Date: Wed, 3 Feb 93 05:10:54 From: Space Digest maintainer Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu Subject: Space Digest V16 #113 To: Space Digest Readers Precedence: bulk Space Digest Wed, 3 Feb 93 Volume 16 : Issue 113 Today's Topics: Beanstalk?+ Challenger transcript DC-1 eventual construction question... Explorer 1 - 35 years ago How the media portrays scientists? RE: Was bumbling geek... (2 msgs) Looking for job in the spcae industry Making Orbit 93 - Collected Papers New Deadline Microgravity Research Today Space Camp (was re: Challenger Transcript) (2 msgs) Space Colonies+ Space Station Freedom Media Handbook - 1/18 Today in 1986-Remember the Challenger Welcome to the Space Digest!! Please send your messages to "space@isu.isunet.edu", and (un)subscription requests of the form "Subscribe Space " to one of these addresses: listserv@uga (BITNET), rice::boyle (SPAN/NSInet), utadnx::utspan::rice::boyle (THENET), or space-REQUEST@isu.isunet.edu (Internet). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 04:16:05 GMT From: nsmca@acad3.alaska.edu Subject: Beanstalk?+ Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1993Feb1.221224.10253@s1.gov>, jtk@s1.gov (Jordin Kare) writes: > In article <1993Jan30.182024.17388@ke4zv.uucp> gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman) writes: >> >>...A constant taper beanstalk is beyond >>the theoretical strength of materials of anything we have a clue about >>producing. A tapered beanstalk is theoretically possible, but would be so >>huge that it would be impractical to construct. A very long thread on > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >>this subject occurred here last summer. >>Gary >>-- > > At least 22,400 miles long, presumably, unless it was rotating :-) > > Jordin Kare > What about using the beanstalk to generate electricity.. I wonder if there is a way to use that electricity to maintain it in its inline?? == Michael Adams alias Ghost Wheel/Morgoth NSMCA@acad2.alaska.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 01 Feb 1993 17:34:00 -0500 From: Tim Tyler Subject: Challenger transcript Newsgroups: sci.space VT> @REPLYTO 1:374/60.0@fidonet postmaster VT> @REPLYADDR dsblack@iastate.edu VT> From: dsblack@iastate.edu (Vilkata TDK) VT> Organization: Iowa State University, Ames IA VT> @Message-ID: VT> @References: <728437280.AA00100@eilc.fidonet.org> VT> In <728437280.AA00100@eilc.fidonet.org> VT> Tim.Tyler@f48.n374.z1.fidonet.org (Tim Tyler) writes: >> T> Two minutes forty-five seconds later the tape ends. That's when >> T> the shuttles crew compartment, which remained intact after the >> T> vessel exploded over the Atlantic, hit the ocean at over 2,000 >> T> miles per hour, instantly killing the crew. >> Well, that and the rest of that post was certainly the most tasteless >> thing I've seen here in ages... VT> Why do you think it's tasteless? It happens to be the truth. I'm hardly convinced of the truth of that 'transcript' by an anonymous poster. I don't see any benefit created by general public knowledge of the transcript regardless of whether it is accurate or not though...It appeals to a morbididity that I don't think is particularly tasteful. I don't feel that the last moments of the astronauts lives deserves to be held up for public scrutiny. I can think of no singularly beneficial event that could come from this knowledge. I have no doubt that they died with di gnity and certainly honor, to listen to their dying screams is disgusting in my opinion. VT> I went to Space Camp for two years, Titusville, Florida? I live 15 minutes south of there. VT> and lots of those people have VT> information the general public usually doesn't. That's the way that it should stay I believe. Tim ======================================================================= FarPoint Station, Rockledge, FL : SysOp: Timothy S. Tyler : It's the end of the FidoNet 1:374/48.0 (407) 632-9198 : world as we know it Packet: ----------------------------- : and I feel fine... Internet: tim.tyler@f48.n374.z1.fidonet.org : ======================================================================= * Origin: FarPoint v32b/v42b >407-631-9198< FIDO.UUCP.SFNET (1:374/48) ------------------------------ Date: 2 Feb 93 17:41:19 GMT From: games@max.u.washington.edu Subject: DC-1 eventual construction question... Newsgroups: sci.space In article , ewright@convex.com (Edward V. Wright) writes: > In <1993Feb1.095450.1@max.u.washington.edu> games@max.u.washington.edu writes: > >>I think there has been a mild misunderstanding. I meant every other flight >>WHILE the current launch backlog is flown off. So, this only counts as part >>of the increased revenue during the first startup year or so. > > A