The best idea is to call the DA's office, explain to them that the police department has all of the necessary information, and that they are doing nothing about it. Ask the DA's office to please look into the matter so that "you don't have to take the problem to the media". The DA's office will probably look into the matter, since the DA is an elected position, and probably doesn't want the negative publicity.
If the DA's office doesn't do anything about it, by all means call the media. Call every media outlet in the city and state. Call MSNBC and CNN, too... Give them the names, times, and dates of who you talked to. Someone will pick up the story and then start asking embarrassing questions to the people blowing you off.
I know this works from experience, both from being a TV Broadcast Engineer for the past 23 years, and from being a party in a civil case where we decided to "play fair" and not involve the media. The ALJ hearing our case blew us off, even when we had the other party admit wrongdoing on the stand. He just didn't want the case in the first place and took the first opportunity to drop it.
Call the media... Get them to scorch the earth for you...
Good question. As someone who is a HAM radio operator, and has been around computers for longer than I have held a HAM license, I would have to say YES. In many ways HAM radio is more interesting to me than computers are.
I am not a gamer, or a programmer. I use computers as a tool in my profession, but am not so enamored over them as to let them consume my free time. I used to do a lot of hardware hacking, on older mainframes and then minis (DECs, Data General Novas, Honeywells, etc), but really found it limiting. As far as games, other than an occasional game of Majongg or Freecell, one of the last games I played ON the computer was probably StarTrek (from Creative Computing). My days of hacking my old BBS system are long gone, so I would have to take a serious C refresher course.
HAM radio, on the other hand, provides SO many variations of intellectual stimulation. I can design and build antennas from scratch one day, build up a transmitter in an Altoids box the next day. I can use any number of frequency bands to interact with people all over the world. I can work satellites, moonbounce, meteor showers... I can, and have, talked to the International Space Station! Oh, and I have talked with MIR and 4 of the shuttle flights, too.
There are so many modes of operation for Amateur Radio... CW, voice, a dozen or more digital modes... I can use equipment that I build myself, or as modern as my wallet would allow...
It's actually hard to sit down and describe the myriad of activities one can enjoy with Amateur Radio. Yes, there are a lot of fun things to do with a computer, too, and I don't put that down to those who enjoy computers, but for my buck, Amateur Radio wins out.
My first computer was an Imsai 8080 with a Teletype ASR33. 110 baud, rotary dial modem on the right side, paper tape/punch on the left. 8K of RAM... I eventually upgraded to a full 64K of RAM, a used DEC terminal, and one 8" disk drive. Then I sold the whole thing to make money for college... Sigh... I wish I still had that Imsai... Sweet machine... Taught me a LOT about computers and programming...
they don't work like you think they work. The ones on the football field probably help mask ambient crowd noise, but they don't do much, if anything, to increase the gain of the target audio.
Almost right... The "Big Ears" (yes, that is their name, Google for them) parabolic reflectors work by focusing the intended audio onto the pickup face of a standard microphone. They don't necessarily increase the gain of the audio, but they decrease the signal to noise of the audio. Off-axis audio gets reflected back out the other side of the reflector, while the on-axis audio gets reflected to the face of the mic. And even the position of the mic in the reflector is adjustable, so you can compensate for distance. By reflecting the undesired audio out of the reflector, there is an apparent increase in desired audio gain. Big Ears don't mask undesired audio, it simply reflects it back out away from the mic pickup.
try a laser microphone
Wouldn't work in this application. A laser mic needs something to "reflect" off of. Like a window or the face of a framed picture. The hard surface merely becomes the diaphram of the mic, the reflected laser signal is converted to audio pulses just like a moving coil over a fixed magnet would be. Pointing a laser mic at a keyboard would get you almost nothing. The tops of the keycaps are usually concave, and have a matte finish, which would effectively scatter the laser beam. And if you did just focus on one key, as soon as it was pressed, or a finger got in the way TO press it, you'd lose the signal. And besides, if you could point a laser at the keyboard, why not just get a camera?!
an array of mic's in tubes of varied lengths with each tube resonating at a likely component of the targeted frequency range. (Still not directional, but has a lot of gain.)
