~e; Electromagnetic News & Views #106
From
brian carroll <human@electronetwork.org>
Date
Mon, 10 May 2004 16:26:53 -0500
===================================================
Electromagnetic News & Views -- #106
===================================================
00) Electronetwork.org Commentary (5/10/2004)
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--
Two notes on learning electronics. One has to do with using 'grab bags'
to experiment with. Maybe if one knows what they are doing, it is worth
the trials and errors. Or for uses beyond functional electronics uses.
Though, one learning curve was ordering a bag of broken solar cells,
which then had to be soldered one onto another, in a series, to get
enough voltage to run a single blinking LED. It took roughly fifteen of
these little brittle glass panels (which break into shards quite
easily) to get the light to blink. This is about the surface area of
the foliage of a small house plant. It was intended for a custom LCD
which I had heard were low power but apparently not the one located at
a local surplus shop. Working on another project, ordered a
high-efficiency solar cell and the single device puts out twice the
voltage under the same light as the 15+ of the previously mentioned
cells, which definitely is a lot easier to deal with in terms of making
things (it has wires attached already, a case, etc.).
The other part of learning has been with the Parallax homework board
and I cannot get over the power of this little device which hooks up to
a computer through a serial port. Even though I am a little (or more)
slow in learning, the tangible examples are enormous. For instance, it
is easy enough to do on one's own as a learning device, though a primer
in basic circuits probably would help first, to get a sense of the
components involved. There seems little reason such a device could not
work equally well with a PDA in terms of programming the BasicSTAMP
microcontroller, and these could be very useful in childhood education
and above, to learn programming, but also all about sensors, etc.
Though a USB form-factor would be needed, and PIC programmers seem to
address a different aspect of creating a lot of things with low-cost
microcontrollers. Yet, in going about learning in one's own way, for me
it is trying to comprehend components and less circuits than concepts
involved-- to find out in one exercise that one can use a potentiometer
to change a 7-segment display makes it seem possible to program the
chip to turn a dial and have a 16-segment go through the alphabet, by
design. And, so too, one could have buttons and dials to choose
numbers, an animated sequence, any number of things. And this is the
introductory kit so it is quite a powerful tool which is not found, in
my experience, by using or not being able to use/comprehend the
integrated-circuit chips and circuits based on these.
Though the inventor of BEAM robotics is artful in using these and a
solar engine, to basically make living sculptures with transistors and
capacitors and motors and solar panels-- the breadboard or perfboard
are gone altogether and the pieces bent and soldered as if an
infrastructure of leads/wires, amazing. Check out 'Junkbots' in a
bookstore or online to see some examples of this. It is inspiring
enough to start thinking differently about the goals of learning,
though it seems in some ways books may be most bountiful at times, even
such things as dictionaries and a thesaurus and other references
(almanac, etc.) to just look at the words and their relations, or
places and their resources and ongoing events such as in the newspapers
or even weekly paper advertisements (as the Sears catalog early 20th c.
is often noted for documenting many of the electrical devices in a way
not compiled elsewhere). How to communicate or to present this approach
is not yet clear to me, and it is much slower than I first thought, yet
it is rewarding in a way well beyond the technical, as it gives a sense
of the whole culture. It will be great when more are able to network
their ideas and works and even create easier ways to increase such
learning in schools, and this is a way to not only get more engineers
and scientists, but well-balanced thinkers from the early years,
onward, who are capable of engaging the world in a way that education
detached from these necessities is presently unable to.
===================================================
01) --top stories--
---------------------------------------------------
// it is frightening to consider the consequences of when such an
attack occurs,
// as what is needed to be done today in industries such as
architecture are not
// being pursued before-the-event, and thus safety measures are being
ignored.
// if only in the most basic "what to do" scenario for those inside
buildings in
// concentrated urban areas, and coordinating of weather patterns and
city grids
// and communities, and procedures to follow by citizens-- the most
basic safety
// measures are either not being made public or they do not exist in a
way that
// will prepare and empower people to understand what happens when it
happens
// and what can be done about it, how to deal with it, and what key
priorities.