small fleet of SSTOs could fly off the curent backlog in a week or two. > Any projected increase in demand, including ambitious programs such as > Iridium, would add only a few weeks more. Satellites are a drop in the > bucket. > The above statement is essentially correct, however, we are talking about the very beginning operations. There will not be a small fleet. There will be 1. I don't think the manufacturer will ramp production very fast either. So, after delivery of SSTO #1 it would be 3-6 months before #2 is available. And during the time you are flying off the backlog, you can charge a premium due to the fact that your flight is available. Even if it is only a little bit lower in cost than the other launch methods, you will still get customers. So you can still charge a premium over what the EVENTUAL SSTO costs will be. And, you do get to keep the money. This might make the difference between the bank of London (put your favorite lending institutiun here) financing SSTO Startup Inc. and not. ------------------------------ Date: 1 Feb 93 20:25:00 GMT From: Bruce Watson Subject: Explorer 1 - 35 years ago Newsgroups: sci.space On Jan 31, 1958 the U. S. Army launched the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Explorer 1 from Cape Canaveral on a Jupiter-C rocket making the United States the second nation to launch a satellite. -- Bruce Watson (wats@scicom.alphaCDC.COM) Bulletin 629-49 Item 6700 Extract 75,131 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 04:09:22 GMT From: nsmca@acad3.alaska.edu Subject: How the media portrays scientists? RE: Was bumbling geek... Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1FEB199314535947@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov>, bhill@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov (Robert S. Hill) writes: > In article <1k927gINNbpq@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>, pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov writes... >>According to _Lorenzo's Oil_, scientists are cold-hearted, self-serving >>bureaucrats who like to torture little children for their studies. >>Didn't see any geeks. > > For a heroic portrayal, see George Pal's movie 'War of the Worlds' from > the 1950's. > > Robert S. Hill > bhill@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov For an extreme example see Steve Urkle(sp).... ------------------------------ Date: 1 Feb 93 22:00:18 GMT From: Curtis Roelle Subject: How the media portrays scientists? RE: Was bumbling geek... Newsgroups: sci.space bhill@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov (Robert S. Hill) writes: >In article <1k927gINNbpq@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>, pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov writes... >>According to _Lorenzo's Oil_, scientists are cold-hearted, self-serving >>bureaucrats who like to torture little children for their studies. >>Didn't see any geeks. >For a heroic portrayal, see George Pal's movie 'War of the Worlds' from >the 1950's. >Robert S. Hill >bhill@stars.gsfc.nasa.gov Except for the part where the old fart scientist, father of the leading female character(?), picks up a white flag and against the advice of, and to the shock and horror of the on-hand military officials, declares there's a peaceful solution and that violence proves nothing. He then goes stomping off and starts talking to the spaceship. The cobra-like sensor looks at him and pauses a second, as if saying "is this idiot for real?" and toasts him with a sun lamp :-). Of course the movie didn't follow the book. The scientists (astronomers) in the book noticed unusual flashes on Mars but failed to speculate correctly on the cause. Scientists were conspicuously absent during the invasion, and only resurfaced at the end of the book in time to perform autopsies on the Martians. For a movie where scientists are portrayed as heros, ow about Day of the Saucers? Curt Roelle ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 15:52:07 -0500 (EST) From: bry@craft.camp.clarkson.edu (Bryan Glancey) Subject: Looking for job in the spcae industry I'm finishing up my undergraduate degree in Physics right now and getting ready to start my masters. When I read this list I'm often inpressed by the number of people that have JPL and the like in their footers. Does anyone have any advice on a good path into the space program, in any capacity? I have throughly rejected the military path already and I'd love to hear any advice from anyone out there on how I might get into design/R&D or actual space program work like astronaut, mission specialist, anything.. My current speciality is heading towards experimental physics and computers. My email address is