Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V15_3/V15NO375.TXT

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Date: Wed,  4 Nov 92 05:01:40
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V15 #375
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Wed,  4 Nov 92       Volume 15 : Issue 375

Today's Topics:
                  Fluid Measurement/Instrumentation
                  Hammer and Feather Moon Experiment
                           Man in space ...
                        NASA Coverup (2 msgs)
                      Pumpkins to Orbit (2 msgs)
                    Putting volatiles on the moon
                      Query Re: pluto direct/ o
                  Russian Engines for DC-Y? (2 msgs)
                   Scenario of comet hitting Earth
                         snarfy's assumption
                 Swift Tuttle and the satellite belt
                     VIDEOTAPE OF OCT 9 FIREBALL
                          Why Vote? (3 msgs)

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Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 15:35:33 GMT
From: "anthony.r.rizzo" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Fluid Measurement/Instrumentation
Newsgroups: sci.engr,sci.research,sci.energy,sci.aeronautics,sci.misc,sci.space,sci.environment

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Marcos Ortiz) writes:
>I am looking for fluid flow instrumentation that may
>allow me to measure very low flow velocities, in liquid
>and in vapor (it would be if it could measure 2-phase, but
>i'm not holding my breath), with little or no disturbance to
>the flow.  I've heard of micro-turbines and "plume" flowmeters,
>but heard nothing about who makes them or what their capabilities
>and limitations are.  If you have any ideas or information
>please share with me.  I do ask that you send me your response
>directly to ensure that i will get it.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Marcos Ortiz
>
>

Contact TSI Incorporated, 500 Cardigan Road PO Box 64394, St. Paul MN;
[phone]

They make hot-film and hot-wire anemometry equipment. Some of their
miniature probes are truly miniature.  Other than the use
of a miniature probe, there's nothing intrusive that I'm aware of.
There are non-intrusive techniques, such as LASER dopler anemometry.
But that's pretty involved (expensive).

Tony

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 19:08:37 GMT
From: Scott McGuire <[e-mail]>
Subject: Hammer and Feather Moon Experiment
Newsgroups: sci.space

I remember some time ago there was someone on this newsgroup that wanted a
videotape of the astronauts dropping a hammer and a feather on the moon to
prove that they really did fall at the same speed when there's no air
resistance.

Well, if you're still looking (I've forgotten who this was), or for others
who were curious, they showed the tape of this experiment on this week's
episode of "Space Age" on PBS (the episode was titled "To the Moon and
Beyond").  Probably you can still catch some repeats of this episode this
week, or they offer an opportunity to order videos of the episode at the
end of each show.

I know, you're all watching "Space Age" anyway.  But it just occurred to me
while I was watching and I thought someone might like to know.

--Scott McGuire / [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 17:26:26 GMT
From: Frank Crary <[e-mail]>
Subject: Man in space ...
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>   What will happen if the space suite of an austronaut gets ripped in space ?

>   Some of us recon that he will explode while others that he will end up
>with lots of bruises!!. One thing that all of us agree, is that it is not
>going to be a very healthy activity.

Actually this has happened: An astronaut on one of the recent Shuttle
missions got a small rip in the palm of one of his gloves. He got a
very big (relative to the rip) bruise. The suit did _not_ loose pressure.
The astronaut's hand was simply pressed tightly (apparently, pressure
tightly) against the rip. Even in a worst case, where the suit suddenly
lost pressure, the astronaut would not explode (at least the animal
experiments they once conducted didn't do this.) _If_ the astronaut
were suddenly exposed to zero pressure, _and_ he tried to hold
his breath, he might be in trouble: Ruptured eardrums, damage to
his throat/neck muscles (since he couldn't hold his breath, but trying
might do damage), etc...

                                              Frank Crary
                                              CU Boulder

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 17:52:33 GMT
From: Dillon Pyron <[e-mail]>
Subject: NASA Coverup
Newsgroups: sci.space,alt.conspiracy

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] writes:
>  In   message-ID:  <[e-mail]>  (Dillon  Pyron)
>  writes:
>
>  >incoherent babblings deleted
>
>  >You know, it is dangerous to scarf that many peyote buttons in one sitting!
>
>   I don't do drugs. I appreciate the attempt at humor ,  however.   If  you
>   really  find  my  reasoning defective or incoherent ,I would like to know
>   just what it is you are having difficulty with.   In  the  alternative  ,
>   please provide me with the name of your learning disability.
>
>   snarfy
Basically, when you start on the premise that people are lying to you, any
argument beyond that point is circumspect, at best.  If you had stated "I've
been doing some looking, and something ain't right", I'd be willing to look at
your calculations with a scientific interest.  Instead you shout that NASA is
lying and ramble on with some calculations that start in mid-air and land ???