// same with nuclear detonation (blast damage) and tall buildings and
studies of
// effects of ground-level attacks, what would one expect in a major
city if a
// suitcase nuke did go off, what to do next? what to do before? --
this is one
// question that necessarily needs asking in architecture, for there
can be ways
// to limit damage in new construction, if only with earth berms and
different
// patterns which may allow for levels of living based on securing
enclosures,
// not the idea of a bomb-shelter for every house, but as part of a
structure,
// as part of a neighborhood, to create robust dwellings that survive
attacks.
Threat of 'Dirty Bomb' Growing, Officials Say // via drudge + local
newspaper
<http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&u=/latimests/20040509/
ts_latimes/threatofdirtybombgrowingofficialssay&printer=1>
'Concerns are growing that Al Qaeda or a related group could detonate
a "dirty bomb" that would spew radioactive fallout across an American
or European city, according to intelligence analysts, diplomats and
independent nuclear experts.' ... 'They said concerns were focused on
three Al Qaeda operatives who led experiments involving dirty bombs and
chemical weapons and on widely held suspicions that a special wing of
the terrorist network was planning a spectacular attack.'
[and] Dirty bomb dust proves deadly
Mortality estimates have ignored results of inhaling fallout.
<http://www.nature.com/nsu/040503/040503-3.html>
[and] Ukraine Police Seize Radioactive Material
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-ukraine-
nuclear,0,4560479.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'Ukrainian security forces seized nearly 375 pounds of a radioactive
material seen as a likely ingredient for a "dirty bomb" and arrested
three people, authorities said Thursday.' ... 'Cesium-137, a highly
radioactive material, is used in soil-testing gauges in construction
and is found in photoelectric batteries and vacuum valves. It explodes
if it comes into contact with water, and exposure to it can cause blood
diseases, sterility and birth defects.'
U.S. wants to remove plutonium from lab: Security concerns at Livermore
cited
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/05/08/
MNG2R6GPG551.DTL>
'Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Friday he wanted to remove
weapons-grade nuclear material from the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory because of concerns over the lab's ability to protect
radioactive material from terrorists and its location in the densely
populated Bay Area.'
Evidence of Iran Nuclear Plans Found // By BARRY SCHWEID. AP Diplomatic
Writer
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-us-iran-
nuclear,0,2682892.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'Last week, diplomats from the European Union, France, Sweden and
Japan agreed at a meeting with administration officials in New York
that they are concerned, too, the official said. But he said they could
not agree on how to deal with the problem.' .. 'U.S. officials said
last week that Iran may be running a covert military nuclear program
parallel to the peaceful one it has opened to international inspection.'
FLASH CARD from NewsScan Daily newsletter
<http://www.newsscan.com/>
"Magnetism, as you recall from physics class, is a powerful force
that
causes certain items to be attracted to refrigerators." (Dave Barry)
Cursed by Oil By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN // oversimplified yet worth reading.
<http://nytimes.com/2004/05/09/opinion/09FRIE.html>
[and] Main Event: American Energy Policy // no comment. via
googlenewsalerts...
<http://www.freezerbox.com/archive/article.asp?id=164>
'Nowhere is the manipulation of September 11th more crass in its
execution and backwards in its program than the current Republican
effort to ram through its energy plan, a drive that follows a GOP
pattern of using unrelated events to push its oil-industry driven
agenda. The administration's energy proposals were outrageous and
corrupt when first proposed, and make less sense now than they did
then, if such a thing is possible. The reasons for this span from
geopolitics to ecology, and together congeal into the central fact of
the new century: how we choose to answer the Energy question will
determine nothing less than the destiny of modern civilization.'
---------------------------------------------------
02-- electromagnetic health & safety
---------------------------------------------------
Brain curse strikes musicians // therapy for overspecializing brain
circuits...
Hearing a skilled musician play a piece note-perfect is one of the joys
of
life. But do some professional musicians pay a terrible price for their
talent?
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3490158.stm>
'Experts believe the root cause of occupational dystonia is that the
brain somehow becomes "overspecialised" in carrying out very specific
movements.' .. 'In short, part of the brain becomes permanently
"rewired" so that it is highly adept at the skills it has been using
for years but unable to learn new, more flexible movements.'
Magnetic treatment may help people with spinal cord injuries // rTMS
<http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-05/icos-mtm051004.php>
Fluke recalls electricity tester // fyi. modular test leads for DMMs...
