Blackjack: Card Counting For The Complete Klutz, From Steven Jacobs

Article 199 of alt.gambling:
Path: polyslo!usc!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!hellgate.utah.edu!wasatch!jacobs
>From: jacobs%cs.utah.edu@wasatch.utah.edu (Steven R. Jacobs)
Newsgroups: alt.gambling
Subject: Blackjack: Card Counting for the Complete Klutz
Date: 12 Sep 89 15:51:46 GMT
Distribution: alt
Organization: University of Utah CS Dept
Lines: 160

Things have gotten too quiet here, so I guess I will post my card
counting strategy. This is a simplified method, it uses only the
basic strategy. It is very important that you fully understand
the basic strategy before you try counting cards. Counting is
fairly easy in your home, but it is easy to get distracted in
a noisy casino.

This method works best at a table that offers insurance.
Simulations show that this method gives about a 1% edge
over the house, when using a 5:1 bet spread (bet 5 units
when the deck is favorable, 1 unit when the deck is
unfavorable). This high of a bet spread is not always
practical.

The strategy table listed below is a revised version of
the basic strategy table that I posted previously. It
is optimal for most single-deck games.

—————————————————————
For SINGLE DECK games:

1) Start the count at -4 when the deck is shuffled.

2) Count -2 for 10, J, Q, K

3) Count +1 for everything else (including aces)

4) Bet low when the count is negative, high when the count is
positive (actually, simulations show that you can bet high
for a count of -2 or above).

5) Take insurance when the count is positive.

6) Play basic strategy at all times (table shown below)

—————————————————————
For N deck games:

1) Start the count at (-4 * N).

2) all other rules are the same.
—————————————————————

NOTES:

The unique feature of this counting method is that it is
perfectly accurate for dealing with insurance. When the
count is positive, the player has the advantage when
taking the insurance bet. When the count is negative,
the house has the advantage, so insurance should not be
taken.

Counting is best done by counting several cards at once.
It is easy to practice this counting method in the following
way:

1) Count through a deck of cards, counting one card
at a time. Start at -4, and count through the entire
deck. After all of the cards have been seen, the
count should be ZERO. If it is not zero, a mistake
has been made somewhere. Repeat counting through
the deck one card at a time, until you can do it
quickly without making mistakes.

2) Count through the deck, counting two cards at a
time. Look for the following patterns, adding
the correct amount for each pattern

(X = 10, N = non-ten)

NN +2
XN -1
XX -4

Again, the count should be zero after all cards have
been seen. Repeat until you can do it efficiently.

3) Count through the deck, counting three cards at a time.
Look for the following patterns, adding the correct
amount for each pattern.

(X = 10, N = non-ten)

NNN +3
XNN 0 (this pattern is common)
XXN -3

4) Practice against a computer blackjack game. When I
play, I usually count the cards by counting an entire
hand (player’s or dealers) at once. If there are more
than three cards in the hand, I mentally break it up
into groups of 1, 2, or 3 cards (I usually look for
“XNN” patterns and ignore those cards, since they
add up to zero). I usually count the cards just
before the dealer picks up the hand (exception: for
insurance, you should count your cards and the dealer’s
up card immediately).
—————————————————————

Strategy Table

S=stand H=hit D=double P=pair(split)
= “strong” hand, favorable to player
= “weak” hand, favorable to house

2) If splitting Aces is not allowed,
use the "Soft Hands" table.
—+—————————————-

—
Steve Jacobs ({bellcore,hplabs,uunet}!utah-cs!jacobs, jacobs@cs.utah.edu)

From usc!ucsd!orion.cf.uci.edu!uci-ics!zardoz!tgate!ka3ovk!teemc!mibte!gamma!towernet!pyuxp!nvuxj!nvuxh!hall Wed Sep 13 12:35:26 PDT 1989

In article RLM@ceres.physics.uiowa.edu (Robert Mutel) writes:
>Could someone give a succinct summary of the situation regarding
>`favorable’ and `unfavorable’ shuffles in multi-deck blackjack? What
>should a player look out for? Will unfavorable shuffles affect basic
>players as well as counters?

First, consider the totally random shuffle. This is what all card
counters’ strategies are based on (because the mathematics are
already combinatorially explosive without having to worry about
non-random orderings.) It is also what the “basic strategy” of
non-counters is based on. The totally random shuffle doesn’t exist,
but it can be approached to a greater or lessor extent.

Nonrandom shuffles can contradict the assumptions that went into
building the strategies, and hence the counting and non-counting
strategies can be sub-optimal in practice. Also, nonrandom shuffles
can result in “like-card” clumping. Have you ever seen everyone
including the dealer get two 10-valued cards? Pretty annoying.
Like-card clumping is devastating to the players.

Like-card clumping can be a natural or manufactured phenomenon. It
happens naturally, because if you have low cards, you tend to take a
hit, and if the next card is low again, you may take another hit.
This clump of low cards is preserved when it is picked up. A poor
shuffle will only slightly reduce the amount of clumping.

Card counters, however, can put non-random shuffles to their
advantage. This involves remembering (or recording with chips) the
“richness” of different segments of the deck as it is played.
“Shuffle-tracking” is then employed to estimate the richness of
different segments of the shuffled deck. One can then use the
cut-card to “remove” unfavorable portions of the deck (i.e. get rid
of low cards.) See “Break the Dealer” for more information. (By the
way, I don’t have enough money to even think of trying this myself.)

Okay, now you know what favorable and unfavorable shuffles do to
you, so how do you recognize them?

First, be on the look-out for “poor washing.” If a casino does not
mix up new decks well, avoid it. Furthermore, avoid playing at a
table that started with new cards within the last few *hours*.

Next, watch out for the “high-low” pickup, where the dealer picks up
the cards in a high to low order. I’m sure there must be variations
on this theme.

Also, watch out for the “strip” shuffle. This is typically done by
“pinching” the top few cards and the bottom few cards off the
portion of the deck being shuffled. I don’t know why this shuffle
is non-random when combined with other shuffles, but the casinos
have researched this, and know that it hurts the players, and so
they do it. Note that “unfair” shuffles are illegal in Atlantic
City. I have seen strip shuffles there.

Last, be aware that inexperienced dealers, while they deal nice and
slow also shuffle poorly. Inexperienced dealers can let a clump of
4 cards slip by without getting shuffled.

In sum, totally random shuffles are nice but do not exist, and
non-random shuffles usually hurt, but can help, especially if you
are shuffle tracking. The casinos know all this and attempt to use
it to their advantage (they’re greedy, remember?)
—
Michael R. Hall | BAN |”I live in a country that I hate. I live
hall@nvuxh.cc.bellcore.COM | STRIP | in a country where I want to shoot the
bellcore!nvuxh!hall |SHUFFLES| politicians.” – Peter Buck of R.E.M.

From sdsu!usc!apple!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!pt.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!jr+ Wed Sep 13 12:37:33 PDT 1989

>From: garym@crash.cts.com (Gary Morris)
Newsgroups: alt.gambling
Subject: Re: Blackjack: Card Counting for the Complete Klutz
Date: 13 Sep 89 01:48:40 GMT

>>Simulations show that this method gives about a 1% edge
>>over the house, when using a 5:1 bet spread (bet 5 units
>>when the deck is favorable, 1 unit when the deck is
>>unfavorable). This high of a bet spread is not always
>>practical.
> Is using this high a bet spread practical in Las Vegas casinos? Don’t
the
> dealers watch for this people changing their bets like this or is it
only
> Pit Bosses you have to watch out for? Maybe a good size tip to the
dealer
> would help? (he might not notice the bet changes then 🙂

My recent experience says that you will not get away with this very
often in LV, at least not playing with favorable rules. The last time I
was there (3 months ago) doubling your previous bet was safe, but
tripling it brought immediate reshuffles in single-deck games (at least,
at the Frontier, Circus Circus & the Fremont).