Ummm... Sorry... wrong again... The original "shotgun mic" got it's name from the number of "barrels" it had. It would have been more appropriate to call it a "gatling-gun mic". The design was to have a number of tubes cut to resonate at different frequencies all barreled together, with a parabolic reflector (see Big Ears above) mounted on the rear, with a SINGLE mic inside of the reflector to pick up the audio. The "shotgun" effect did nothing to increase the gain of the audio, but works again by focusing desired audio onto the pickup head of a mic. The different length tubes did resonate at different frequencies, and increased the frequency response of the mic (the early shotguns used crystal elements). The apparent directionality of the mic was because side and rear audio was blocked from the pickup mic, by the fact it was in a parabolic chamber behind the tube stack. A stack of mics inside tubes as you suggest would kinda sorta work, but the electronics necessary to multiplex all that audio together, without introducing phase distortion, would be way too complex or even remotely practical.
"Shotgun/gattling gun" mics are no longer used these days. At least I have never seen one in the wild. The directional "shotgun" mics used today are basically a tuned chamber with a pickup element that gets it's directionality from phasing the desired audio. Audio from the rear or sides arrive at the pickup element out of phase and are cancled out. On-axis audio arrives in phase "with itself" and is picked up. Any gain from the mic again comes from decreasing the signal to noise, and through preamps built into the microphone. The tuned chamber itself does nothing to increase the gain of the desired audio.
Now, all that said, I could easily build a wireless mic transmitter in less room than a postage stamp takes up, and again easily mount it close enough to a keyboard to pick up the keystrokes. A whole lot easier than trying to mount a camera somewhere to see the keyboard. The only downside to trying to crack a password by recording the keyclicks is that the keyboard probabally needs to be fairly isolated. A keyboard in a room full of keyboards is not going to be easy to pick up. The signal to noise would be a factor to deal with. Not impossible, but certainly adds additional complexity, and inaccuracy, to the recording/cracking process.
I would instead propose that hams contact the authorities in/near New Orleans or the Red Cross and ask what sort of assistance they can offer, rather than just loading up their car or boat and going.
Agreed! While any assistance in an emergency is generally appreciated, you would not believe the logistical nighmare that occurs when hundreds of well-meaning people show up to "help". I've seen it during hurricane Andrew, where tons of donated supplies rotted in the rain and sun, and last year during Charlie, where groups just wandered around looking for "someone to help".
Relief efforts must be coordinated, otherwise the efforts just become part of the problem. Additional people in the area loads down an already overloaded support system. Food, water, clothing, shelter, sanitary needs... All of these have to be met, first for the survivors in the area, then for the first responders, then for the relief responders, and so on. If you aren't capable of being 100% self-sufficient for your intended stay in the disaster area, you are adding to the burden of the other rescue agencies.
Now, that all said, I have assembled all of my general rescue gear, radios, antennas, extra food, water, clothing, etc, and am ready to pack my truck and head that way. A co-worker has offered me his airboat, and I have contacted 3 different agencies and am awaiting a call back and a destination to deploy to.
I do urge everyone to call their local Salvation Army and drop them a few bucks... The money WILL get to the disaster area, and will do more good than general donations of food, clothing, etc. The Sal knows what it needs, give it the funds to purchase it!
73 de Paul, KC4YDY
Re:For those who don't want to RTFA, the top 10:
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WHAT??!!
No Badgers?? There should be Badgers on the list!!
Unless you are stocked up with high explosives, chemical weapons, biologial agents, tanks or car bombs the scond amendment is a JOKE. The idea that you are going to hold off the US army with a 357 or a shotgun is laughable. The second amendment is useless until it allows enough ordinance to repel a govt invasion of your property, today that means anti aircraft weaponry or terrorism supplies.
Just for the sake of arguement, if you get back to read this, that is, remember one thing... I am but just one person out of many... I'm not saying that I personally will take up arms, but I'm not saying that I wouldn't either... And as far as what it takes to violently effect change, remember it was only 6 drums of fertilizer and diesel fuel that took down the Murrow (?) building in Oklahoma City... A guerilla war doesn't need heavy armament... It only needs the support of the people... Nicaragua, Chile, San Salvdor, Cuba... No heavy armament, but (at the time) support of the people...
The Second Amendment is anything but useless. Until the government can find a way to also repeal or gut it, it will continue to provide the tools necessary to keep a democratic republic's control in the hands of the people. THAT is the reason that the Second Amendment exists...
Someone on/. has the sig "There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order."
I think it's time to put that phrase up on billboards. Because if something isn't done, and soon, to correct the continuing abuses on our (American) freedoms, there will be individuals stepping forward who will reverse that phrase.
There was once a tea party that the government wasn't invited to... I'm hoping that nobody really thinks that it can't happen again...
I still USE my Kaypro 10 for Amateur Radio! I've upgraded it with an 80meg drive (10 logical drives of 8meg each), an Advent TurboROM, an Advent ROMClock, and an Advent RAMDrive.
