From: prichard@devon.larc.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: Re: GPS, PC or non-PC?
Date: 18 Dec 92 20:51:23
Organization: Lockheed Engineering & Sciences Co.
NNTP-Posting-Host: devon.larc.nasa.gov
In-reply-to: jahn@guinness.Idbsu.EDU's message of Fri, 18 Dec 1992 22:20:18 GMT


 jahn@guinness.Idbsu.EDU (Greg Jahn) writes:

   To quote: "Navstar is a targeting system.  Receivers are attached to
   cruise missiles, tanks, and Jeeps.  They help guide first-strike
   missiles to their targets, and infantry across unfamiliar terrain."

there is no such thing as a first-strike missile.  only  first-strike
operational orders.  followups to sci.military...

   The article quotes a former Trident missile engineer as saying -
   "Navstar takes the guess out of warfighting."

this "missile engineer" must be a complete dickhead.  pinpointing geographical
location is only one facet of an infinitely faceted problem.  but then,
Trident is a Lockheed product and Lockheed engineers can't add 2 and 2. ;)
(see .sig).  followups to sci.military...

   Until this article it had never clearly occured to me how inter-
   related the use of GPS for backcountry orienting and military
   use for counterinsurgency operations were ... it's the same stuff,
   except that the military applications have access to more refined
   locating abilities.  There are two things that I found interesting
   about this article.  One, is that I had not heard about these guys
   destroying a satellite ... it seems like it would have been 
   news-worthy.  Second, ... it caused me to ponder whether this type
   of capability is a good thing.  I've acquired this picture of how
   different hanging out in the middle of nowhere is now ... 'they'
   can look at you with satellites, then a bunch of guys can be
   directed to your exact location .... no problem.  

hate to tell you, but there is no "nowhere" anymore.  supposedly NSA watches
your keystrokes on the computer, satellites watch your SO sunbathe in the
nude, Ed Meese reads your mail, etc.  even in third world countries
ensconced in 18-th century technology and social mores, anonymity is
passe.  since government grows seemingly proportional to the square of the
population, it doesn't take long for the government to become big enough
to acquire the self-interest and paranoia necessary to become big brother.
all part of the overpopulation problem.

   Of course, and for the record, I'm certainly not advocating 
   running around axing satellites, but it does in a strange way
   link issues of using technology for matters of potential safety and 
   convenience in the outdoors with nuclear first-strike capability.
   It's a strange strange world we humans have created.  

most technology for the last 3000 years has been developed primarily
for military use.  take a look at da Vinci's sketchbooks...  again,
this first strike bit is an emotional red-herring to distract readers
from the embarrassment of the fact that the DoD has developed more
convenience technologies than all other gov't agencies put together.
obvious commentary on our unwillingness to invest in our own future...




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 | Devon Prichard                       I haven't lost my mind;         |
 | Senior Gofer                         its backed up on tape somewhere.|
 | Lockheed Engineering & Sciences Co.                                  |
 | prichard@devon.larc.nasa.gov                                         |
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From: arlie@hpsad.sad.hp.com (Arlie Haig)
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 22:03:56 GMT
Subject: Baja weather info?
Organization: HP Signal Analysis Division - Rohnert Park, CA