To the point.  Your calculations assume that the earth and moon have the same
density, and that it is homogenous.  Second, while you do allow for a point of
zero influence, what you call a barycenter does not hold up.  It just doesn't
move, and in real life it does.

Finally, you still haven't addressed the issue of the so-called conspiracy.
Why?  What is the motive.  Unlike the CIA/Mafia hit on Kennedy, there is no
gain in it?  And there are multiple governments involved.  The Soviets (at the
time) would have delighted in pointing out an error from NASA.  And I don't
understand your comments about the Nipponese.

BTW, who are you?  Do you have any credentials or is astro a hobby (that's not
a knock) or did this come up at the local conspiracy club (I know you guys meet
somewhere)?  And maybe a real name, unless you're ashamed of who you are.
--
Dillon Pyron                      | The opinions expressed are those of the
TI/DSEG Lewisville VAX Support    | sender unless otherwise stated.
[phone] (when I'm here)     |
[phone] (when I'm home)     |"Pacts with the devil are not legally
[e-mail]          |binding!"
PADI DM-54909                     |-Friar Tuck   _Robin Hood:The Hooded Man_

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 92 22:43:14 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: NASA Coverup

>    The issue is not necessarily whether we landed on the moon , but  how  we
>    did it. The Japanese have this knack for doing anything we can do,  and
>    with better quality and precision.
>


I (and a couple others on this list that I know of) have met several of the
people who have been there (Luna). I myself have spent time over rum and cokes
and/or dinner with some of them. I will take first hand accounts of people
whom I respect over any imaginative "theories". Ie, my experimental data is
right from the mouths of those who been there. You can't get any better than
that.


Apollo happened precisely as stated in the history books. Admittedly, there
are things that weren't publicized. The trip back to Earth inside of Apollo 13
was pure hell for one...

As to your difficulties, I'm sure Paul Deitz (yet another source of respected
opinion) can answer it if he is in a good mood and isn't overly busy.


------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 19:19:52 GMT
From: Leigh Palmer <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pumpkins to Orbit
Newsgroups: sci.space

This brings to mind a closely related topic.

It has been a tradition at Caltech to drop a 78 K (that's "kelvins", not
"kilograms") pumpkin from the tower of the Millikan Library at midnight on
Hallowe'en to smash on the tiles below. I have a reliable report that a flash
of light has been seen to accompany the destruction of the pumpkin. I can
report myself that the *sound* made by a similarly prepared Canadian pumpkin
when dropped ten meters to concrete is quite exceptional, if not particularly
illuminating.

While I have not done work in this field for some time, and though I have never
been acquainted with the literature, I'd like to know if any progress has been
made lately. Was there a pumpkin drop this year? What resulted? Is there a
corpus of scholarly publication on this worthy topic?

Leigh

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 20:44:33 GMT
From: Jordin Kare <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pumpkins to Orbit
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bruce Dunn) writes:
>
>Last year, about 7,000 people gathered for the annual competition, the object
>of which is to hurl your pumpkin farther than anyone else's, using a
>contraption of whatever design - catapult, slingshot, centrifuge, crossbow -
>you think will do the job....

[Discussion of pumpkin chuckin' contest deleted]
>
>Which raises the question:  Are we safe here in metropolitan Washington?
>
>"Oh, I don't think they'll fly that far," says a Lewes Chamber of Commerce
>spokesman, pausing a beat and adding, "Give us anouther couple of years."
>
>(end quote)
>
>     Here is your chance.  Just think of the papers which could be written.
>
>"The optomiziation of a linear propulsion device for vegetable matter"
>"The subsonic and suspersonic aerodynamics of pumpkins"
>"Investigation of maximal G forces sustainable by living tissue, using a
>novel inexpensive surrogate for the human head"
>

A few years ago, when the SDIO Laser Propulsion Program was looking at
pulsed laser ablation for propulsion, one of the potential "propellants"
was water ice.  Since ice is a pain to work with, especially in a vacuum
chamber, one contractor did a small number of tests on 95% water in
solid form -- cucumber slices.  While the experiments themselves didn't
lead anywhere, a party discussion with Jay Freeman did lead to
a variety of applications:

    Zucchini thrusters -- solve the annual zucchini surplus and
        get cheap space launch at the same time.

