Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site x.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!frog!x!john 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