<http://www.djc.com/news/bu/11156566.html>
Rescue Workers Say Hybrid Cars a Danger // via drudgereport.com
<http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040504/ap_on_bi_ge/
hybrid_car_rescues_1>
'The growing popularity of hybrid vehicles is a step toward cleaner
air and less dependance on gasoline. But for rescuers at accident
scenes, they represent a potential new danger: a network of
high-voltage circuitry that may require some precise cutting to save a
trapped victim.' ... '[Rescue workers] know not to cut into a hybrid's
doors that's where many of the cables are and to peel off the roof
instead. They also now operate under the assumption that a car is
energized, wearing rubber gloves and boots.'
Builder survives nailgun accident // x-ray image...
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3685791.stm>
Love's strange effect on people // balancing circuitry...
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3685713.stm>
'"Men, in some way, had become more like women, and women had become
like men," Donatella Marazziti of the University of Pisa told New
Scientist magazine.' ... 'Researchers at University College London have
discovered that being in love can affect key circuitry in the brain.'
.. 'They found that the neural circuits that are normally associated
with critical social assessment of other people are suppressed when
people are in love.'
Doctors 'cause radiation burns'
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3695511.stm>
[and] Experts Comment on Angioplasty X-Rays
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-nuclear-
agency-radiation,0,2846090.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'Cardiologists should educate themselves about the radiation risks and
take steps to reduce them, for example, by keeping the radiation source
as far away from the patient as possible, and by moving the beam in
extended procedures to avoid exposing the same patch of skin, Rehani
said.'
Air-fresheners cause a stink // indoor-smog. (wonder about 'ionizers')
Fears raised as plug-ins linked to cancer compounds.
<http://www.nature.com/nsu/040503/040503-11.html>
'The researchers studied the reactions between ozone gas and fragrance
molecules such as pinene and limonene, which are emitted by
air-fresheners that plug into electrical outlets. Ozone, produced at
ground level when vehicle exhaust emissions react with sunlight, is a
common urban pollutant, and environmental bodies have set limits on
outdoor levels of it.' ... 'Some people actually use ozone generators
in their homes to remove unwanted odours and 'clean' their air, which
could create indoor ozone levels that are much higher than those in the
study. There is currently no regulation of household ozone levels.'
[and] ozone (definition by webster's) // ionization/ionosphere and
ozone hole?
'~n. an allotropic form of oxygen in which three atoms form one
molecule (O_3). It has a pungent smell, is produced by a silent
discharge of electricity, and is present in the air after a
thunderstorm. It is used commercially for sterilizing water, bleaching,
purifying air etc. _ozonic, _ozoniferous, _ozonize, _ozonizing,
_ozonized, v.t. to convert into ozone || to treat or combine with ozone
_ozonizer ~n. an apparatus that converts oxygen into ozone by passing a
silent electrical discharge through it [Fr. fr. Gk ~ozein, to smell]'
---------------------------------------------------
03-- electromagnetic trash & treasure
---------------------------------------------------
CDs, DVDs: Human After All // ~rot
<http://www.wired.com/news/technology/
0,1282,63355,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_8>
'Part of the problem is that most people believe that it's the clear
underside of the CD that is fragile, when in fact it's the side with
the label. Scratches on the underside have to be fairly deep to cause
skipping, while scratches on the top can easily penetrate to the
aluminum layer. Even the pressure of a pen on the label side can dent
the aluminum, rendering the CD unreadable.'
Satellite data confirms climate change
Global warming anomaly may succumb to microwave study.
<http://www.nature.com/nsu/040503/040503-5.html>
---------------------------------------------------
04-- electromagnetic security & surveillance
---------------------------------------------------
A Question Still Unanswered: How Did the Blackout Happen? // case
unclosed...
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/10/business/10blackout.html>
'Investigators did identify how local failures could become larger
difficulties in a way that had not been previously known: protective
devices called relays could be tricked into shutting down power lines
if they sensed short-circuits that did not actually exist. But the
report only hinted at solutions.' .. 'The report has drawn mixed
reactions from electricity experts. While some said it was thorough and
balanced, others said that it reflected a bias by its overseer, the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to de-emphasize ways that
deregulation of the electric market might have affected the system's
reliability and vulnerability.'