    Scaling up -- watermelon thrusters with zucchini strap-ons

    MIRV's -- Multiple Independent Re-entry Vegetables

        "Incoming Soviet Watermelons detected, Sir!  They're not
        decoys -- we have seed echoes"

    And finally:
    SVI -- The Strategic Vegetable Initiative
        "A zucchini at 10 km/s can ruin your whole day"

So can a laser-launched pumpkin be far behind??

    Jordin (Broccoli Rocketry) Kare

--

    Jordin Kare    [e-mail]    510-426-0363

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 16:34:03 GMT
From: Gary Coffman <ke4zv!gary>
Subject: Putting volatiles on the moon
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Greg Moore) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John A. Weeks III) writes:
>>
>>Eeek! I was looking for a smiley at the end of your post, but I didn't
>>find one.  While I don't know about using nukes to nudge comets, I have
>>recently heard a few stories about the Soviet Union using nuclear bombs
>>for peaceful purposes.  They reportedly dug canals with a-bombs, seriously
>>polluting several rivers in the process.  They also used a-bombs as a
>>mining explosive--then sent unprotected workers into the mine only hours
>>after the explosion.  Please try to refrain from using nukes for anything
>>other than blowing up people, and I really hope we don't use them for
>>that purpose either.
>>
>>-john-
>>
>    Eek! I was looking for a smiley... :-)  Seriously though...
>Yes, there are reports that the Soviets used nuclear bombs for
>engineering projects.  A couple of comments though.  Part of the problem
>with the rivers was not so much radioactivity (as I recall) but the fact
>that they reversed the direction of a few, and completely changed
>the eco-systems on them and others.  Not that we haven't done the same.
>Take a look at the mouth of the Colorado.  It's litereally a trickle.
>And VERY polluted.
>
>    As for using them as mining explosions, it would seem the smart
>thing to do is NOT let unprotected workers into the mine.  ANd
>radioactivity in a mine is not uncommon, there is a lot of
>Radon in coal mines.  Also, my understanding (several eyars old)
>is taht they were creating large underground fuel resoivoirs... not mines.
>
>    The big trick is developing CLEAN nuclear weapons, i.e. ones with
>a minimal amount of fallout.  It can be done to some extent.

The AEC's Project Plowshare. Several civil engineering tests were done
with nuclear explosives here in the US under this project. One of the
practical applications of nuclear excavation proposed was the digging
of a sea level canal to replace the Panama Canal by use of nuclear
explosives. Using relatively clean devices, explosions in subsurface
bores would have formed caverns that would then be collapsed by another
explosion forming a sea level canal and trapping the residual radiation
in the collapsed chambers. Widening mountain passes for interstae highways
was another proposed use of nuclear excavation. Tests were done, and it
was feasible with radiation releases well below the safety limits of
the time, but the Test Ban Treaty effectively ended the project here.
They calculated that digging a new sea level canal would raise the
background count in Panama in the new waterway to no higher than the
natural count in Denver, and only for a few tens of years.  Other
projects, such as creating undergound storage caverns for natural gas,
compressed air for electric peak shaving plants, and for oil storage
were also explored. After an initial purge of loose radioactives, the
caverns would be cheap and effective storage chambers for such light
atoms since neutron activation is not an issue. Except for popular
hysteria, those projects remain attractive today.

Gary

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 21:07:27 GMT
From: Nick Haines <[e-mail]>
Subject: Query Re: pluto direct/ o
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Del Cotter) writes:

   In article <[e-mail]> Ian Taylor writes:
   >While I'm here, anyone know if a gravity assist trajectory can be used to
   >*reduce* speed?

   NASA had a proposal to launch a solar probe (Starprobe) at Jupiter which
   would have put it into an orbit of (if memory serves) 0.25AU perihelion and
   a period of 4.5 years.  Whether that counts as a *slowdown* though...

       ...but officer, I was only doing 80km a second...
                        ^^
   Then there's Ulysses, whose speed was unchanged, merely(!) redirected by
   90 degrees.

   You can get to Mercury cheaper by slowing via Venus, I think, then there
   was a scare a few (seems a million) years ago about a dastardly Russian
   plan to send a satkiller into *retrograde* Clarke orbit via the Moon.