I also used to run the Nashville CP/M Users Group BBS (The Orphanage BBS) and have a full backup of all of their libraries. One of these days I should put all that stuff back online...
And from another thread, I still have a RatShack Model 100 that I use quite often for a portable terminal. VERY nice for plugging into a PBX to do a quick program modification!
If Microsoft don't come up with a solution that the EU finds acceptable, then they can be fined $5m a day. They've also got some commentary on why Microsoft's behaviour cannot be allowed to stand."
First off, this is NOT meant as flamebait, but, Microsoft is an AMERICAN company. Why should it give one whit what the EU finds, thinks, or wants? If I were Bill Gates, I would simply pull all of my product out of Europe and laugh at them. Due to the market penetration of Windows, the EU would come crawling back, begging for Windows marketing to be reinstated. Maybe the EU needs to be made aware of the fact that not all of the world falls under their sovereignty.
Now that I've pissed off the Europeans, let me also say that I don't particularly care for M$. I use Suse at home and only my daughter and girlfriend use the Windows box. I only use Windows at work because AutoDesk refuses to come up with a Linux version of AutoCad... I do think that M$ should be required to open their code up so that competiting products can be developed. I am also one of the original "theves" that Gates scolded in his infamous DDJ letter. I still have an original M$ BASIC on paper tape if anyone wants a copy!
My basic point is that, as an American, why should we give a flying flip what the EU wants?! It's not like they really have any enforcement powers beyond their member's borders...
"Wisconsin's Democratic governor thinks it's not fair that tangible items get taxed while downloads, like music, ebooks, software, etc., go completely untaxed. So, he proposes to rectify the situation by having Wisconsin's 5% state sales tax apply to Internet downloads."
This guy is living proof that the DNC's symbol truly is a JACKASS...
Cheany in '08!!!
LOL... OK... Even I can't say THAT with a straight face!
From the original article: especially long calls that might drain my battery. It would also be nice if I didn't have to hunt for my cellphone at home when it rings. Well, it looks like there is a simple solution with a Cell Socket, a cradle for your cellphone
We use the Cellsocket in the intercom and IFB systems in news vans and satellite trucks a lot. There is one caveat about extended use - the Cellsocket will NOT charge the cellphone while it is being used. So your battery will eventually drain and your call will be dropped. Also, the Cellsocket will not give you a traditional dialtone. It gives you a few beeps when you pick up a POTS phone to let you know it's working.
Another device we use is called a Telular, which will give you a dialtone when you pick up the attached phone. The Telular devices were originally designed to be an emergency backup for landlines (hang one on the wall by your PBX, trunk gets cut, patch in the Telular and you have dialtone). They have also been pressed into service where the last mile would be too expensive (mountain cabins, hunting camps, etc). Telular's downside is that they have been slow to keep up with changing technology, and their phones have to be ordered for specific providers and are not reprogrammable if you change providers.
With the slow demise of analog cellular service, TV stations and news gathering vehicle owners have been pretty much screwed by the cellular companies. The digital delay messes with the field reporter's IFB, you can't run a modem or fax over digital service, and the options to digital cell service are too expensive.
As a Broadcast Engineer who has actually DONE something like this before, over a satellite link, let me give you some pointers...
The lag in your answer time is going to KILL you over the internet. I would HIGHLY suggest having someone at your "host" location on the phone to each of the other pubs, and keeping an ear on the host pub, and let them be the "final judge" on who rings in first. That way there is no question as to someone being "locked out" due to lag.
The on-the-fly answer that CoordinateZero gave you is the best one that I have seen from reading practically every response on this topic. The Yahoo chatroom is going to be kludgy, but it WILL work, and it is FREE.
A few years ago I was the Engineer in Charge of a 3-way bingo tournament from 3 different indian reservations. The top purse was $1 mil... I had to coordinate 3 camera crews, 3 satellite trucks, intercom and audio between all three locations, and provide a master feed of all 3 locations back to the parent casino. Trust me... You get some little old lady screaming bloody murder because she thinks she said "bingo" first, you will learn the TRUE meaning of "real-time" communications.
can I stick a digicam on my gas powered R/C plane, and get the live video feed from it right there on the R/C controller?
No, the display is for setting up the R/C link only.
As far as I know (from seeing an early demo model) there is no video input. It's basically just a touch-screen for setting things up. It does allow for some pretty amazing mixing of channels, and I am considering one for my Unlimited-class glider, but have yet to see a retail price. I'll make my final decision then.