I haven’t been to Las Vegas for a while, but last month in Laughlin
> I found that only the 4 or 6 deck games were dealt face up, the one
deck
> games were dealt face down. How can you count if the cards are dealt
> face down?

First fo all, you really shouldn’t be playing with other people at the
table. It greatly reduces your number of hands/hour & thus, the
likelihood of ending up ahead. In addition, when other people are at
the table, it dilutes your chances of obtaining the cards you want when
the count is high.

But, if you have to play with other people around, you should just play
at face-up games or count the cards when the dealer collects them.

> Shouldn’t count strategies be designed for 4 or 6 deck odds?

Not if you want to win. My simulations show that the disadvantage
introduced by 6 decks is tremendous (I haven’t experimented with 4
decks, yet). In particular, my version of Hi-Opt I yields a 1.2%
advantage against favorable 1-deck rules, but a -0.3% disadvatnage
against equally favorable 6 decks. Without some special help (like
early surrender) I think it’s very difficult to beat a 6-deck game. I
avoid them like disco music.

JR

From usc!ginosko!uunet!amdahl!eli Thu Sep 14 13:21:04 PDT 1989

This is obviously late, but I didn’t see mention of it here, so:

The Silver City Casino on the Las Vegas Strip is offering EARLY SURRENDER
at certain SELECT tables, but ONLY until September 30, 1989! (Early surrender
is when the player is allowed to surrender hands before the dealer checks his
hole card for potential blackjack)

So anyone with a little vacation time should try to make it out to Vegas
in September and go get some of the free cash, esp. if you are a card counter.

Blackjack is becoming such a difficult game to make any substantial money at
that its always nice when a casino gives you a break…

p.s. (early surrender gives the player a 0.62% higher expectation than if
it were not offered. “basic” early surrender stategy is to surrender
hard 16, but not 8-8 against a dealer’s 9 up, surrender
hard 14, 15, and 16 against a dealer’s 10 up, and to surrender
hard 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 against a dealer’s Ace up.)

0

Black Holes In Space, From The NASA SpaceLink BBS (November 16, 1988)

Combat Arms
2869 Grove Way
Castro Valley, California 94546-6709
Telephone (415) 538-6544

The following material was downloaded from the NASA SpaceLink
BBS at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, George C.
Marshall Space Flight Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama
35812 on 11/16/88.

B L A C K H O L E S I N S P A C E
————————————————————-

There is much more to black holes than meets the eye. In fact,
your eyes, even with the aid of the most advanced telescope, will
never see a black hole in space. The reason is that the matter
within a black hole is so dense and has so great a gravitational pull
that it prevents even light from escaping.

Like other electromagnetic radiation (radio waves, infrared
rays, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma radiation), light is
the fastest traveler in the Universe. It moves at nearly 300,000
kilometers (about 186,000 miles) per second. At such a speed, you
could circle the Earth seven times between heartbeats.

If light can’t escape a black hole, it follows that nothing else
can. Consequently, there is no direct way to detect a black hole.

In fact, the principal evidence of the existence of black holes
comes not from observation but from solutions to complex equations
based on Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. Among other
things, the calculations indicate that black holes may occur in a
variety of sizes and be more abundant than most of us realize.

MINI BLACK HOLES

Some black holes are theorized to be nearly as old as the Big
Bang, which is hypothesized to have started our Universe 10 to 20
billion years ago. The rapid early expansion of some parts of the
dense hot matter in this nascent Universe is said to have so
compressed less rapidly moving parts that the latter became
superdense and collapsed further, forming black holes. Among the
holes so created may be the submicroscopic mini-black holes.

A mini-black hole may be as small as an atomic particle but
contain as much mass (material) as Mount Everest. Never
underestimate the power of a mini-black hole. If some event caused
it to decompress, it would be as if millions of hydrogen bombs were
simultaneously detonated.

HOW STARS DIE

The most widespread support is given to the theory that a black
hole is the natural end product of a giant star’s death. According
to this theory, a star like our Sun and others we see in the sky
lives as long as thermal energy and radiation from nuclear reactions
in its core provide sufficient outward pressure to counteract the
inward pressure of gravity caused by the star’s own great mass.

When the star exhausts its nuclear fuels, it succumbs to the
forces of its own gravity and literally collapses inward. According
to equations derived from quantum mechanics and Einstein’s Theory of
General Relativity, the star’s remaining mass determines whether it
becomes a white dwarf, a neutron star, or black hole.

WHITE DWARFS

Stars are usually measured in comparison with our Sun’s mass. A
star whose remaining mass is about that of our Sun condenses to
approximately the size of Earth. The star’s contraction is halted by
the collective resistance of electrons pressed against each other and
their atomic nuclei. Matter in this collapsed star is so tightly
packed that a piece the size of a sugar cube would weigh thousands of
kilograms. Gravitational contraction would also have made the star
white hot. It is appropriately called a white dwarf.

Astronomers have detected white dwarfs in space. The first
discovery was a planet-sized object that seemed to exert a
disproportionately high gravitational effect upon a celestial
companion, the so call dog star Sirius, which is about 2.28 times our
Sun’s mass. It appeared that this planet-sized object would have to
be about as massive as our Sun to affect Sirius as it did. Moreover,
spectral analysis indicated the star’s color was white.

Based upon these and other studies, astronomers concluded that
they had found a white dwarf. However, it took many years after the
discovery in 1914 before most scientists accepted the fact that an
object thousands of times denser than anything possible on Earth
could exist.

NEUTRON STARS AND SUPERNOVAS

Giant stars usually lose most of their mass during their normal
lifetimes. If such a star still retains 1 1/2 to 3 solar masses
after exhaustion of its nuclear fuels, it would collapse to even
greater density and smaller size than the white dwarf. The reason is
that there is a limit on the amount of compression electrons can
resist in the presence of atomic nuclei.

In this instance, the limit is breached. Electrons are
literally driven into atomic nuclei, mating with protons to form
neutrons and thus transmuting nuclei into neutrons. The resulting
object is aptly called a neutron star. It may be only a few
kilometers in diameter. A sugar-cube size piece of this star would
weigh about one-half a trillion kilograms.

Sometimes, as electrons are driven into protons in atomic
nuclei, neutrinos are blown outward so forcefully that they blast off
the star’s outer layer. This creates a supernova that may
temporarily outshine all of the other stars in a galaxy.

The most prominent object believed to be a neutron star is the
Crab Nebula, the remnant of a supernova observed and reported by
Chinese astronomers in 1504. A star-like object in the nebula
blinks, or pulses, about 30 times per second in visible light, radio
waves, and X and gamma rays. The radio pulses are believed to result
from interaction between a point on the spinning star and the star’s
magnetic field. As the star rotates, this point is theorized
alternately to face and be turned away from Earth. The fast rotation
rate implied by the interval between pulses indicates the star is no
more than a few kilometers in diameter because if it were larger, it
would be torn apart by centrifugal force.

PULSARS

Radio telescopes have detected a large number of other objects
which send out naturally pulsed radio signals. They were named
pulsars. Like the object in the Crab Nebula, they are presumed to be
rotating neutron stars.

Of these pulsars, only the Vela pulsar–which gets its name
because of its location in the Vela (Sails) constellation–pulses at
wavelengths shorter than radio. Like the Crab pulsar, the Vela
pulsar also pulses at optical and gamma ray wavelengths. However,
unlike the Crab pulsar, it is not an X-ray pulsar. Aside from the
mystery generated by these differences, scientists also debate the
reasons for the pulses at gamma, X-ray and optical frequencies. As
noted earlier, they agree on the origin of the radio pulses.

BLACK HOLES

When a star has three or more solar masses left after it
exhausts its nuclear fuels, it can become a black hole.

Like the white dwarf and neutron star, this star’s density and
gravity increase with contraction. Consequently, the star’s
gravitational escape velocity (speed needed to escape from the star)
increases. When the star has shrunk to the Schwarzschild radius,
named for the man who first calculated it, its gravitational escape
velocity would be nearly 300,000 kilometers per second, which is
equal to the speed of light. Consequently, light could never leave
the star.