   There's no end to the fun you can have playing interplanetary snooker; I
   think the fundamental limit for any single encounter (confirmation, please?)
   is the vector sum of spacecraft and accelerating body beforehand.

As I understand it, a gravity assist trajectory is simply a hyperbolic
path around the relevant body. Such a path is characterised as
follows:

- the departure speed is the same as the arrival speed
- the change in direction is larger for a closer approach
- the higher the speed, the smaller the change in direction.

Work out the path in the frame of the planet, then add the planet's
velocity to all the results.

From memory and the back of an envelope, here are some relevant
equations:

e is the eccentricity of the hyperbola (> 1).
d is a parameter of the hyperbola (distance to the directrix, in fact)
l is the `miss distance': by how much would you miss the planet if it
    didn't affect your path
v_0 is the speed at closest approach
v_oo is the speed `at infinity'
G is the gravitational constant: 6.67e-11 m^3/s^2 kg in SI units
M is the mass of the planet (5.976 kg for Earth)

1. closest approach:

    r_0 = ed/(1+e) (this is just from the shape of the hyperbola)

2. angular momentum conservation:

    r_0 v_0 = l v_oo

3. energy conservation:

    v_o ^2 = v_oo ^2 + 2GM/r_0

4. central force equation:

    ed = GM/((l v_oo)^2)

5. change in direction = \pi - 2 arccos(1/e) (in radians)

If you want to work out the path of some dumb body like a comet, you
observe l and v_oo, calculate ed from (4), then substitute into (1),
(2), (3), solve for v_0 and (1+e), and you're done. If you have a
probe that you want to send in some particular direction at some
particular speed, subtract the velocity of the planet (your approach
and depart speeds should now be equal, otherwise the assist is
impossible), get e from (5), substitute (1) and (2) into (3) and (4),
plug in values for e and v_oo, and solve for l (which tells you where
to aim the probe).

Nick Haines [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 20:00:53 GMT
From: Bill Goffe <[e-mail]>
Subject: Russian Engines for DC-Y?
Newsgroups: sci.space

An article in the Oct. 28 _Wall Street Journal_ describes how Pratt &
Whitney announced an agreement to market NPO Energomash's (said to
be Russia's leading rocked designer) engines in the U.S.

Some time back I recall reading that no one engine seemed ideal for
use in the DC-Y. An chance there'd be something usable from NPO
Energomash? The article says that they're willing to sell for very
competitive prices.

Bill Goffe
[e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 20:14:47 GMT
From: "Allen W. Sherzer" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Russian Engines for DC-Y?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bill Goffe) writes:

>An article in the Oct. 28 _Wall Street Journal_ describes how Pratt &
>Whitney announced an agreement to market NPO Energomash's (said to
>be Russia's leading rocked designer) engines in the U.S.

That is good news. Does this mean RD-170's will be available?

>Some time back I recall reading that no one engine seemed ideal for
>use in the DC-Y. An chance there'd be something usable from NPO
>Energomash?

I don't think they make a cryogenic engine so it doesn't seem they
would have an off the shelf solution.

  Allen

--
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Allen W. Sherzer | "A great man is one who does nothing but leaves        |
|  [e-mail]     |  nothing undone"                                       |
+----------------------172 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX----------------------+

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 92 16:16:50 GMT
From: Dave Jones <[e-mail]>
Subject: Scenario of comet hitting Earth
Newsgroups: alt.sci.planetary,sci.astro,sci.space

John Black ([e-mail]) wrote:
> What are the chances of the comet's orbit to be change significantly so that
> the close approach or impact doesn't happen. More specifically, what is the
> affect of outgassing or gravitaional interaction with a giant planet?
>
From what I'm reading, the collision won't happen based on current
estimates, but might happen if errors, velocity changes due to outgassing
etc. amount to a couple of weeks difference in arrival time in 2126.

As for the giant planet question, that's easy: there is zero probability of
encounter with a giant planet, as the orbit of S-T is inclined 113 degrees
to the ecliptic. (OK, that's really only 67 degrees, but there's a
convention based on the preferred orbital direction of the planets)

> PS no-one answered my question about what the "P/" means infront of comet names
Yes, they did - it means "periodic" and is used for comets that are known to
return at regular intervals.  Possibly the answers were inadvertently tagged
for 'Distribution : usa'.  This one is world, just in case.