A lot of sites out there for programs like McAfee Antivius don't allow you to update your profiles without ActiveX...
So don't use McAfee... I use Computer Associates AV and Firewall, and run Netscape. I have no problems getting my updates (automatically whenever I log on, by the way) and I scan about once every couple of weeks with Spybot S&D... I think I have had maybe two bots sneak through in the past few months...
Maybe a few complaints to McAfee about relying on something as buggy as XP, and dangerous as ActiveX, would get them to re-think their position.
Or then again, maybe not... They have enough market share (like AutoDesk) that they don't have to care...
There's not a single person I know who's used broadband for more than a month that would be willing to switch back to dial-up.
Nice to meet you, Bee-Yotch!
I run 56K at home and am quite happy with it. I don't download MP3's or p0rn, I do some insignificant surfing, emailing, and eBaying. I see no reason to spend $$$ for the extra speed.
Now, however, I am on a T3 at work, and transfer ungodly amounts of info during the day. If I run across something that I just HAVE to have a big pipe for, I'll wait until my lunch break and pull it up there.
I don't know if you'll see this, since the thread is a few days old now, but...
picked engines that are very representative if the two categories.
I was actually replying to someone who stated that old engines were "POS" and should be junked. I guess I just replied to the wrong parent comment. Oh well!
OTOH, your custom Lincoln engine has mods that may have been too expensive for a car manufacturer to put in any high-volume production car, old or modern. You can't take that as an example that proves that computers are worthless.
I didn't say worthless... I think they do have their place in production vehicles, as you stated, I just get tired of hearing that they are the end-all cure-all for modern vehicles. I wanted to point out that anyone with reasonable automotive skills could build up a non-computerized engine that could perform as well as a fully computerized one. I also have a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 truck. Factory stock. It has better "off the starting line" performance than my old Bronco, but the mileage is actually worse. I can't say for the emissions, since they don't check them any more here in Fla.
they need to run quiet and idle smoothly, for example.
WHAT??! And miss the look of someone in a rice-racer when they pull up beside me and stare at those 3" pipes blasting their rolling boom box into the next block!
73 Lincoln motor vs. a 2004 Cadillac Northstar
Two problems with that... I don't have a Northstar (want to donate one to me for testing?!) and the second problem is, it's a CHEVY!! URK!!! I'd rather PUSH my Fords than drive a Chevy!! LOL
Nice reply comment! Was good to see the moderators gave you some points for it!
computers had to be put in the cars. A car without computers wouldn't be competitive in today's market, and it wouldn't be able to produce high power outputs while staying within today's mandated pollution limits.
I have 3 Ford Bronco's. A 1975 that I am restoring, a 1978, and a 1993. The 1978 has a 460 out of a 1973 Lincoln Continental. It has a 650 CFM Edelbrock 4V carb on an aluminum intake. The heads have a 4-angle valve job and have been gasket-match ported to the intake and to the exhaust. It has an Edelbrock cam to match the carb and intake (it used to be called their "Performer Package"). The exhaust is a set of Hooker headers going to Cherrybomb glaspacks and 3" turnouts in front of the rear tires. It has an 8" lift kit, stock C6 tranny, part-time 4x4 transfer case, and 40" tall tires. The distributor is an aftermarket HEI unit sold through a 4x4 parts distributor.
My '78 Bronco gets the SAME fuel mileage as my FACTORY STOCK '93 Bronco does (14 highway/11 city). The last time I had the emissions checked (when I used to live in Nashville, TN) the '78 had BETTER emissions than the '93.
Oh, the '93 has a bone stock 351 with EFI and an E4OD (aka Piece of Shit) tranny. Want to guess which one puts out more HP to the road?? Want to guess which one has had to hit the shop more since I have owned it??!
If you are experienced with working with high-performance engines, you can very easily build up a motor that can equal the "good ol days" of the GTO, Mustang, Chevelle, and Charger. And maintaining that performance and power is MUCH easier than plugging in a computer and trying to decipher codes. I can pull out a spark plug and discover more about how my engine is running than any computer can tell me.
Computer control does NOT equal performance and emission compliance. Quite the opposite in my experience.
This is actually rather informative, wherever the AC pulled it from, assuming it's true.
No shit! I'm glad I read the replys to my original post! I have a PO here on my desk for 17 copies of eTrust... I had already fired off a nastygram to CA... I was getting ready to toss the PO in the trash and go looking for another source for our antivirus & firewall needs.
