating  
the phenomenon to his physics students and peers. The basic principles  
involved  in the formation of these electrostatic figures were later  
developed into  modern xerography. Through the use of powerful electron  
beam accelerators, modern day Lichtenberg  figures can now be created  
and preserved as permanent 3-dimensional figures inside clear  
plastic...' .. 'A Lichtenberg Figure (sometimes called a Lichtenberg  
Pattern, Lichtenberg Tree, or Electron Tree) is  formed when an acrylic  
block is penetrated by a high-speed beam of electrons...'

WORLD ELECTRIC GUIDE // images of various e-plugs...
<http://kropla.com/electric.htm>

	'This is a guide to some important issues when deciding to use your  
electrical appliances in another country. It includes a table  
describing electrical systems worldwide , illustrations of electrical  
plugs you may run across, advice on using your computer and other  
general advice that you may find helpful.  Finally, there is a list of  
sources for electrical travel accessories.'

===================================================
* to subscribe to the electronetwork-list, send
an e-mail to lists@openflows.org with the
following command in the body of the message:
	subscribe electronetwork-l
* to unsubscribe:
	unsubscribe electronetwork-l
* for more info contact human @ electronetwork.org
---------------------------------------------------
please forward to your friends and colleagues
---------------------------------------------------
  the electromagnetic internetwork-list
  electromagnetism / infrastructure / civilization
  archives.openflows.org/electronetwork-l
  http://www.electronetwork.org/list/