"reverse engineering of a censored document."
<http://cryptome.org/cia-decrypt.htm>
[and] Illuminating Blacked-Out Words // unredacting FOIA archives...
<http://nytimes.com/2004/05/10/technology/10crypto.html>
'In January, the State Department required that its documents use
a more modern font, Times New Roman, instead of Courier, Mr.
Naccache said. Because Courier is a monospace font, in which all
letters are of the same width, it is harder to decipher with the
computer technique. There is no indication that the State Department
knew that.'
Pakistan tightens nuclear control -- Pakistan's cabinet has approved
a draft bill to tighten rules on the export of nuclear technology.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3687569.stm>
Urban Vulnerability And Network Failure: Construction And Experiences
Of Emergencies, Crises And Collapse // via cryptome.org
<http://www.surf.salford.ac.uk/UrbanVulnerabilityProgramme.htm>
Israeli firm develops suicide bomber detector // laser particle sniffer
<http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1100567.htm>
Sasser Worm Rips Through Internet; Banks, EU Hit
<http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/401278%7Ctop%7C05-04-
2004::10:05%7Creuters.html>
'"We've had to go back to plotting on paper charts rather than using
the computer mapping system," said a UK Maritime and Coastguard
spokeswoman.'
Teen 'confesses' to Sasser worm
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3695857.stm>
---------------------------------------------------
05-- electromagnetic power & energy
---------------------------------------------------
Saudis Urge OPEC to Hike Oil Output
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-saudi-
oil,0,3115134.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'Naimi's statement represents a shift in Saudi oil policy. In March,
the kingdom was reportedly the chief advocate of a decision by the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production in
anticipation of a lower demand for oil during the spring and summer.
Several members had opposed the cut at the time.' ... 'Traders said
last week they were increasingly worried about the possibility of
attacks against petroleum industry targets in the Middle East at a time
when supplies are tight and demand is strong.'
[and] Saudi deal shrugs off safety fear
Saudi Arabia and Japan's Sumitomo have agreed to create a giant
petrochemical
complex, in what Riyadh hopes is a sign that foreign investors are
still keen.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3698451.stm>
China imports electricity from Russia // ...for the first time
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-05/05/content_1453671.htm>
' Materials provided by the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of
Sciences show that currently Russia generates over 1 trillion kilowatt
hours of electricity annually and most of its power stations are
located in Siberia and the Far East areas, where output of electricity
far exceeds demands.'
Pakistan builds new nuclear plant -- China is to help Pakistan build a
new
nuclear power plant in the north of the country, the two sides have
announced.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3683621.stm>
'Pakistan has a parallel nuclear establishment, which runs its
nuclear-weapon and missile technology programme.' ... 'Since Islamabad
is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, its weapons
programme is not open to international inspections, says BBC Islamabad
correspondent Zaffar Abbas.'
The Oil Crunch
<http://nytimes.com/2004/05/07/opinion/07KRUG.html>
'We can neither drill nor conquer our way out of the problem. Whatever
we do, oil prices are going up. What we have to do is adapt.'
How governor may stave off the next electricity crisis // Kalifornia
<http://www.timesstar.com/Stories/0,1413,125~1511~2137457,00.html>
'Now the man who replaced him, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is
confronting the same issue, and while the stakes at the moment do not
appear to be as high, they could be soon. Electricity reserves are
minimal, and with demand growing again in a recovering economy while
supplies remain stagnant or perhaps even shrink, California faces the
prospect of renewed shortages in the near future.' .. 'In response,
Schwarzenegger outlined his vision for the state's role in electricity
regulation. Interestingly, he waved off the Legislature, saying that
the most important work that needs to be done can be accomplished by
regulators at the Public Utilities Commission, without further
lawmaking. That effectively makes Schwarzenegger responsible for what
happens from this point on, a position he appears to relish.' .. 'The
governor says he wants to create a vibrant, two-tiered electricity
system, in which the largest users -- hotels, big box retail stores,
factories -- shop around for their own power and enter into contracts
with private generators to provide it.' .. 'Smaller businesses and
residential customers would remain with the regulated utilities, and
the utilities would be required to go through a competitive process
before buying or building new generation.'