I'm still pissed at EV1, since I am going to have to migrate off of 6 servers, but I will at least contact some of the names listed at CA and get the poop from the horses mouth... I have no problem apologizing for a nastygram if CA is indeed in the clear... If they're not, there are at least 80-some-odd computers where I work that will be uninstalling CA as soon as their licenses come up for renewal...
WTF is up with these morons getting in bed with SCO??? I'm already looking for new homes for my servers (dumping EV1). Now I gotta find a new antivirus/firewall... This is starting to become a real pain in the ass!!!!
And I just renewed my eTrust account at home... Pissed away $50...
For Goddess sake, IBM... Buy them out already and put us out of our misery!!!
I still think of IBM's old PS/2. Anyone else remember those?
REMEMBER those??! I still HAVE two of 'em... I kept them from my father's pharmacy after he died and we sold the store. They each had a Lantastic networking card, a 13" amber monitor, and an Okidata printer. I think they each had a 5 meg drive and 640K of RAM in them.
Yes, they both still work and are "displayed" in the bottom of my coffee table.
he is the great uncle of John 'Captain Crunch' Draper, the infamous phone hacker.
The sad thing for me is, Captn Crunch Draper was the first person who popped into my mind when I read the title of this article! I was all psyched up to see what on earth kind of prize HE was offering!
Slashdot Mirror
If the DA's office doesn't do anything about it, by all means call the media. Call every media outlet in the city and state. Call MSNBC and CNN, too... Give them the names, times, and dates of who you talked to. Someone will pick up the story and then start asking embarrassing questions to the people blowing you off.
I know this works from experience, both from being a TV Broadcast Engineer for the past 23 years, and from being a party in a civil case where we decided to "play fair" and not involve the media. The ALJ hearing our case blew us off, even when we had the other party admit wrongdoing on the stand. He just didn't want the case in the first place and took the first opportunity to drop it.
Call the media... Get them to scorch the earth for you...
Good question. As someone who is a HAM radio operator, and has been around computers for longer than I have held a HAM license, I would have to say YES. In many ways HAM radio is more interesting to me than computers are.
I am not a gamer, or a programmer. I use computers as a tool in my profession, but am not so enamored over them as to let them consume my free time. I used to do a lot of hardware hacking, on older mainframes and then minis (DECs, Data General Novas, Honeywells, etc), but really found it limiting. As far as games, other than an occasional game of Majongg or Freecell, one of the last games I played ON the computer was probably StarTrek (from Creative Computing). My days of hacking my old BBS system are long gone, so I would have to take a serious C refresher course.
HAM radio, on the other hand, provides SO many variations of intellectual stimulation. I can design and build antennas from scratch one day, build up a transmitter in an Altoids box the next day. I can use any number of frequency bands to interact with people all over the world. I can work satellites, moonbounce, meteor showers... I can, and have, talked to the International Space Station! Oh, and I have talked with MIR and 4 of the shuttle flights, too.
There are so many modes of operation for Amateur Radio... CW, voice, a dozen or more digital modes... I can use equipment that I build myself, or as modern as my wallet would allow...
It's actually hard to sit down and describe the myriad of activities one can enjoy with Amateur Radio. Yes, there are a lot of fun things to do with a computer, too, and I don't put that down to those who enjoy computers, but for my buck, Amateur Radio wins out.
Just my nickle's worth!
73 de Paul, KC4YDY
My first computer was an Imsai 8080 with a Teletype ASR33. 110 baud, rotary dial modem on the right side, paper tape/punch on the left. 8K of RAM... I eventually upgraded to a full 64K of RAM, a used DEC terminal, and one 8" disk drive. Then I sold the whole thing to make money for college... Sigh... I wish I still had that Imsai... Sweet machine... Taught me a LOT about computers and programming...
Almost right... The "Big Ears" (yes, that is their name, Google for them) parabolic reflectors work by focusing the intended audio onto the pickup face of a standard microphone. They don't necessarily increase the gain of the audio, but they decrease the signal to noise of the audio. Off-axis audio gets reflected back out the other side of the reflector, while the on-axis audio gets reflected to the face of the mic. And even the position of the mic in the reflector is adjustable, so you can compensate for distance. By reflecting the undesired audio out of the reflector, there is an apparent increase in desired audio gain. Big Ears don't mask undesired audio, it simply reflects it back out away from the mic pickup.
try a laser microphone
Wouldn't work in this application. A laser mic needs something to "reflect" off of. Like a window or the face of a framed picture. The hard surface merely becomes the diaphram of the mic, the reflected laser signal is converted to audio pulses just like a moving coil over a fixed magnet would be. Pointing a laser mic at a keyboard would get you almost nothing. The tops of the keycaps are usually concave, and have a matte finish, which would effectively scatter the laser beam. And if you did just focus on one key, as soon as it was pressed, or a finger got in the way TO press it, you'd lose the signal. And besides, if you could point a laser at the keyboard, why not just get a camera?!
an array of mic's in tubes of varied lengths with each tube resonating at a likely component of the targeted frequency range. (Still not directional, but has a lot of gain.)