Reduction of a giant star to the Schwarzschild radius represents
an incredible compression of mass and decrease in size. As an
example, mathematicians calculate that for a star of 10 solar masses
(ten times the mass of our Sun) after exhaustion of its nuclear
fuels, the Schwarzschild radius is about 30 kilometers.

———————————————————————
According to the Law of General Relativity, space and time are
warped, or curved, by gravity. Time is theorized TO POINT INTO THE
BLACK HOLE FROM ALL DIRECTIONS. To leave a black hole, an object,
even light would have to go backward in time. Thus, anything falling
into a black hole would disappear from our Universe.
———————————————————————

The Schwarzschild radius becomes the black hole’s “event
horizon”, the hole’s boundary of no return. Anything crossing the
event horizon can never leave the black hole. Within the event
horizon, the star continues to contract until it reaches a space-time
singularity, which modern science cannot easily define. It may be
considered a state of infinite density in which matter loses all of
its familiar properties.

Theoretically, it may take less than a second for a star to
collapse into black hole. However, because of relativistic effects,
we could never see such an event. This is because, as demonstrated
by comparison of clocks on spacecraft with clocks on Earth, gravity
can slow, perhaps even stop, time. The gravity of the collapsing
star would slow time so much that we would see the star collapsing
for as long as we watched.

Once a black hole has been formed, it crushes into a singularity
anything crossing its event horizon. As the black hole devours
matter, its event horizon expands. This expansion is limited only by
the availability of matter. Incredibly vast black holes that harbor
the crushed remains of billions of solar masses are theoretically
possible.

Evidence that such superdense stars as white dwarfs and neutron
stars do exist has supported the idea that black holes, representing
what may be the ultimate in density, must also exist. Potential
black holes, stars with three or more times the mass of our Sun,
pepper the sky. But how can astronomers detect a black hole?

HOW BLACK HOLES MAY BE INDIRECTLY DETECTED

Scientists found indirect ways of doing so. The methods depends
upon black holes being members of binary star systems. A binary star
system consists of two stars comparatively near to and revolving
about each other. Unlike our Sun, most stars exist in pairs.

If one of the stars in a binary system had become a black hole,
the hole would betray its existence, although invisible, by its
gravitational effects upon the other star. These effects would be in
accordance with Newton’s Law: attractions of two bodies to each other
are directly proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The reason is that outside of its event horizon, a black hole’s
gravity is the same as other objects’.

Scientists also have determined that a substantial part of the
energy of matter spiraling into a black hole is converted by
collision, compression, and heating into X- and gamma rays displaying
certain spectral characteristics. The radiation is from the material
as it is pulled across the hole’s event horizon, its radiation cannot
escape.

WORMHOLES

Some scientists speculate that matter going into a black hole
may survive. Under special circumstances, it might be conducted via
passages called “wormholes” to emerge in another time or another
universe. Black holes are theorized to play relativistic tricks with
space and time.

NASA ORBITING OBSERVATORY OBSERVATIONS

Black hole candidates–phenomena exhibiting black hole
effects–have been discovered and studied through such NASA
satellites as the Small Astronomy Satellites (SAS) and the much
larger Orbiting Astronomical Observatories (OAO) and High Energy
Astronomical Observatories (HEAO). The most likely candidate is
Cygnus X-1, an invisible object in the constellation Cygnus, the
swan. Cygnus X-1 means that it is the first X-ray source discovered
in Cygnus. X-rays from the invisible object have characteristics
like those predicted from material as it falls toward a black hole.
The material is apparently being pulled from the hole’s binary
companion, a large star of about 30 solar masses. Based upon the
black hole’s gravitational effects on the visible star, the hole’s
mass is estimated to be about six times of our Sun. In time the
gargantuan visible star could also collapse into a neutron star or
black hole or be pulled piece by piece into the existing black hole,
significantly enlarging the hole’s event horizon.

BLACK HOLES AND GALAXIES

It is theorized that rotating black holes, containing the
remains of millions or billions of dead stars, may lie at the centers
of galaxies such as our Milky Way and that vast rotating black holes
may be the powerhouses of quasars and active galaxies. Quasars are
believed to be galaxies in an early violent evolutionary stage while
active galaxies are marked by their extraordinary outputs of energy,
mostly from their cores.

According to one part of the General Theory of Relativity called
the Penrose Process, most of the matter falling toward black holes is
consumed while the remainder is flung outward with more energy than
the original total falling in. The energy is imparted by the hole’s
incredibly fast spin. Quiet normal galaxies like our Milky Way are
said to be that way only because the black holes at their centers
have no material upon which to feed.

This situation could be changed by a chance break-up of a star
cluster near the hole, sending stars careening into the hole. Such
an event could cause the nucleus of our galaxy to explode with
activity, generating large volumes of lethal gamma radiation that
would fan out across our galaxy like a death ray, destroying life on
Earth and wherever else it may have occurred.

BLACK HOLES AND GALACTIC CLUSTERS

Some astronomers believe that the gravity pulls of gigantic
black holes may hold together vast galactic clusters such as the
Virgo cluster consisting of about 2500 galaxies. Such clusters were
formed after the Big Bang some 10 to 20 billion years ago. Why they
did not spread randomly as the Universe expanded is not understood,
as only a fraction of the mass needed to keep them together is
observable. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and AXAF Telescope,
scheduled for a future Shuttle launch, will provide many more times
the data than present ground and space observatories furnish and
should contribute to resolving this and other mysteries of our
Universe.

BLACK HOLES AND OUR UNIVERSE

Our universe is theorized to have begun with a bang that sent
pieces of it outward in all directions. As yet, astronomers have not
detected enough mass to reverse this expansion. The possibility
remains, however, that the missing mass may be locked up in
undetectable black holes that are more prevalent than anyone
realizes.

If enough black holes exist to reverse the universe’s expansion,
what then? Will all of the stars, and galaxies, and other matter in
the universe collapse inward like a star that has exhausted its
nuclear fuels? Will one large black hole be created, within which
the universe will shrink to the ultimate singularity?

Extrapolating backward more than 10 billion years, some
cosmologists trace our present universe to a singularity. Is a
singularity both the beginning and end of our universe? Is our
universe but a phase between singularities?

These questions may be more academic than we realize.
Scientists say that, if the universe itself is closed and nothing can
escape from it, we may already be in a black hole.
e.
Scientists say that, if the universe itself is closed and nothing can
esc

0

Black Holes In Space, From The NASA SpaceLink BBS (November 16, 1988)

BLACKHOL.DOC – Article on Black Holes

The following material was downloaded from the NASA SpaceLink
BBS at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, George C.
Marshall Space Flight Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama
35812 on 11/16/88.

B L A C K H O L E S I N S P A C E
————————————————————-

There is much more to black holes than meets the eye. In fact,
your eyes, even with the aid of the most advanced telescope, will
never see a black hole in space. The reason is that the matter
within a black hole is so dense and has so great a gravitational pull
that it prevents even light from escaping.

Like other electromagnetic radiation (radio waves, infrared
rays, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma radiation), light is
the fastest traveler in the Universe. It moves at nearly 300,000
kilometers (about 186,000 miles) per second. At such a speed, you
could circle the Earth seven times between heartbeats.
— more —
If light can’t escape a black hole, it follows that nothing else
can. Consequently, there is no direct way to detect a black hole.

In fact, the principal evidence of the existence of black holes
comes not from observation but from solutions to complex equations
based on Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. Among other
things, the calculations indicate that black holes may occur in a
variety of sizes and be more abundant than most of us realize.

MINI BLACK HOLES

Some black holes are theorized to be nearly as old as the Big
Bang, which is hypothesized to have started our Universe 10 to 20
billion years ago. The rapid early expansion of some parts of the
dense hot matter in this nascent Universe is said to have so
compressed less rapidly moving parts that the latter became
superdense and collapsed further, forming black holes. Among the
holes so created may be the submicroscopic mini-black holes.