---------------------------------------------------
06-- electromagnetic current & human affairs
---------------------------------------------------
EM-quote: Federal Suit Charges U.S. Marshals With Violating
Gannett, AP Reporters' Rights in Scalia Case // em-media
<http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/
article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000507312>
'The U.S. Marshals Service has been accused of violating two
Mississippi journalists' Constitutional rights by seizing the
reporters' tape recorders last month during a speech by U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Antonin Scalia.'
As Energy Thieves Turn Crafty, Utility Turns Up Battle of Wits //
incredible.
<http://nytimes.com/2004/05/05/nyregion/05THEF.html>
'The fraction of electricity stolen in the United States once
hovered around 1 percent, said Mr. Roussell of the industry research
group, but in recent years it has been closer to 2 percent. While
the percentage change may seem small, it adds up billions of dollars.'
... '... The utility uses a computer program that flags sudden drops in
use of electricity or gas. To monitor new methods of stealing,
inspectors post queries on the Internet asking how to get around the
meter. Mostly, the utility's tip hot line receives calls from people
annoyed by filching neighbors or bragging bosses.' ... 'Customers also
try to siphon off electricity from the city by tapping into lamp poles
a method that is difficult to catch because it is hit and run...'
Too sexy for Italian television // locally, weather geek rules.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3673239.stm>
Puppy Dials Ambulance, Crew Responds
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-norway-
dialing-dog,0,3434844.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
---------------------------------------------------
07-- electromagnetic transport & communication
---------------------------------------------------
Gore makes cable TV buy
<http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/ny-
etgore053787118may05,0,638147.story?coll=ny-entertainment-headlines>
'"This is not going to be a liberal network or a Democrat network or a
political network in any way, shape or form," Gore, 56, said. He added
that he hopes to counter the trend toward "consolidation and
conglomeratization" of the media industry and contribute to its
"democratization."'
How Cell Phones Work:
<http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone.htm>
3-D TV Is Closer Than You Think
<http://www.forbes.com/infoimaging/2004/05/05/cx_pp_05053dtv_ii.html>
Computer problems delay Air Canada flights // short...
<http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/05/09/canada/flights040509>
'Air Canada spokesperson Laura Cooke says the company decided to
ground flights because the malfunction affected safety-related
decisions everything from takeoff times to how much fuel an aircraft
needs.'
---------------------------------------------------
08-- electromagnetic matter & information
---------------------------------------------------
// 3 bits enable ambiguity in-between the true (111) and the false
(000)...
Memory stores three bits in one // ** nanowire FET, paradox
<http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/050504/
Memory_stores_three_bits_in_one_050504.html>
' A memory chip based on the researchers' prototype would be able to
hold 40 gigabits, which is a little more than a DVD's-worth of data,
per square centimeter, and the method has the potential to hold 10
times that. Today's flash memory chips hold of about 1 gigabit per
square centimeter.'
// conservation of information and massively parallel architectures...
[and] Y switches set up low-power logic // ** (wasted
energy/information)
<http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/050504/Y_switches_set_up_low-
power_logic_050504.html>
'... researchers are looking into are Y-branch switches, which have
the potential to use less energy because they turn circuits on and off
by directing electrons in one of two directions rather than opening and
closing the circuit. Computer chips heat up when electrons are blocked
and their energy is dispersed as heat.' ... 'The key to reversible
computing is designing logic gates that have the same number of inputs
and outputs by configuring them to operate in both directions.
"Throwing away information costs energy, and in conventional logic this
is done all the time," said Erik Forsberg, a researcher at the Joint
Research Center of Photonics of the Royal Institute of Technology and
Zhejiang University.' ... 'For example, the Not AND, or NAND, gate,
which is a common component of computer circuits, has two inputs but
only output, said Forsberg. "You enter two bits of information into
this gate but you only get one bit of information out, so effectively
you've thrown away a piece of information," he said. "This surplus
energy you get from discarding information will heat up your system."'
... ' Y-branch switches can be used as a replacement for transistors if
they are smaller than about 200 nanometers because electrons travel
through them in an unbroken path rather than bouncing around as they do
in ordinary circuits...'
Diplomat blames Irish media for hatred of America // on the media
record...