Ummm... Sorry... wrong again... The original "shotgun mic" got it's name from the number of "barrels" it had. It would have been more appropriate to call it a "gatling-gun mic". The design was to have a number of tubes cut to resonate at different frequencies all barreled together, with a parabolic reflector (see Big Ears above) mounted on the rear, with a SINGLE mic inside of the reflector to pick up the audio. The "shotgun" effect did nothing to increase the gain of the audio, but works again by focusing desired audio onto the pickup head of a mic. The different length tubes did resonate at different frequencies, and increased the frequency response of the mic (the early shotguns used crystal elements). The apparent directionality of the mic was because side and rear audio was blocked from the pickup mic, by the fact it was in a parabolic chamber behind the tube stack. A stack of mics inside tubes as you suggest would kinda sorta work, but the electronics necessary to multiplex all that audio together, without introducing phase distortion, would be way too complex or even remotely practical.
"Shotgun/gattling gun" mics are no longer used these days. At least I have never seen one in the wild. The directional "shotgun" mics used today are basically a tuned chamber with a pickup element that gets it's directionality from phasing the desired audio. Audio from the rear or sides arrive at the pickup element out of phase and are cancled out. On-axis audio arrives in phase "with itself" and is picked up. Any gain from the mic again comes from decreasing the signal to noise, and through preamps built into the microphone. The tuned chamber itself does nothing to increase the gain of the desired audio.
Now, all that said, I could easily build a wireless mic transmitter in less room than a postage stamp takes up, and again easily mount it close enough to a keyboard to pick up the keystrokes. A whole lot easier than trying to mount a camera somewhere to see the keyboard. The only downside to trying to crack a password by recording the keyclicks is that the keyboard probabally needs to be fairly isolated. A keyboard in a room full of keyboards is not going to be easy to pick up. The signal to noise would be a factor to deal with. Not impossible, but certainly adds additional complexity, and inaccuracy, to the recording/cracking process.
Just my nickle's worth...
Agreed! While any assistance in an emergency is generally appreciated, you would not believe the logistical nighmare that occurs when hundreds of well-meaning people show up to "help". I've seen it during hurricane Andrew, where tons of donated supplies rotted in the rain and sun, and last year during Charlie, where groups just wandered around looking for "someone to help".
Relief efforts must be coordinated, otherwise the efforts just become part of the problem. Additional people in the area loads down an already overloaded support system. Food, water, clothing, shelter, sanitary needs... All of these have to be met, first for the survivors in the area, then for the first responders, then for the relief responders, and so on. If you aren't capable of being 100% self-sufficient for your intended stay in the disaster area, you are adding to the burden of the other rescue agencies.
Now, that all said, I have assembled all of my general rescue gear, radios, antennas, extra food, water, clothing, etc, and am ready to pack my truck and head that way. A co-worker has offered me his airboat, and I have contacted 3 different agencies and am awaiting a call back and a destination to deploy to.
I do urge everyone to call their local Salvation Army and drop them a few bucks... The money WILL get to the disaster area, and will do more good than general donations of food, clothing, etc. The Sal knows what it needs, give it the funds to purchase it!
73 de Paul, KC4YDY
No Badgers?? There should be Badgers on the list!!
Warp speed, James... You've been an inspiration to Engineers everywhere...
Just for the sake of arguement, if you get back to read this, that is, remember one thing... I am but just one person out of many... I'm not saying that I personally will take up arms, but I'm not saying that I wouldn't either... And as far as what it takes to violently effect change, remember it was only 6 drums of fertilizer and diesel fuel that took down the Murrow (?) building in Oklahoma City... A guerilla war doesn't need heavy armament... It only needs the support of the people... Nicaragua, Chile, San Salvdor, Cuba... No heavy armament, but (at the time) support of the people...
The Second Amendment is anything but useless. Until the government can find a way to also repeal or gut it, it will continue to provide the tools necessary to keep a democratic republic's control in the hands of the people. THAT is the reason that the Second Amendment exists...
Peaceful and intelligent replies welcomed!
What price now the Second Amendment?