A mini-black hole may be as small as an atomic particle but
contain as much mass (material) as Mount Everest. Never
— more — underestimate the power of a mini-black hole. If some event caused
it to decompress, it would be as if millions of hydrogen bombs were
simultaneously detonated.

HOW STARS DIE

The most widespread support is given to the theory that a black
hole is the natural end product of a giant star’s death. According
to this theory, a star like our Sun and others we see in the sky
lives as long as thermal energy and radiation from nuclear reactions
in its core provide sufficient outward pressure to counteract the
inward pressure of gravity caused by the star’s own great mass.

When the star exhausts its nuclear fuels, it succumbs to the
forces of its own gravity and literally collapses inward. According
to equations derived from quantum mechanics and Einstein’s Theory of
General Relativity, the star’s remaining mass determines whether it
becomes a white dwarf, a neutron star, or black hole.

WHITE DWARFS

— more — Stars are usually measured in comparison with our Sun’s mass. A
star whose remaining mass is about that of our Sun condenses to
approximately the size of Earth. The star’s contraction is halted by
the collective resistance of electrons pressed against each other and
their atomic nuclei. Matter in this collapsed star is so tightly
packed that a piece the size of a sugar cube would weigh thousands of
kilograms. Gravitational contraction would also have made the star
white hot. It is appropriately called a white dwarf.

Astronomers have detected white dwarfs in space. The first
discovery was a planet-sized object that seemed to exert a
disproportionately high gravitational effect upon a celestial
companion, the so call dog star Sirius, which is about 2.28 times our
Sun’s mass. It appeared that this planet-sized object would have to
be about as massive as our Sun to affect Sirius as it did. Moreover,
spectral analysis indicated the star’s color was white.

Based upon these and other studies, astronomers concluded that
they had found a white dwarf. However, it took many years after the
discovery in 1914 before most scientists accepted the fact that an
object thousands of times denser than anything possible on Earth
could exist.

— more —
NEUTRON STARS AND SUPERNOVAS

Giant stars usually lose most of their mass during their normal
lifetimes. If such a star still retains 1 1/2 to 3 solar masses
after exhaustion of its nuclear fuels, it would collapse to even
greater density and smaller size than the white dwarf. The reason is
that there is a limit on the amount of compression electrons can
resist in the presence of atomic nuclei.

In this instance, the limit is breached. Electrons are
literally driven into atomic nuclei, mating with protons to form
neutrons and thus transmuting nuclei into neutrons. The resulting
object is aptly called a neutron star. It may be only a few
kilometers in diameter. A sugar-cube size piece of this star would
weigh about one-half a trillion kilograms.

Sometimes, as electrons are driven into protons in atomic
nuclei, neutrinos are blown outward so forcefully that they blast off
the star’s outer layer. This creates a supernova that may
temporarily outshine all of the other stars in a galaxy.

The most prominent object believed to be a neutron star is the
— more — Crab Nebula, the remnant of a supernova observed and reported by
Chinese astronomers in 1504. A star-like object in the nebula
blinks, or pulses, about 30 times per second in visible light, radio
waves, and X and gamma rays. The radio pulses are believed to result
from interaction between a point on the spinning star and the star’s
magnetic field. As the star rotates, this point is theorized
alternately to face and be turned away from Earth. The fast rotation
rate implied by the interval between pulses indicates the star is no
more than a few kilometers in diameter because if it were larger, it
would be torn apart by centrifugal force.

PULSARS

Radio telescopes have detected a large number of other objects
which send out naturally pulsed radio signals. They were named
pulsars. Like the object in the Crab Nebula, they are presumed to be
rotating neutron stars.

Of these pulsars, only the Vela pulsar–which gets its name
because of its location in the Vela (Sails) constellation–pulses at
wavelengths shorter than radio. Like the Crab pulsar, the Vela
pulsar also pulses at optical and gamma ray wavelengths. However,
— more — unlike the Crab pulsar, it is not an X-ray pulsar. Aside from the
mystery generated by these differences, scientists also debate the
reasons for the pulses at gamma, X-ray and optical frequencies. As
noted earlier, they agree on the origin of the radio pulses.

BLACK HOLES

When a star has three or more solar masses left after it
exhausts its nuclear fuels, it can become a black hole.

Like the white dwarf and neutron star, this star’s density and
gravity increase with contraction. Consequently, the star’s
gravitational escape velocity (speed needed to escape from the star)
increases. When the star has shrunk to the Schwarzschild radius,
named for the man who first calculated it, its gravitational escape
velocity would be nearly 300,000 kilometers per second, which is
equal to the speed of light. Consequently, light could never leave
the star.

Reduction of a giant star to the Schwarzschild radius represents
an incredible compression of mass and decrease in size. As an
example, mathematicians calculate that for a star of 10 solar masses
— more — (ten times the mass of our Sun) after exhaustion of its nuclear
fuels, the Schwarzschild radius is about 30 kilometers.

———————————————————————
According to the Law of General Relativity, space and time are
warped, or curved, by gravity. Time is theorized TO POINT INTO THE
BLACK HOLE FROM ALL DIRECTIONS. To leave a black hole, an object,
even light would have to go backward in time. Thus, anything falling
into a black hole would disappear from our Universe.
———————————————————————

The Schwarzschild radius becomes the black hole’s “event
horizon”, the hole’s boundary of no return. Anything crossing the
event horizon can never leave the black hole. Within the event
horizon, the star continues to contract until it reaches a space-time
singularity, which modern science cannot easily define. It may be
considered a state of infinite density in which matter loses all of
its familiar properties.

Theoretically, it may take less than a second for a star to
collapse into black hole. However, because of relativistic effects,
we could never see such an event. This is because, as demonstrated
by comparison of clocks on spacecraft with clocks on Earth, gravity
— more — can slow, perhaps even stop, time. The gravity of the collapsing
star would slow time so much that we would see the star collapsing
for as long as we watched.

Once a black hole has been formed, it crushes into a singularity
anything crossing its event horizon. As the black hole devours
matter, its event horizon expands. This expansion is limited only by
the availability of matter. Incredibly vast black holes that harbor
the crushed remains of billions of solar masses are theoretically
possible.

Evidence that such superdense stars as white dwarfs and neutron
stars do exist has supported the idea that black holes, representing
what may be the ultimate in density, must also exist. Potential
black holes, stars with three or more times the mass of our Sun,
pepper the sky. But how can astronomers detect a black hole?

HOW BLACK HOLES MAY BE INDIRECTLY DETECTED

Scientists found indirect ways of doing so. The methods depends
upon black holes being members of binary star systems. A binary star
system consists of two stars comparatively near to and revolving
— more — about each other. Unlike our Sun, most stars exist in pairs.

If one of the stars in a binary system had become a black hole,
the hole would betray its existence, although invisible, by its
gravitational effects upon the other star. These effects would be in
accordance with Newton’s Law: attractions of two bodies to each other
are directly proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The reason is that outside of its event horizon, a black hole’s
gravity is the same as other objects’.

Scientists also have determined that a substantial part of the
energy of matter spiraling into a black hole is converted by
collision, compression, and heating into X- and gamma rays displaying
certain spectral characteristics. The radiation is from the material
as it is pulled across the hole’s event horizon, its radiation cannot
escape.

WORMHOLES

Some scientists speculate that matter going into a black hole
may survive. Under special circumstances, it might be conducted via
passages called “wormholes” to emerge in another time or another
— more — universe. Black holes are theorized to play relativistic tricks with
space and time.