bry@craft.camp.clarkson.edu and I'd love to talk to anyone and everyone that can give me any sort of leads . Thanks all. Bryan Glancey ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'I want to know God's Thoughts the rest are details' - Albert Einstein *********************** 'All you need is * Bryan Glancey * 'It's alright with me' Love' * Clarkson University * -Ella Fitzgerald * Box 3961 * 'God is testing us and I for -John Lennon * Potsdam, NY 13699 * one am going to be ready - * (315) 268 - 4372 * where's the Vodka' *********************** -Woody Allen ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Life's the illusion, love is the dream' Buzzcocks 'Life is just a dream; a story that I read, a picture that I've seen a thousand times before - but it's never quite the same.' -Nine Big Dogs ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 05:46:23 GMT From: Bruce Dunn Subject: Making Orbit 93 - Collected Papers New Deadline Newsgroups: sci.space Bill Nicholls asked me to post the following: MAKING ORBIT '93 -- Collected Papers Because of short notice, the time for subscribing to the 'Collected Papers' at the prepublication price of $15 has been extended until February 15, 1993. After that date, the price will be $25. To order your copy of the 'Collected Papers' from the Making Orbit '93 conference, send a check or money order (in US dollars) for the correct amount to: Bill Nicholls PO Box 28 Roy, WA 98580 Please make the check payable to Bill Nicholls. You may also contact him as billn@bix.com Publication of the papers is planned for 2Q '93. A tenative Table of Contents will be published in March. -- Bruce Dunn Vancouver, Canada Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 06:01:03 GMT From: kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov Subject: Microgravity Research Today Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.bio,sci.materials,sci.space H.A. Collier (hcollier@mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu) wrote: : I don't know much about microgravity, but I do know of a scientisit who : works at NASA here in Houston (Clear Lake) on it. His name is David Wolfe. : I don't know him personally, a colleague of mine does. : I believe Dr. Wolfe is scheduled to fly in an upcoming shuttle mission : sometime this year, testing some microgravity techniques. : If he has email you may be able to find it. : Heidi Dr. Wolf (no "e") is indeed scheduled to fly soon. I believe he's an MS on STS-57. I volunteer as a physiological test subject, and Dr. Wolf practiced his phlebotomy skills on me for his upcoming mission. He's quite good, even though my wife, Lisa Jenks BSMT(ASCP), says I'm "a hard stick with deep rolly veins." (Which should give you a good clue about what "phlebotomy" means without resorting to a dictionary.) I hope things go as well in microgravity as they did in our practice session in the SpaceHab mock-up in JSC building 32. I have Dr. Wolf's e-mail address, but I won't post it to the 'Net without his permission. Astronauts get weird mail. There are many people, especially at JSC and MSFC, who are doing microgravity research. If I get enough e-mail, I'll dig up more information. -- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov (713) 483-4368 ASCAN (Astronaut Candidate) 10 COMMANDMENTS 1. Keep smiling, but not grinning 2. Keep your humor harmless, pure and perfect. People don't understand irony. 3. Keep your weaknesses to yourself. If you don't point them out to others, they will never see them. 4. Never complain; make survival look easy. 5. You are expected to say something nice after each flight, class, of simulation. 6. If you can't say something nice, lie -- nicely. 7. In particular, practice saying, "Thanks for pointing that out, sir. I'll really work on that." 8. Be aggressively humble and dynamically inconspicuous. Save your brilliance for your friends and family. 9. Remember -- whatever's encouraged is mandatory. Whatever's discouraged is prohibited. 10. Nothing is sometimes a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say. REVIEW THIS LIST DAILY ------------------------------ Date: 1 Feb 93 19:15:37 GMT From: Curtis Roelle Subject: Space Camp (was re: Challenger Transcript) Newsgroups: sci.space dsblack@iastate.edu (Vilkata TDK) writes: >In <728437280.AA00100@eilc.fidonet.org> Tim.Tyler@f48.n374.z1.fidonet.org (Tim Tyler) writes: >>29 Jan 93 22:58, Tesuji wrote to All: >> T> A secret NASA tape reveals that the crew of the shuttle Challenger >> T> not only survived the explosion that ripped the vessel apart; they >> T> screamed, cried, cursed and prayed for three hellish minutes before >> T> they slammed into the Atlantic and perished on January 28, 1986. >> T> The