I think it's time to put that phrase up on billboards. Because if something isn't done, and soon, to correct the continuing abuses on our (American) freedoms, there will be individuals stepping forward who will reverse that phrase.
There was once a tea party that the government wasn't invited to... I'm hoping that nobody really thinks that it can't happen again...
I also used to run the Nashville CP/M Users Group BBS (The Orphanage BBS) and have a full backup of all of their libraries. One of these days I should put all that stuff back online...
And from another thread, I still have a RatShack Model 100 that I use quite often for a portable terminal. VERY nice for plugging into a PBX to do a quick program modification!
Ahhhh... The good ol' days...
First off, this is NOT meant as flamebait, but, Microsoft is an AMERICAN company. Why should it give one whit what the EU finds, thinks, or wants? If I were Bill Gates, I would simply pull all of my product out of Europe and laugh at them. Due to the market penetration of Windows, the EU would come crawling back, begging for Windows marketing to be reinstated. Maybe the EU needs to be made aware of the fact that not all of the world falls under their sovereignty.
Now that I've pissed off the Europeans, let me also say that I don't particularly care for M$. I use Suse at home and only my daughter and girlfriend use the Windows box. I only use Windows at work because AutoDesk refuses to come up with a Linux version of AutoCad... I do think that M$ should be required to open their code up so that competiting products can be developed. I am also one of the original "theves" that Gates scolded in his infamous DDJ letter. I still have an original M$ BASIC on paper tape if anyone wants a copy!
My basic point is that, as an American, why should we give a flying flip what the EU wants?! It's not like they really have any enforcement powers beyond their member's borders...
This guy is living proof that the DNC's symbol truly is a JACKASS...
Cheany in '08!!!
LOL... OK... Even I can't say THAT with a straight face!
We use the Cellsocket in the intercom and IFB systems in news vans and satellite trucks a lot. There is one caveat about extended use - the Cellsocket will NOT charge the cellphone while it is being used. So your battery will eventually drain and your call will be dropped. Also, the Cellsocket will not give you a traditional dialtone. It gives you a few beeps when you pick up a POTS phone to let you know it's working.
Another device we use is called a Telular, which will give you a dialtone when you pick up the attached phone. The Telular devices were originally designed to be an emergency backup for landlines (hang one on the wall by your PBX, trunk gets cut, patch in the Telular and you have dialtone). They have also been pressed into service where the last mile would be too expensive (mountain cabins, hunting camps, etc). Telular's downside is that they have been slow to keep up with changing technology, and their phones have to be ordered for specific providers and are not reprogrammable if you change providers.
With the slow demise of analog cellular service, TV stations and news gathering vehicle owners have been pretty much screwed by the cellular companies. The digital delay messes with the field reporter's IFB, you can't run a modem or fax over digital service, and the options to digital cell service are too expensive.
As a Broadcast Engineer who has actually DONE something like this before, over a satellite link, let me give you some pointers...
The lag in your answer time is going to KILL you over the internet. I would HIGHLY suggest having someone at your "host" location on the phone to each of the other pubs, and keeping an ear on the host pub, and let them be the "final judge" on who rings in first. That way there is no question as to someone being "locked out" due to lag.
The on-the-fly answer that CoordinateZero gave you is the best one that I have seen from reading practically every response on this topic. The Yahoo chatroom is going to be kludgy, but it WILL work, and it is FREE.
A few years ago I was the Engineer in Charge of a 3-way bingo tournament from 3 different indian reservations. The top purse was $1 mil... I had to coordinate 3 camera crews, 3 satellite trucks, intercom and audio between all three locations, and provide a master feed of all 3 locations back to the parent casino. Trust me... You get some little old lady screaming bloody murder because she thinks she said "bingo" first, you will learn the TRUE meaning of "real-time" communications.
No, the display is for setting up the R/C link only.
As far as I know (from seeing an early demo model) there is no video input. It's basically just a touch-screen for setting things up. It does allow for some pretty amazing mixing of channels, and I am considering one for my Unlimited-class glider, but have yet to see a retail price. I'll make my final decision then.
So don't use McAfee... I use Computer Associates AV and Firewall, and run Netscape. I have no problems getting my updates (automatically whenever I log on, by the way) and I scan about once every couple of weeks with Spybot S&D... I think I have had maybe two bots sneak through in the past few months...
Maybe a few complaints to McAfee about relying on something as buggy as XP, and dangerous as ActiveX, would get them to re-think their position.
Or then again, maybe not... They have enough market share (like AutoDesk) that they don't have to care...