NASA ORBITING OBSERVATORY OBSERVATIONS

Black hole candidates–phenomena exhibiting black hole
effects–have been discovered and studied through such NASA
satellites as the Small Astronomy Satellites (SAS) and the much
larger Orbiting Astronomical Observatories (OAO) and High Energy
Astronomical Observatories (HEAO). The most likely candidate is
Cygnus X-1, an invisible object in the constellation Cygnus, the
swan. Cygnus X-1 means that it is the first X-ray source discovered
in Cygnus. X-rays from the invisible object have characteristics
like those predicted from material as it falls toward a black hole.
The material is apparently being pulled from the hole’s binary
companion, a large star of about 30 solar masses. Based upon the
black hole’s gravitational effects on the visible star, the hole’s
mass is estimated to be about six times of our Sun. In time the
gargantuan visible star could also collapse into a neutron star or
black hole or be pulled piece by piece into the existing black hole,
significantly enlarging the hole’s event horizon.

— more —
BLACK HOLES AND GALAXIES

It is theorized that rotating black holes, containing the
remains of millions or billions of dead stars, may lie at the centers
of galaxies such as our Milky Way and that vast rotating black holes
may be the powerhouses of quasars and active galaxies. Quasars are
believed to be galaxies in an early violent evolutionary stage while
active galaxies are marked by their extraordinary outputs of energy,
mostly from their cores.

According to one part of the General Theory of Relativity called
the Penrose Process, most of the matter falling toward black holes is
consumed while the remainder is flung outward with more energy than
the original total falling in. The energy is imparted by the hole’s
incredibly fast spin. Quiet normal galaxies like our Milky Way are
said to be that way only because the black holes at their centers
have no material upon which to feed.

This situation could be changed by a chance break-up of a star
cluster near the hole, sending stars careening into the hole. Such
an event could cause the nucleus of our galaxy to explode with
activity, generating large volumes of lethal gamma radiation that
— more — would fan out across our galaxy like a death ray, destroying life on
Earth and wherever else it may have occurred.

BLACK HOLES AND GALACTIC CLUSTERS

Some astronomers believe that the gravity pulls of gigantic
black holes may hold together vast galactic clusters such as the
Virgo cluster consisting of about 2500 galaxies. Such clusters were
formed after the Big Bang some 10 to 20 billion years ago. Why they
did not spread randomly as the Universe expanded is not understood,
as only a fraction of the mass needed to keep them together is
observable. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and AXAF Telescope,
scheduled for a future Shuttle launch, will provide many more times
the data than present ground and space observatories furnish and
should contribute to resolving this and other mysteries of our
Universe.

BLACK HOLES AND OUR UNIVERSE

Our universe is theorized to have begun with a bang that sent
pieces of it outward in all directions. As yet, astronomers have not
— more — detected enough mass to reverse this expansion. The possibility
remains, however, that the missing mass may be locked up in
undetectable black holes that are more prevalent than anyone
realizes.

If enough black holes exist to reverse the universe’s expansion,
what then? Will all of the stars, and galaxies, and other matter in
the universe collapse inward like a star that has exhausted its
nuclear fuels? Will one large black hole be created, within which
the universe will shrink to the ultimate singularity?

Extrapolating backward more than 10 billion years, some
cosmologists trace our present universe to a singularity. Is a
singularity both the beginning and end of our universe? Is our
universe but a phase between singularities?

These questions may be more academic than we realize.
Scientists say that, if the universe itself is closed and nothing can
escape from it, we may already be in a black hole.

0

What Does A Black Belt Mean? By Reverend Kensho Furyua

From kwp@ukc.ac.uk Sun Apr 3 14:37:23 1994
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 94 12:42:02 BST
From: Kam Wing Pang
To: solanum@ritz.mordor.com
Subject: File as ASCII

Its better in postscript… but here is one in ASCII, its not very good,
I directly copied the postscript to ASCII, so it may look a bit rough!
Better to get your hands on a postscript viewer like gspreview, or just print
it out on a printer that takes postscript files as input.

Kam.
******************************************************************************

What Does a Black Belt Really Mean?
***********************************
Reverend Kensho Furuya
**********************

Through the popularity of this column, I get correspondence from all over the
country. And the most commonly asked question is, `How long does it take to get
a black belt?’

I don’t know how this question is answered in other schools, but my students
know that asking such a question in my dojo would set them back several years in
their training. It would be a disaster.

Most people would be overjoyed if I would say it takes just a couple of years to
get a black belt, but unfortunately it does not. And though I am afraid most
people would not be happy with my answer, I think the general misconceptions
about `what is a black belt?’ should be clarified as much as possible. This is
not a popular subject to discuss in the way I am going to. Indeed, I warn my
students not to ask the question in the first place. The answer is not what they
want to hear.

How do you get a black belt? You find a competent teacher and a good school,
begin training and work hard. Someday, who knows when, it will come. It is not
easy, but it’s worth it. It may take one year; it may take ten years. You may
never achieve it. When you come to realize that the black belt is not as
important as the practice itself, you are probably approaching black belt level.
When you realize that no matter how long or how hard you train, there is a
lifetime of study and practice ahead of you until you die, you are probably
getting close to a black belt.

At whatever level you achieve, if you think you `deserve’ a black belt, or if
you think you are now `good enough’ to be a black belt, you are way off the
mark, and, indeed a very long way from reaching your black belt.

Train hard, be humble, don’t show off in front of your teacher or other students
, don’t complain about any task and do your best in everything in your life.
This is what it means to be a black belt.

To be overconfident, to show off your skill, to be competitive, to look down on
others, to show a lack of respect, and to pick and chose what you do and don’t
do (believing that some jobs are beneath your dignity) characterize the student
who will never achieve black belt. What they wear around their waist is simply a
piece of merchandise brought for a few dollars in a martial arts supply store.

The real black belt, worn by a real black belt holder, is the white belt of a
beginner, turned black by the colour of his blood and sweat.

Training Pattern
****************

The first level of black belt in Japanese is called shodan. It literally means
`first level’. Sho (first) is an interesting ideograph. It is comprised of two
radicals meaning `cloth’ and `knife’. To make a piece of clothing, one first
cuts out the pattern on the cloth. The pattern determines the style and look of
the final product. If the pattern is out of proportion or in error, the clothes
will look bad and not fit properly. In the same way, your initial training to
reach black belt is very important; it determines how you will eventually turn
out as a black belt.

In my many years of teaching, I have noticed that the students who are solely
concerned with getting their black belt discourage easily, as soon as they
realize it is harder than they expected. Students who come in just for practice,
without concern for rank and promotion, always do well. They are not crushed by
shallow or unrealistic goals.

There is a famous story about Yagyu Matajuro, who was a son of the famous Yagyu
family of swordsmen in 17th century feudal Japan. He was kicked out of the house
for lack of talent and potential, and sought out instruction of the swordmaster
Tsukahara Bokuden, with the hope of achieving mastery of the sword and regaining
his family position.

On their initial interview, Matajuro asked Tsukahara Bokuden, `How long will it
take me to master the sword?’ Bokuden replied, `Oh, about five years if you
train very hard.’

`If I train twice as hard, how long will it take?’ inquired Matajuro.’ In
that case, ten years,’ retorted Bokuden.

Finding a Focus
***************

What do you focus on if you don’t focus on attaining your black belt?
It is easier said than done, but you must focus your energy on practice. However
, to think, `I will concentrate on my training to get a black belt,’ is simply
playing mind games with yourself and will ultimately lead to your own
disappointment.

Can you simply think `I forget about rank completely?’ Can you simply say to
yourself that you will never achieve it? Will you always be attached to your
black belt, allowing the idea to linger in the back of your mind? In other words
, can you simply concentrate on your training without regards for anything else?
Can you finally realize that your black belt is nothing more than `something to
hold up your pants?’

You should also realise that although you master all the requirements, the
correct number of techniques, all the required forms and put in the appropriate
amount of hours of training, you may still not qualify for black belt. To
achieve black belt is not a quantitative entity which can be measured or weighed
like buying string beans in the market. Your black belt has to do with you as a
person.