tape is said to begin with a startled crewman screaming,"What >> T> happened? What happened? Oh God - No!" Screams and curses are heard- >> T> several crewmen begin to weep- and then others bid their families >> T> farewell. >> T> Two minutes forty-five seconds later the tape ends. That's when the >> T> shuttles crew compartment, which remained intact after the vessel >> T> exploded over the Atlantic, hit the ocean at over 2,000 miles per >> T> hour, instantly killing the crew. >>Well, that and the rest of that post was certainly the most tasteless thing I've seen here in ages... >Why do you think it's tasteless? It happens to be the truth. I went to Space >Camp for two years, and lots of those people have information the general >public usually doesn't. Cough! Cough! >*< HAAACK ! PITEW! - - - - ---* Until now I'd been an admirer of the Space Camp, particularly for the marvelous experience it provides youngsters, allowing them to live the life other kids dream of, inside involvement with NASA. But what have they been teaching these kids? That for two minutes forty-five seconds the crew of the Challenger "screamed, cursed, and prayed for three hellish minutes?" I really doubt that Space Camp would teach such silly things, and my feeling is that the above posting is [delberately?] misleading, but then again, I've never been to Space Camp have I, so maybe I'm wrong. > In fact, the first year, my group's counselor was the >daughter of astronaut Robert L. Stewart, Jenny (very nice). So what? >I don't remember >if it was she or someone else, but someone told us that the last thing they >heard _before the explosion_ was something to the effect of "Uh oh." Wasn't the "Uh oh" quote released years ago? It's not news. As Vilkata said, it was uttered before the explosion. This does not imply that the astronauts were concious let alone having interactive conversation during descent. >The truth is, they were all conscious (sp?) and aware of what was happening. >Which makes it that much more terrible, but that's Life, and a lot of us like >to know the whole truth. Are you saying that at Space Camp children are being taught that NASA lies? >| V I L K A T A T . D . K . ------dsblack@iastate.edu------ Curt Roelle Opions Expressed Here Are Not Those of Customer nor the Customer's Customers. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 06:35:13 GMT From: Vilkata TDK Subject: Space Camp (was re: Challenger Transcript) Newsgroups: sci.space In roelle@uars_mag.jhuapl.edu (Curtis Roelle) writes: >dsblack@iastate.edu (Vilkata TDK) writes: >Cough! Cough! >*< HAAACK ! PITEW! - - - - ---* >Until now I'd been an admirer of the Space Camp, particularly for the >marvelous experience it provides youngsters, allowing them to live the >life other kids dream of, inside involvement with NASA. But what have >they been teaching these kids? That for two minutes forty-five >seconds the crew of the Challenger "screamed, cursed, and prayed for >three hellish minutes?" Well, first off, most of the "youngsters" who go there are more mature than the average. (Notice I said "most".) What have they been teaching us? The truth. It's not like they gave a seminar on it or anything. But some of us were talking (It happens.) with some of the staff, and they told us because we were interested. They never said it the way you quoted a different previous article ("screamed, cursed...hellish minutes"); they told us that although some of the crew might have been knocked out (for lack of a better phrase) at first, probably all of them were conscious for most of the fall. >I really doubt that Space Camp would teach such silly things, and my >feeling is that the above posting is [delberately?] misleading, but then >again, I've never been to Space Camp have I, so maybe I'm wrong. So basically you doubt that I'm telling the truth. Oh, well, it's a free world, and I don't really want to start a flame war with people with closed minds. Although sci.space really isn't the place for closed-minded people... However, I can assure you that my posting was not misleading, especially deliberately. I'm almost offended... But since you haven't been to Space Camp, maybe you should if you have the opportunity. They have programs for people of almost all ages (very young childhood to adults), and it's definitely a worthwhile experience. >Wasn't the "Uh oh" quote released years ago? It's not news. As >Vilkata said, it was uttered before the explosion. This does not >imply that the astronauts were concious let alone having interactive >conversation during descent. Could be. Of course, it was also years ago when I went to Space Camp. I think the first time I went was the spring after the Challenger accident. It was