<http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/
0,6903,1212721,00.html>
'The ex-diplomat claimed that the Irish media were dominated by 'an
invasion of the body snatchers from a planet peopled by time-warped
1960s radicals and Marxist revisionist historians'....'
[and] Esteemed journalist lectures on ethics // em-media. via
drudgereport.com
<http://www.dailyemerald.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/05/07/
409bbfc0d5b00>
'"All over the country there are offices that look like newsrooms and
there are people in those offices that look for all the world just like
journalists, but they are not practicing journalism," [L.A. Times
Editor John S. Carroll] said. "They regard the audience with a cold
cynicism. They are practicing something I call a pseudo-journalism, and
they view their audience as something to be manipulated."' ... '"I do
think that a lot of newspaper people have made a lot of strategic
mistakes," he said. "They cut back space on things people really need
to know."'
Particle no-show pans former find // .mn!
Physicists unbowed as fail to detect dark matter.
<http://www.nature.com/nsu/040503/040503-7.html>
'The new detector is four times more sensitive than any previous
experiment. To shield it from high-energy particles from outer space,
the machine is based 700 metres underground in an abandoned iron mine
in Soudan, Minnesota. The detector is also chilled to within a tenth of
a degree of absolute zero to reduce vibrations from surrounding
molecules.' .. 'The detector itself consists of sensors attached to six
germanium and silicon crystals. If a particle strikes one of the
crystals, it causes the crystal to ring like a bell, and the sensors
detect the vibrations.' .. 'However since it started running in
November last year, the detector has not seen a single WIMP. The
negative result puts an upper limit on the number of interactions that
can be occurring over a certain period of time, says Harry Nelson, a
physicist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He presented
the results at the American Physical Society's annual meeting in
Denver, Colorado, on 3 May.'
---------------------------------------------------
09-- electromagnetic trends & inventions
---------------------------------------------------
Oil soars despite overproduction
Oil prices have hit a fresh 13-year high despite an admission from the
oil
cartel Opec that its members are still pumping way beyond their quotas.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3685145.stm>
Designing a Smarter Shoe // bionic 'sensor shoe'. Hall-effect sensor
+datalogger
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/06/technology/circuits/
06shoe.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1083805216-qx2qlZDLQbIj5G6ECk5UnQ>
'Adidas, the 83-year-old German sporting-goods maker, is about to turn
that fantasy into biomechanical reality in the form of a running shoe
for men and women. Sleek and lightweight despite its battery-powered
sensor, microprocessor and electric motor, the shoe, named 1, is
expected to be in stores by December and will cost $250.' .. 'Adidas
executives say the shoe is no gadget-dependent gimmick. Instead, its
designers say it represents a leap forward in wearable technology. Each
second, a sensor in the heel can take up to 20,000 readings and the
embedded electronic brain can make 10,000 calculations, directing a
tiny electric motor to change the shoe. The goal is to make the shoe
adjust to changing conditions and the runner's particular style while
in use.' ... 'The shoes will have push-button controls, light-emitting
diodes to display settings and an instruction manual on a CD-ROM that
will advise wearers on, among other things, how to change the battery
after every 100 hours of use.' ... 'Mr. DiBenedetto said he was
surprised to learn that no one had ever precisely measured cushioning
compression while a shoe was in use. To do that, he and Mr. Oleson
inserted a sensor about the size of a sparrow's eye into the top of the
heel of a standard Adidas running shoe, and a magnet smaller than a
dime in the bottom of the heel, creating a magnetic field that the
sensor could measure. As the heel was compressed, the sensor, known as
a Hall sensor, measured the corresponding changes in the magnetic field
strength to a tenth of a millimeter, 1,000 times a second.'
Makers of white-box supercomputers hit their stride // short history of
clusters
<http://news.com.com/2100-7337-5208220.html?part=dtx&tag=ntop>
'While computers such as NEC's Earth Simulator are still preferred for
some tasks, such as weather prediction, researchers have found that
most applications can be run on clusters of two- and four-processor
assemblies from Intel or Advanced Micro Devices running Linux.' ...
'The cluster paradigm--independent machines connected with a high-speed
network--has been around for more than 15 years, according to Dave
Turek, leader of IBM's "Deep Computing" team...'
---------------------------------------------------
10-- electromagnetic weaponry & warfare
---------------------------------------------------
Bomb Explosion Damages Iraqi Oil Pipeline // oil-warfaring
(eco/soc/pol) Dow...
