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From: john@x.UUCP (John Woods)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Space for Peace
Message-ID: <211@x.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Oct-84 15:58:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: x.211
Posted: Fri Oct 12 15:58:28 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Oct-84 19:24:54 EDT
References: <554@ames.UUCP>
Organization: Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA
Lines: 39

Well, nice try, but I fear it would not work.  First, the power available
to the satellite has nothing to do with the portable cameras (it would be
easy to jam the cameras, in which case the unjammable satellites transmit
noise); the cameras have to be heard by the satellite, and pouring power
into the receiver does not help.  You might also lose a few camera operators
to mis-placed "[sic]" shots.

Second, we easily have the current technology to destroy a satellite in
geosynchronous orbit, if the two superpowers were to agree that it were a
really good idea and didn't get in each other's way.

Third, it might not make a difference anyway.  In the Communist bloc and the
Third World, people possessing sets which could receive the transmissions
would have them confiscated (those who feel appropriately may read the line:
would be shot (... ) ),
leaving your audience as the nominally free world, where there are probably
better forums (fora?) for the information (transmitting a signal without the
standard license is considered obnoxious by many, especially those whose
frequency you have pre-empted in a high-handed manner, and those other whom
you wipe out with sideband splatter).

Fourth, consider the results of TV coverage of Vietnam.  Did it really have
the impact that is assumed?  It is quite conceivable that the people who
were convinced by it that the Vietnam war was a pretty bad idea were people
who were amenable to that idea anyway.  There were certainly many people who
saw it and still thought that Vietnam was necessary and good for maintaining
freedom/democracy/their stock portfolios/whatever.

For more thoughts on this kind of subject, you ought to research the efforts
by the Third World countries to implement their proposed New Information
Order (or whatever the title is) in the United Nations.  But, alas, only to
see how antagonistic almost everyone would be to such a plan...


I wish I had answers.  Unfortunately, I am overstocked with questions at the
moment.
-- 
John Woods, Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA, (617) 626-1114
...!decvax!frog!john, ...!mit-eddie!jfw, jfw%mit-ccc@MIT-XX.ARPA