very recent at the time, and the press didn't have that kind of info yet. I remember when an article came out in the Des Moines Register (supposedly one of the country's best newspapers, which is scary) that said that quote. It was something like two or three years after the accident. Old news now, but not then. >>The truth is, they were all conscious (sp?) and aware of what was happening. >>Which makes it that much more terrible, but that's Life, and a lot of us like >>to know the whole truth. >Are you saying that at Space Camp children are being taught that NASA lies? Sorry, I must've missed the part where we established that it was all a bunch of lies. Sounds like a Communist plot to me... -- | V I L K A T A T . D . K . ------dsblack@iastate.edu------ | |"A computer terminal is not some clunky old television with a typewriter in | | front of it. It is an interface where the mind and body can connect with | | the universe and move bits of it about."--Douglas Adams, _Mostly_Harmless_ | ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 04:01:09 GMT From: nsmca@acad3.alaska.edu Subject: Space Colonies+ Newsgroups: sci.space In article <728592641@romeo.cs.duke.edu>, dolber@duke.cs.duke.edu (Paul C. Dolber) writes: > My sixth-grade son is required to write a long paper of sorts for his > "Language Arts" class on some future issue, and has chosen "space > colonies/colonization." Besides checking into books, which he has > already done, he should also be investigating less routine sources. > We found nothing of interest in the sci.space FAQ, save that the L-5 > society -- a good source, I had thought -- is long since moribund. Can > anyone out there point him (through me) in some interesting directions? > The paper can deal with any and all issues relating to colonization of > space (meant to include moons, planets, etc.), including why, and when, > and at what cost, and how. If you can help, please drop me a line > at dolber@cs.duke.edu. Thanks, Paul Dolber. Well, might contact FSRRC@acad3.alaska.edu and ask him about Biospheres. Also ask the local (here) rep from the Biosphere 2 project.. Also their is the Planetary Society.. And a few other organizations.. (anyone have a net or snailmail address for them).. L5 I thought had merged with someother group.. Michael Adams Alias: Morgoth/Ghost Wheel nsmca@acad2.alaska.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1993 05:51:19 GMT From: Bruce Dunn Subject: Space Station Freedom Media Handbook - 1/18 Newsgroups: sci.space This posting is the first in a series of 18 postings which together comprise the NASA Media Handbook for Space Station Freedom. The total series of postings amounts to about 270 K of material, which I will post over a series of days in order to avoid unwanted congestion of the net. The NASA Media Handbook is public domain and explicit permission has been given for public distribution (see text below). The material has been obtained from the NASA SPACELINK information service (for details, see end of posting). On SPACELINK, the material is broken up into a series of files which can be separately downloaded. The postings to follow thus each begin by indicating the name of the file on the SPACELINK computer, and the date that the file was created. From NASA SPACELINK: "6_10_2_2.TXT" (2637 bytes) was created on 10-15-92 Preface Since the initial publication of this Media Handbook in April of 1989, there has been a tremendous amount of program activity resulting in considerable changes. On October 3, 1991, the NASA Headquarters Office of Space Systems Development was broken out of the existing Office of Space Flight organization, headed by Dr. William Lenoir, in response to the recommendations by the Advisory Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program. The new office, with Arnold Aldrich as the new Associate Administrator, will manage the Space Station Freedom Program, the National Launch System and other developmental projects and studies. The Deputy Associate Administrator, Richard H. Kohrs remains as Director of the Space Station Freedom Program, a position he has held since June 5, 1989. Robert W. Moorehead remains Director, Programs and Operations at the Reston, Virginia program office, a position he has held since September 28, 1989. 