How you conduct yourself in and out of the dojo, your attitude to your teacher
and fellow students, your goals in life, how you handle the obstacles in your
life, and how you persevere in your training are all important conditions of
your black belt. At the same time, you become a model to other students and
eventually reach the status of teacher or assistant instructor. In the dojo,
your responsibilities are greater than the regular students and you are held
accountable to much, much more than those junior to yourself. Your
responsibilities are great as a black belt holder.

Achieving Training Focus
************************

How do we focus on our training?

Successful training means, to a great degree, that we look at what we do from a
reasonable and realistic viewpoint. More often than not, we are not looking at
realistic goals but dreams and delusions. Do you want to excel in martial arts
as a way to improve yourself and your life, or are you motivated by the latest
cops and robbers movie? Is your practice motivated by a strong desire to
enlighten yourself, or do you simply want to imitate the latest martial arts
movie stars? Although experienced martial artists may snicker, it is amazing how
many inquire about martial arts saying they want to be just like Chuck Norris or
Steven Seagal. But those people are themselves by their own efforts. You are
yourself. We all have our hero, role models, and our dreams, but we have to
separate out fantasies from reality if our training is to be meaningful and
successful.

Reality
*******

Training has nothing to do with rank or black belts, trophies or badges. Martial
arts is not simply playing out our fantasies. It has to do with your own life
and death. It is not only how we protect ourselves in a critical, lethal
situation, but how we protect the lives of others as well. You cannot be another
person, whether he is a movie star, great teacher or multi-millionaire. You must
become yourself – your true self. As much as John Doe dreams about becoming
James Dean, Bruce Lee, or Donald Trump, he can only be John Doe. When John Doe
becomes John Doe 100 percent, he has become enlightened to his true self.
An average person only lives 50 percent, or maybe 80 percent of his life and
never knows who he is. A martial artist lives 100 percent of his life and
becomes impeccable. This is what the true black belt holder must come to realize
within himself. He is no other than himself, and his practice leads to
enlightenment into nature of his true self, his real self. This is the essence
of out training in martial arts.

Achieving your Black Belt
************************

Think of losing your black belt, not gaining it. Sawaki Kodo, a Zen Master,
often said,’To gain is suffering; loss is enlightenment.’

If someone were to ask the difference between martial artists of previous
generations and martial artists today, I would sum it up like this. Martial
artists of previous generations looked upon training as `loss’. They gave up
everything for their art and their practice. They gave up their families, jobs,
security, fame, money, everything, to accomplish themselves.Today, we only think
of gain. `I want this, I want that.’ We want to practice martial arts but we also want money, a nice car, fame, portable telephones and everything that
everyone else has.

Shakyamuni Buddha gave up his kingdom, his palaces, a beautiful wife, and
everything else to finally seek out enlightenment. The first student of
Boddhidharma, considered the founder of Shoalin Kung Fu, cut off his left arm to
study with his teacher.

We don’t have to take such drastic measures to learn martial arts today, but we
should not forget the spirit and determination of the great masters of the past.
We must realize that we have to make sacrifices in our own lives in order to
pursue our training.

While the student looks at his training from the standpoint of loss instead of
gain, he comes close to the spirit of mastery, and truly becomes worthy of a
black belt. Only when you finally give up all thought of rank, belts, trophies,
fame, money and mastery itself, will you achieve what is really important in
your training. Be humble, be gentle. Care for others and put everyone before
yourself. To study martial arts is to study yourself – your true self. It has
nothing to do with rank.

A great Zen master once said: `To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to understand all things.’

Edited by K.W.Pang from `Martial Arts Training’ (July 1991)

0

The Bill Of Rights “Lite” By John Perry Barlow

Bill of Rights Lite

Amendment I

Congress shall encourage the practice of Judeo-Christian religion by
its own public exercise there of, and shall make no laws abridging the
freedom of responsible speech (unless such speech is in a digital form or
contains material that is copyrighted, classified, proprietary or offensive
to non-Europeans, non-males, differently abled or alternativley prefferenced
persons), or the right of people to peaceably assemble (unless such assembly
takes place on corporate or military property or within an electronic
environment), or to petition the government for redress of grievances (unless
such grievances relate to national security).

Amendment II

A well-regulated militia having become irrelevant to the security of a free
state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms against one another
shall remain uninfringed (excepting such arms as may be afforded by the
poor or those prefferred by pushers, terrorists and organized criminals
which shall be banned).

Amendment III

No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the
owners consent, unless that house is thought to have been used for the
distrabution of illegal substances.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in thier persons, houses, papers, and
the effects against unreasonable searches and seizures many be suspended
to protect public welfare. Upon the unsupported suspicion of law enforcement
officials, any place or conveyance shall be subject to immediate search, and
any such places or conveyances, or property within them may be permanently
confiscated without further judicial proceeding.

Admendment V

Any person may be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous involving
illicit substances, terrorism or upon any suspicion whatever, and may be
subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb (once
by the state courts, once by the Federal judiciary), and may be compelled by
various means (including the forced submission of breath samples, bodily
fluids, or encryption keys) to be a witness against himself, refusal to do so
constituting an admission of guilt, and may be deprived of life, liberty,
or property without furthor legal delay, and any private property thereby
forfieted shall be dedicated to the discretionary use of the law-enforcement
agents without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to speedy
and private plea-bargaining before entering a plea of guilty. The accused
is entitled to the assistance of underpaid and indifferent counsel to
negotiate his sentence, except where such sentence falls under manitory
sentencing requirements.

Amendment VII

In suits at common law where the contesting parties have nearly unlimited
resources to spend on legal fees the right to trial by jury shall be
preserved

Amendment VIII

Sufficient bail may be required to ensure that dangerous criminals will
remain in custody, where cruel and unusual punishments are ussually inflicted.

Amendment IX

Teh enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed
to deny or disparage other that may be retained bt the government to preserve
public order, family values, or national security.

Amendment X

The powers not delgated to the United States by the Constitution are reserved
for to the departments of Justice and Treasury, except when the states are
willing to forsake Federal financing.

Written by John Perry Barlow, a lyricist for the Gratefull Dead and cofounder
of the EFF. First printed by the New York Times and then re-printed by
Playboy magazine.

0

Project For Building A Bike Light

(TLJ V1.0)

Greetings. I almost never document – I’m a C hacker 🙂

This archive consists of a bike-light project, a small,
single-cell flasher, and assorted sample schematics that
implement the LM3909 LED-flasher chip.

Well, a few things about the LM3909 are in order. How about
a few quotes from a 1982 National Semiconductor LINEAR book
that I got (and can’t live without):

“The LM3909 is a monolithic oscillator specifically designed
to flash Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). By using the timing
capacitor for voltage boost, it delivers pulses of 2 or more
volts to the LED while operationg on a supply of 1.5V or
less. The circuit is inherently self-starting, and requires
addition of only a battery and capacitor to function as a
LED flasher.”

“…will operate in the range -25C to +70C. It has been
optimized for low power drain and operation from weak
batteries so that continuous operation life exceeds that
expected from battry rating.” (nice touch)

“Timing capacitors will generally be of the electrolytic
type, and a small 3V rated part will be suitable for any
LED flasher using a supply up to 6V. However, when picking
flash rates, it should be remembered that some electrolytics
have VERY broad capacitance tolerances, for example
-20% to +100%.”

“Absolute Maximum Ratings:
Power dissipation: 500 mW
V+ Voltage: 6.4 V
Operating Temp: -25C to +70C”

End of quoting…

The diagram found in the upper-right position in file
L_SCHM1.GIF is as basic as one can get: cap, LED, LM3909,
and a 1.5V battery. This is battery life for that circuit:

+————–+—————————————-+
| Size Cell | Type |
+ |—————-+———————–+
| | Standard | Alkaline |
+————–+—————-+———————–+
| AA | 3 months | 6 months |
| C | 7 months | 15 months |
| D | 1.3 years | 2.6 years |
+————–+—————-+———————–+

With this in mind, the file D_CELL.GIF presents a small
flasher that can be soldered and glued to a D-cell. I have
one of these and use it when I got for walks in the park
in the evening… (bonus: acts as a beacon for the thugs 🙂

For more charts, see file 3909SPEC.GIF. You’ll find a chart
of what capacitance gives what rate, etc.