--
||Halloween Candy: the office snack    |
||from Nov. 1st onwards............... |Puff the Magic Dragon
||-------------------------------------|Lived by the sea
||Dave Jones ([e-mail])|Who knows what's in the autumn mists
||Eastman Kodak Co. Rochester, NY      |In the mind of Yadallee?

------------------------------

Date: 3 Nov 92 16:45:45 GMT
From: Mike McCants <[e-mail]>
Subject: snarfy's assumption
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article [e-mail] writes:
>
>If you really find my reasoning defective or incoherent, I would like to know
>just what it is you are having difficulty with.
>   snarfy

Previous post:
>The July 25th, 1969 issue of TIME magazine stated that the neutral
>point was 43,495 miles from the center of the moon.

Since this value is obviously wrong, the interesting question becomes
"Where did this wrong value come from?"

The correct value for Apollo 11 might be pretty close to 23,500.
Could it simply be a typo?

Another possible answer is an inverse distance cubed equation:

   Me/(Re**3) = Mm/(Rm**3)

Using Rm = 43,500 miles and Me/Mm = 81.3 gives Re = 188,400 and
Re + Rm = 231,900 miles.

The ephem program gives a value of 231,500 miles for the lunar distance
on July 24, 1969.  Where was Apollo 11 on July 24?  Coming back and
reentering the Earth's "sphere of influence"?  But the July 25th issue
of Time had to go to press several days before that.

Of course, for Apollo 11, this is actually a two-dimensional problem,
not a one-dimensional problem.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 2 Nov 92 22:26:51 GMT
From: Greg Jensenworth <[e-mail]>
Subject: Swift Tuttle and the satellite belt
Newsgroups: sci.space

So, suppose P/Swift-Tuttle misses the earth, but is closer than the
moon.  Will it basically erase all the satellites on that side of the
earth?  There will be a lot of junk traveling along with the nucleus,
I would think...

Also, any noticable effects of a comet-moon collision?

--
Greg Jensenworth                        |
LG Computers, Inc. on contract to:      | LG: [phone]
          Data General Corporation      | DG: [phone]
          62 T.W. Alexander Drive       |
          RTP, N.C.   27709             | [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 3 Nov 92 17:52:58 GMT
From: Mike Coren <[e-mail]>
Subject: VIDEOTAPE OF OCT 9 FIREBALL
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
(regarding the fireball seen over the eastern US on October 9):
>The fireball produced a meteorite which hit the trunk of a high
>school student's car in Peekskill, New York.

I realize this has nothing to do with sci.astro or sci.space, but would
automobile insurance cover that?  Seriously.  Does anybody know if the
high school student made a claim?

Mike Coren

--
Michael D. Coren, Electrical Engineer             [e-mail]
Telecommunications Techniques Corporation, Germantown, Maryland, USA.
Temporarily at Spider Systems Limited, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

------------------------------

Date: 3 Nov 92 16:37:49 GMT
From: Bob Pendleton <[e-mail]>
Subject: Why Vote?
Newsgroups: talk.abortion,soc.motss,sci.space

Why vote?

Duty. You owe it to those who died so that you CAN vote.

Honor. You owe it to those who are fighting for the right to vote NOW.

Perhaps you are to young to remember the freedom riders. Maybe you
never heard of Ludlow, or the suffragettes. But you must remember
the wall, Red Square, or the tanks in Beijing.

You may not think it is much, but the vote is all we have.

                Bob P.
--
Bob Pendleton             | As an engineer I hate to hear:
[e-mail]              |   1) You've earned an "I told you so."
Speaking only for myself. |   2) Our customers don't do that.
                   <<< Odin, after the well of Mimir. >>>

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 17:02:12 GMT
From: Jeff Berton <[e-mail]>
Subject: Why Vote?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Erik Russell) writes:
>> ...Who gets the electoral votes in a
>> state is determined by the popular vote in the state.
>
> This is not really true.  A few states have laws that mandate the electoral
> college to vote for their canidate due to popular vote.  This is not true
> is many and therefore, the electoral college members can vote for the other
> canidate.
>
While it is true only a few states have these laws, the electors almost
always vote with the popular opinion.  Exceptions are few and far between.
The last exception, if memory serves, was in the '88 election when an
elector decided he would rather have the democratic ticket reversed.  He
voted for Bentson.
--
Jeff Berton           [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 16:09:51 GMT
From: Gary Coffman <ke4zv!gary>
Subject: Why Vote?
Newsgroups: talk.abortion,soc.motss,sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Knapp) writes:
>
>Voting is really only useful for getting those people off your back who
>believe that if you *don't* vote, you shouldn't complain about the
>current state of goverment.
>
>Clearly, an individual's vote doesn't matter at all as evidenced by the
>way the election turns out whether they vote or not. Voting is a symbolic,
>not a functional, act.
>
>Until we get rid of the electoral college, the individual vote will *always*
>be discounted and we will not be living in a democracy.