1991 was a watershed year for Space Station Freedom. On May 15, the House appropriations subcommittee for Housing, Veterans and Independent Agencies voted to eliminate space station funding. On June 6, 1991, the House of Representatives overturned the subcommittee vote, restoring full funding for the program, and in September 1991, the Senate went along with the House and voted to uphold station funding. This activity was the culmination of a process that had started in the fall of 1990. Due to a FY91 budget shortfall and Congressional direction to reduce outyear spending, a design assessment known as "restructuring" was started in October 1990. On March 21, 1991, NASA delivered the "restructuring" report to Congress outlining an extensive redesign of Space Station Freedom. This Handbook reflects that design and describes what each NASA Center and contractor is doing in support of the program. Our international partners also had some personnel changes. Jean- Marie Luton was elected the European Space Agency Director General effective October 1, 1990. Canada formed the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) on December 4, 1990. The CSA President is Dr. Larkin Kerwin. On November 1, 1989, Mr. Masato Yamano became President of the National Space Development Agency of Japan. On December 6, 1991, Professor Luciano Guerriero, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), signed a memorandum of understanding with the NASA Administrator to provide two Mini Pressurized Logistics Modules for the program. This document is in the public domain. You may use any and all information and art without permission. Mark Hess NASA Public Affairs Officer The material above is one of many files from SPACELINK A Space-Related Informational Database Provided by the NASA Educational Affairs Division Operated by the Marshall Space Flight Center On a Data General ECLIPSE MV7800 Minicomputer SPACELINK may be contacted in three ways: 1) Using a modem, by phone at 205-895-0028 2) Using Telnet, at spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov 3) Using FTP capability. Username is anonymous and Password is guest. Address is 192.149.89.61. The following description of SPACELINK is given on the system itself: NASA Spacelink runs on a Data General ECLIPSE MV-7800 minicomputer located at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA Spacelink software was developed and donated to NASA by the Data General Corporation of Westboro, Massachusetts. The system has a main memory of 14 megabytes (14 million characters), disk storage space for 2 gigabytes, and can communicate with eight callers simultaneously via direct dial modems at 300, 1200, 2400 or 9600 baud. The data word format is 8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit. Up to 32 callers can access the system through the Internet, a worldwide computer network connecting a large number of educational and research facilities. NASA Spacelink is a dynamic system that will change and expand daily. It was made available to the public in February, 1988. Initial funding for NASA Spacelink was provided by the Educational Affairs Division at NASA Headquarters. The NASA Spacelink data base is maintained by the Public Services and Education Branch of the Marshall Space Flight Center Public Affairs Office. Operational support is provided by the Information Systems Office at the Marshall Center. Information on NASA scientific projects and educational programs is provided to NASA Spacelink by education specialists at NASA Headquarters and the NASA field centers. While NASA understands that people from a wide variety of backgrounds will use NASA Spacelink, the system is specifically designed for teachers. The data base is arranged to provide easy access to current and historical information on NASA aeronautics and space research. Also included are suggested classroom activities that incorporate information on NASA projects to teach a number of scientific principles. Unlike bulletin board systems, NASA Spacelink does not provide for interaction between callers. However it does allow teachers and other callers to leave questions and comments for NASA. -- Bruce Dunn Vancouver, Canada Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca ------------------------------ Date: 1 Feb 93 23:43:40 GMT From: No One Knows Subject: Today in 1986-Remember the Challenger Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle where was I? Seventh grade math class. My principal came into the room, told my teacher something and she ran out crying. then, it was explained that the shuttle had exploded. I just felt numb afterwards. I also remember wishing I had a time machine so I could go back in time and warn them not to launch. -- "Five to one against and falling...four to one against and falling...three to one...two..one...probability factor of one to one...we have normality, I repeat we have normality. Anything you still can't deal with is therefore your own problem." -from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ------------------------------ End of Space Digest Volume 16 : Issue 113 ------------------------------