Lets see… Ok, now for the bike-light file CASE.GIF.

Parts you will need:

1) RatShack case Part # 270-220 or any other small plastic
case. If you want to use it for exterior (is. can get
rained on) applications, make sure it’s water-tight or
can be sealed easily with silicone rubber.
2) Minature Toggle ON-OFF Switch (or can be also a push
ON-OFF type). Basicly, ask yourself: “Will this run ALL
the time or only when I need it?” If it’s a marker or
a gadget that will run off a car’s electical system, you
may not need a switch. If it’s a flasher for a bicicly,
definitely invest in a small switch. Get the LOWEST
rated switch you can (Don’t have RatShack # for this)
3) Battery holder. If this is for a bike, you want to make
it as shock-proof as possible. It’s best if you can
glue the holder inside the project case. If you can’t
find one that has a flat back, you can use the one that
has the batteries on the sides – and just use a small
piece of foam to keep it from moving. Using the chart
above (battery life) pick the batteries & holder to best
suit your application.
4) High-Brightness LED. You CAN NOT use standard 1mcd LEDs
as they are almost invisible from any distance. I used
RatShack’s Part # 276-087. Please see file LED_SPEC.GIF
for more info. DO NOT buy the 5000mcd LEDs from RatShack.
They are merely the 2000mcd in a bigger, better focused
package (tell me if I’m wrong). Besides, it lists for
$4.99 and you can get three 2000mcd ones for that price
($1.68 a pop) The only other place selling something
similar (I think) is Hosefelt. They have a “T-1-3/4
High Intensity Bright Red” Part # UHO and lists for $.15
If anyone knows other sellers of compareable LEDs, please
let me know. (I just HATE it when mags, MCM and Hosefelt
included, don’t list brightness for LEDs!)
5) LM3909. Yup, RatShack has it, Part #276-1705 and lists for
$1.69 (not bad). MCM has it for $5.04 (“Earth to MCM…” 🙂
Lets see, it also cross-refs to an ECG-876 (no idea on price)
Anyone know of a cheaper source? Outside USA?
6) Capacitor. If you need low frequency (<500Hz) it has
to be an electrolytic. If you want high freq, a tantalum
or other can be used (note that .30 uF gives 1.1kHz)
As the quote said, a 3V will do but use any voltage
you can get. I used a sub-minature 400uF 6V part in my
bike-light (to get 1.5-2Hz) A small hint: get a bunch
of caps and plug-and-play. Pick the frequency you feel
happy with 🙂
7) Perf-board. You don't really need one! It was just handy
for me to attach the LM3909 to it and I also used it to
keep the potting compound from leaking into the battery
compartment. Cut it to fit snugly as shown in file CASE.GIF.
8) Potting compound. You can use wax… if you live in cold
climate 🙂 Epoxy is both expensive and also (for me)
shrinks when it cures – breaking wires, etc. Besides, it's
VERY permanent (as I found the… er… hard way – I could
even SEE through the clear epoxy where the problem was 🙁
I found that packing "peanuts" work just fine.
9) Wire. We're not talking amps – I used wire-wrapping wire.
Don't use more than 18 gauge… unless you're one of the
clowns that claims to "hear" the difference between normal
and oxygen-free speaker cable 😉
10) Batteries. Obviously, the ones that fit the battery holder!
This is not the time to be cheap – use alkaline! The don't
leak as "much" (you mean they don't "never" leak? Yeah right)
and they last almost twice as long (plus, they have a long
shelf life…

Well, that's about it. Oh, almost forgot, you better know what
solder and flux and, most important, patience are applied. More
assembly instructions are listed in the file CASE.GIF.

By the way, I cheated and used the schematic that appears
in the upper-right position in the file L_SCHM2.GIF – yes,
the one for an incandescent… I found that it give VERY
bright flashes for the 2 LEDs that I used (see CASE.GIF).

Well, that's about it. If you have questions or comments or
bug-fixes (ahmm) please e-mail them to "fmgst+@pitt.edu"
of that bounces (??) send it to "fmg@alpha.smi.med.pitt.edu"

Have fun, don't burn yourself with the iron, and don't inhale!

0

Charlie Lear’s Adventerous Day In Biking

Article by Charlie Lear – biker.

Let me tell you about the morning I had.

The jug (electric kettle) has sprung a leak around one of the sealing
washers. Its only a few months old, so it should be fixed under warranty.

Looked outside, overcast, no hint of rain, little wind, temp around 65.

Time to take the bike for a burn…

Boots, jacket, helmet. Will I leave the pups inside or outside? Hmm, I
won’t be gone long. OK you two, stay here, look after the house. Back
soon.

Out the front door (slam! Dogs run to the front window, tails wagging).
Helmet, check, gloves, check, wallet, check, keys KEYS! ARGH! MIGOD!
The *one* Saturday when my wife is working overtime and I LOCK myself
OUT OF THE HOUSE! WAAAAAHHH!

Check all windows. Nope, I closed them all before I went out. Rattled the
kitchen window – its a bit loose, but I’d break it if I tried to lever it
open. Round the back, if I could only get into the roofed-over area out
behind the house I could get at the spare key… a lot of grunting and
precarious balancing later, I’d levered off a bit of roofing sheet and
dropped down behind the house.

Exit number 2, this time with KEYS. Start the bike, petrol light is
flashing. Damn things always flashing, it starts when I’ve got about
150km to go on the tank.

Down the road, splutter splutter reach to turn the petrol cock onto
reserve. Hang on, its already ON reserve! Waaah! Bike keeps spluttering
just long enough to roll into the local service station. Five bucks
lighter and five litres fuller, we roll out again. Wait at the intersection,
right onto the main road. Lower Hutt here we come.

Rec.motoheads will no doubt recall my mid-winter tales of dicing with a
250 rice rocket on the Wainuiomata hill. So you know where we are. Heading
up, looong straight up past the cars, bike doing an easy 130km/h in third.
Dab on the brakes, peel into the right hander at 110, toes pointing out,
aha, touchdown, feel the sole of my boot kissing the road as my bike’s
kissing my soul. Up and over into the lefthander, maintain 110 all the
way through. Cages doing around 60 if that, while I wind her out in third
and change into fourth at 140. Back off now, light touch on the brakes and
bring her down to 85 or so – there’s a lookout at the crest of the hill,
with Ruperts known to U-turn or run across the four-lane.

Crest the hill, the coast is clear. Back into third, point my two-wheeled
zoom machine down. Right, accelerate through the turn, left. Flick lights
on high, let the startled cagers in the slow lane know there’s a DoDer on
the way through. Up to 130 and hard on the brakes, real hard, we’re peeling
into the next righthander. Take it at 100, we could do it at 120 but the
guys who do so adorn the Armco in the next bend. Flick up, hard on the
brakes, flop left at 85 if that. Its off camber, kiss the centre-line
markings with my toes but even then run a little wide on the exit. No
worries, up and over into the next righthander. This is the steepest part
of the hill and even cracking the throttle sends the speedo into illegal
figures again. Brake hard, hard, up and over into the next left off-camber.
A couple of days ago a truck spilled gravel all over this and the previous
corner, I almost became a failed hero in the car when I hit it and did a
Richard Welty-approved four wheel drift, inches away from an expensive
fence encounter. Up and over and hard right, here’s the Gracefield turnoff.

A couple of cages go left, another stays straight. No worries, he’s a trier
in a hotted-up Escort but he’s well behind as I brake harder still, washing
off speed to take the next left-hander thats STILL off camber. Spoke to the
guy who designed the road, seems the usual cost-cutting stopped them from
doing the earthworks to get the road properly cambered for every corner.
Wind her out in third, right to redline, there’s a minor crest at the end
of the downhill straight followed by a left kink, hard right and then
let go the anchor Cap’n cos’ here’s the 50 km/h limit sign. Pull up behind
family saloon, let my girl putter along in top gear as I push my visor up
two clicks and watch the guys in the Escort come storming off the hill
and catch up.