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-oil-
pipeline,0,7030128.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'Insurgents bombed an oil pipeline in southern Iraq, setting off a
huge blaze and slashing daily Iraqi oil exports by about 25 percent, or
450,000 barrels per day, an official said Monday.'
EM-quote: US to use air force to clear way for Cuba transmission // no
comment.
<http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=518907>
'Mr Bush also endorsed sending military C-130 transport aircraft into
the skies near Cuba to ensure the transmission of TV and Radio Marti,
two US propaganda channels that have been routinely jammed in Cuba
since 1990.'
Digital Cameras Change Iraq War Perception // via drudgereport.com
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-iraq-digital-
photos,0,3916677,print.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines>
'"With the technology now, the amateur photographer is as capable as a
professional journalist and is operating with the same tools: Digital
camera, laptop and an Internet connection," said Keith W. Jenkins,
photo editor of the Washington Post Magazine.' .. '"The embedded
process was supposed to give government a better handle on what
journalists were doing, but now you have this whole rogue operation of
civilians with digital cameras who have access to things the media
don't," he said.'
[and] em-related quote from: World of Hurt by Maureen Dowd
<http://nytimes.com/2004/05/09/opinion/09DOWD.html>
'Rummy was having a dickens of a time figuring out how a control-freak
administration could operate in this newfangled age when G.I.'s have
dadburn digital cameras.' .. 'In the information age, he complained to
senators, "people are running around with digital cameras and taking
these unbelievable photographs and then passing them off, against the
law, to the media, to our surprise, when they had not even arrived in
the Pentagon."'
Israeli-U.S. Laser Downs Long-Range Missile in Test // via
drudgereport.com
<http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/401978%7Ctop%7C05-07-
2004::08:06%7Creuters.html>
em-quote: Accident Kills Stryker Brigade Soldier // cause under
investigation...
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-
soldier-death,0,4174131.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'A U.S. soldier from the Army's Stryker Brigade was killed Saturday in
an "electrical accident," the U.S. command said.'
---------------------------------------------------
11-- electromagnetic business & economics
---------------------------------------------------
Mideast instability main cause of oil price rise: Algerian minister
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-05/09/content_1458579.htm>
EM-quote: Mideast tensions send oil price soaring // via
drudgereport.com
<http://financialtimes.printthis.clickability.com/pt/
cpt?action=cpt&title=Mideast+tensions+send+oil+price+soaring&expire=&url
ID=10122526&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.ft.com%2Fs01%2Fservlet%2FContentS
erver%3Fpagename%3DFT.com%2FStoryFT%2FFullStory%26c%3DStoryFT%26cid%3D10
83180271431%26p%3D1012571727085&partnerID=1734>
'Mr Kleinman said more attacks on oil plants or terminals could send
prices above $40 a barrel.'
[em-related] U.N.: Trade Not Enough for Poor Countries //
infrastructure first.
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-un-
trade,0,6216089.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'Countries can't benefit from easier access to foreign markets unless
they get help to improve their infrastructure, train staff and attract
investment, said Rubens Ricupero, secretary-general of the U.N.
Conference on Trade and Development. Without that help, nations simply
can't supply the products even if consumers want to buy them, he said.'
EM-quote: Gorbachev Criticizes U.S. Trade Policies
<http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-peru-
gorbachev,0,455843.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines>
'[Gorbachev] ...criticized the Bush administration for ignoring world
opinion to reject the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing greenhouse
gases worldwide, on the grounds that it would hurt the U.S. economy.'
China adjusts electricity prices
<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-05/09/content_329146.htm>
---------------------------------------------------
12-- electromagnetic artworks & artifacts
---------------------------------------------------
spam artifact: Illegal Website from abuse@gov.us
From: abuse@gov.us
Date: Sun May 9, 2004 2:45:41 AM US/Central
To: human (...)
Subject: Illegal Website
Attachments: There is 1 attachment
You have visited illegal websites.
I have a big list of the websites you surfed.
+++ Attachment: No Virus found
+++ Bitdefender AntiVirus - www.bitdefender.com
[ATTACHED FILE] judge_human.zip (29.1KB)
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