Nice to meet you, Bee-Yotch!
I run 56K at home and am quite happy with it. I don't download MP3's or p0rn, I do some insignificant surfing, emailing, and eBaying. I see no reason to spend $$$ for the extra speed.
Now, however, I am on a T3 at work, and transfer ungodly amounts of info during the day. If I run across something that I just HAVE to have a big pipe for, I'll wait until my lunch break and pull it up there.
picked engines that are very representative if the two categories.
I was actually replying to someone who stated that old engines were "POS" and should be junked. I guess I just replied to the wrong parent comment. Oh well!
OTOH, your custom Lincoln engine has mods that may have been too expensive for a car manufacturer to put in any high-volume production car, old or modern. You can't take that as an example that proves that computers are worthless.
I didn't say worthless... I think they do have their place in production vehicles, as you stated, I just get tired of hearing that they are the end-all cure-all for modern vehicles. I wanted to point out that anyone with reasonable automotive skills could build up a non-computerized engine that could perform as well as a fully computerized one. I also have a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 truck. Factory stock. It has better "off the starting line" performance than my old Bronco, but the mileage is actually worse. I can't say for the emissions, since they don't check them any more here in Fla.
they need to run quiet and idle smoothly, for example.
WHAT??! And miss the look of someone in a rice-racer when they pull up beside me and stare at those 3" pipes blasting their rolling boom box into the next block!
73 Lincoln motor vs. a 2004 Cadillac Northstar
Two problems with that... I don't have a Northstar (want to donate one to me for testing?!) and the second problem is, it's a CHEVY!! URK!!! I'd rather PUSH my Fords than drive a Chevy!! LOL
Nice reply comment! Was good to see the moderators gave you some points for it!
I have 3 Ford Bronco's. A 1975 that I am restoring, a 1978, and a 1993. The 1978 has a 460 out of a 1973 Lincoln Continental. It has a 650 CFM Edelbrock 4V carb on an aluminum intake. The heads have a 4-angle valve job and have been gasket-match ported to the intake and to the exhaust. It has an Edelbrock cam to match the carb and intake (it used to be called their "Performer Package"). The exhaust is a set of Hooker headers going to Cherrybomb glaspacks and 3" turnouts in front of the rear tires. It has an 8" lift kit, stock C6 tranny, part-time 4x4 transfer case, and 40" tall tires. The distributor is an aftermarket HEI unit sold through a 4x4 parts distributor.
My '78 Bronco gets the SAME fuel mileage as my FACTORY STOCK '93 Bronco does (14 highway/11 city). The last time I had the emissions checked (when I used to live in Nashville, TN) the '78 had BETTER emissions than the '93.
Oh, the '93 has a bone stock 351 with EFI and an E4OD (aka Piece of Shit) tranny. Want to guess which one puts out more HP to the road?? Want to guess which one has had to hit the shop more since I have owned it??!
If you are experienced with working with high-performance engines, you can very easily build up a motor that can equal the "good ol days" of the GTO, Mustang, Chevelle, and Charger. And maintaining that performance and power is MUCH easier than plugging in a computer and trying to decipher codes. I can pull out a spark plug and discover more about how my engine is running than any computer can tell me.
Computer control does NOT equal performance and emission compliance. Quite the opposite in my experience.
No shit! I'm glad I read the replys to my original post! I have a PO here on my desk for 17 copies of eTrust... I had already fired off a nastygram to CA... I was getting ready to toss the PO in the trash and go looking for another source for our antivirus & firewall needs.
I'm still pissed at EV1, since I am going to have to migrate off of 6 servers, but I will at least contact some of the names listed at CA and get the poop from the horses mouth... I have no problem apologizing for a nastygram if CA is indeed in the clear... If they're not, there are at least 80-some-odd computers where I work that will be uninstalling CA as soon as their licenses come up for renewal...
EV1... CA... This has been a shitty week at work!
And I just renewed my eTrust account at home... Pissed away $50...
For Goddess sake, IBM... Buy them out already and put us out of our misery!!!
REMEMBER those??! I still HAVE two of 'em... I kept them from my father's pharmacy after he died and we sold the store. They each had a Lantastic networking card, a 13" amber monitor, and an Okidata printer. I think they each had a 5 meg drive and 640K of RAM in them.
Yes, they both still work and are "displayed" in the bottom of my coffee table.
The sad thing for me is, Captn Crunch Draper was the first person who popped into my mind when I read the title of this article! I was all psyched up to see what on earth kind of prize HE was offering!
Sigh... I'm getting too old for this...