That's a horribly cynical, and wrong, opinion. The important elections,
your local officials, are often decided by only a handful of votes. Your
Congressman and Senators are directly elected, and again these elections
are sometimes close. The Electoral College doesn't discount your vote
either. The Electors are bound by law to vote for the candidate that they
declare to support on the ballot, under most state laws anyway. So your
vote counts just as much in Presidental elections as it does for Senators
or Representatives. In fact the number of Electors for a given state is
equal to the number of Representatives and Senators for that state.
Representatives are apportioned according to population and Senators
are apportioned by state to give a weight to geographic diversity.
This was done to prevent some small geographic area of the country
from dominating the government at the Congressional or Executive
levels.

What's become wrong with our government is that detailed policy decisions
are now made primarily at the national level on issues that are primarily of
local concern. That strips our most responsive governmental levels of the
authority and accountability that they need to govern efficiently and
fairly. This abuse of the commerce and general welfare clauses of the
Constitution needs to be rectified.

>It is very true that we live in a _democratic republic_, but which do *you*
>value more, the democratic part, or the republic part?

Strictly speaking, we don't live in a democratic republic (fortunately).
Instead we live in a Constitutional Republic operated by a representative
government that happens to be elected by popular vote. It was setup that
way on purpose. Pure democracy is nothing short of mob rule, swaying to
the popular passions of the moment. Our form of government was setup to
temper the madness of the mob while still giving the people a voice in
their government. Our Constitution was setup to protect individuals from
excesses of the government dictated by the popular passions of the moment
among the masses. It was made deliberately hard for government to do things.
Our founders felt strongly that the best government was the least government
and they setup the system so that it would be in gridlock most of the
time so that it couldn't meddle too much or too quickly in the affairs
of private persons. I like that.

Our government has grown altogether too activist over the last 50
years. We need more gridlock to let things calm down a bit. The
most dangerous excesses are now conducted by the unelected bureaucracies
created as independent agencies of the Congress. The power to create
and enforce regulations with the de facto force of law has been granted
to these bodies in direct contravention of the intent of the Constitution
and our founders. The Constitution says that all laws must be deliberated
by Congress and reviewed by the President before they have any force. All
violations must be judged by the Judiciary. The regulatory agencies created
by Congress have usurped these powers to unelected functionaries. Thus we
suffer under regulations without number, unreviewed by our elected
representatives. *That* violation of Constitutional intent needs to be
rectified, but the election process is fine as it is.

Gary

------------------------------


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Subject: Re: the Happyface on Mars
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From: "Doug S. Caprette Bldg. 28 W191 x3892" <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 1992 14:54:22 GMT
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In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Ed McCreary) writes:
>Well, I'm happy, I received my Mars CDROMs in just the other
>day.  I like to find the images that show the "Happyface" on
>mars and the Kermit the Frog.  If anyone has either the Lat/Long.
>or the image id of the pics, I'd appreciate hearing from you.
>
>I've got the both the raw and the MDIM sets.
>
>

Well, I don't know where the smiley face and kermit are, but
if the images you have are from Viking, I can direct you to
the following picnell numbers:

The infamous Cydonia Face at Latitude 41 N Longitude 9
35A72 and 70A13

The similar Utopia Face
86A10

'Islets in the stream'
4A50, 4A51, 4A52, 4A53, and 4A54

The Waterspout
775A10 and 775A11  or
77A10 and 77A11  (one is probably a misprint)

And the ~600m structure on the blanket of crater ejecta (crater pyramid)
43A01, 43A02, 43A03, and 43A04
(Please note that the word structure does not imply unnatural origin.)

The picnell number breaks down as follows:

(orbit number) (camera ID) (frame number)

Thus the first Cydonia picture above was the 72nd frame taken with
camera A on the 35th orbit.

Have fun!
--
[e-mail]
 |  Regards,         |   Hughes STX                |    Code 926.9 GSFC        |
 |  Doug Caprette    |   Lanham, Maryland          |    Greenbelt, MD  20771   |
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End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 375
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