The kids in the car wave so I wave back. That just encourages them and
they wave harder. Good stuff kids, one day you can have a big red bike
like mine. If they’re not illegal by then, of course.

Car turns off and I slide past, rear window a row of pink faces all
grinning and waving and mouthing unheard words of encouragement. I toot
and wave and drop her three gears for a little bit of a wheelie, much
to their delight. Their grins are infectious.

Escort pulls up beside me at the lights, boys out with their toy, revving
and wanting a drag. Shit guys, if you want a drag you’ll have to bring
out a better weapon than that. On the green they’re off in a cloud of oil
smoke, good luck to them. I’ve had my fun, time to be sensible and
defensive, so I leave the two Ruperts to it. There’s a particular kind
of music that a big bike makes when you’re just idling along. It’d sound
better with open pipes and no lid, maybe those Harley dudes know something
I don’t. I still wave to all the badass biker dudes in their flat-black
painted open face helmets, have done ever since I got my first bike. I
must be looking older and meaner or something, ‘cos last week a REAL
badass dude with long beard and Raybans and bugs in his teeth grinned and
waved back when he putted by on his gorgeous looking glide. Maybe he’d
just had a carload of kids waving at him too.

Ah well, enough musing. We’re here at the mall. Park my girl, into Farmers
to see about this leaking jug. Stand around in the kitchenware dept waiting
for the dopey little bint to get off the phone and get around to serving me.
“Bought this here jug a few months back and it leaks.”
“You’ll have to take it to the television department, over there.”

Great, really intuitive. Maybe they sell them as a TV accessory for ad
breaks or something? Buggered if I know.

“Bought this here jug a few months back and it leaks.”
“Got the receipt?”
“At home. You can see its pretty new though.”
“We’ll need the receipt, and we’ll send it off for repair.”
“Whaddya mean? It only needs a washer. I don’t want you to fix it, I only
want a free washer under warranty and I’ll do it myself.”
“Can’t do that. We have to send it away, it’ll be back in two weeks.”
“Great, fine, have a nice day.”

Asshole. Farmers Trading Company – FTC. Ha. No wonder they’re referred to
by the more scatalogious of us as Fuck The Customers. I bet his name was
bloody Rupert.

Back to the carpark and back on my girl. You’ll never let me down. I don’t
see YOUR washers leaking, not even after spending the last eighteen months
outside in the wind and rain and stuff. Nevermind girl, I’ll get a job
next week and pretty soon we’ll have the dough to build a nice new shed
in the backyard where you can be warm and dry and I can have all my tools.
Must put some oil on those plugs, they’re covered in rust and salt on the
outside. Dunno what the gap is or how clean they are, they haven’t been
touched in over a year. Probably rusted solid. Trouble is, preventative
maintenance is the first thing that goes when you don’t have money coming
in and now things are fixed on an as broken basis. Apart from tyres and
oil and petrol and a kludged zorst my girl hasn’t cost me a cent in the
last year. So why does she still fire up on the first poke of the starter?
I wouldn’t.

Click into first, tool slowly around the carpark and down the exit ramp.
Through the side streets and pretty soon we’re at the bottom of the
Wainui hill again, this time looking up at where we were only a few minutes
ago. The encounter with the salescritters in Farmers has left me a little
annoyed, so I keep myself and my bike in check as we scoot up the first
part of the hill. Keep it down to the legal limit of 100 as we still go
steaming past the cars in the two other lanes. No point in being a failed
hero. Failed hero marks can be found in the barriers all the way up the
hill and all the way down the other side. Some dozy bird in a Mini managed
to roll her car in peak hour traffic a couple of weeks back. Thought you
had to be some sort of stunt driver to do that at those speeds.

Anyway, lean lean lean left, a long lazy uphill sweeper. Toes point out,
after they touch I’ve still got a long lean before the footpegs and
centrestand even think of grounding. Lean a little more to the left to
keep out of the gunk in mid-lane. WHOOMP! I’ve just kicked a catseye
reflector at 100km/h. Yow! Hope I haven’t torn the toe off my boot. Stupid
bastard, teach me for letting my mind wander. One thing this hill demands
and thats respect. Up on the short straight and nope, boots OK and the
feeling is returning to my toes again. Dopey prick.

Over the top, a bit of traffic so just hold her at 100. Down the other
side there’s Elmer with a trailer doing 70 in the left lane, and someone
in the right doing 75. Must be called Rupert. I slow down and ever so
slowly the two dormant cagers draw apart. Wait until there’s around five
bike lengths between them and indicator on, check mirrors, drop two gears,
check over left shoulder, and its buckle up the harness Lieutenant the
afterburners are on and we’re going ballistic.

Only until we’re past Rupert though, then its burners off and airbrakes on,
cruise around the right, brakes on, down to 65 for the lefthander. There’s
paint and scrapes and rubber marks all over the centre divider here. Never
forget the time Val and I were in the car coming home after a party at two
in the morning, round the corner at 80 and here’s a van on its roof in the
middle of the road, stoned passengers wandering around bleeding on the only
clear paths past the rec.auto. Just how do people throw it away on this
hill? Its not as if its not signposted or well known or anything. Best to
keep the speed down to where you can stop short of anything untoward
around the bend. Just so you can be a target for the next Rupert to come
bombing round the corner at 85.

Feeling peaceful and at one with the world, putt up to 120 and swoop past
only one car before braking for the roundabout and merging in with the
cars. Amazing how relaxed I feel compared with in Farmers. Good therapeutic
instruments for the soul, bikes.

Visor up two clicks, into top gear, cruise along at 50km/h again. Nothing
unusual, there’s a big blind spot right behind me. Every time I adjust the
mirrors to get rid of it I get a closeup of my elbows. When the workshop’s
built I’ll make new mounting arms for them, a couple of inches lower and
further out. Be good there. What’s this, a new station wagon weaving in
and out of the cars behind me. This’ll be interesting, we’re coming up
to the single lane stretch before the Parkway turnoff. There’s not enough
room for me AND a car, and stuffed if I’m going to move into the stones and
glass and crap to let a speeding cager through.

A few seconds later I’m reconsidering. I’ve got a ton and a half of shiny
new car around a foot off my rear tyre, and I don’t like it. Check the
mirror. Some bloody woman, would you believe! I would have been less
surprised if it was a teenager in Daddy’s car, or a sales rep or something.
She goes right, all the way right, as far as she can without hitting the
centre divider. (We drive on the left here, DoDers.) That places her
front left corner about five inches from my ass. There’s not enough room
there you bitch, back off! I drop a cog and move ahead, giving me all of
five yards to get out of trouble.

Whoops, she’s back on my tail again. Shit, I’ve been tailgated before but
this is fucking ridiculous. I’m going faster than I like, there’s traffic
and bicycles and a pedestrian crossing just ahead, but what would happen
if I so much as gently rolled off the throttle? Shit sandwich. No thanks.
Through the intersection and back to a wider piece of road. OK bitch, have
all the road you want. Just leave my 6’x2′ piece outta your plans, all
right?

I indicate left, check my mirrors and start to move over. Let the stupid
cow past. Ever wanted to know why the final look over your shoulder is
called the “lifesaver”? I found out. Mrs Fucking Rupert had cut to the
left and was powering past, her right fender around four inches outboard
of my boot.

Instinctively I countersteered to throw the bike right, at the same time
as I swung my boot out with all my might. I shouldn’t have countersteered,
I missed the bitch. Sorry Ilana, why do women become such dangerous bloody
shitbrains as soon as they are put in charge of something mechanical? This
woman is enough to reinforce every negative stereotype ever invented. A
few deep scars from my boot buckles might have just convinced this tart
that I regarded my life with a little more respect and higher priority
than she did.

Spluttering with impotent (because I’d left the Sidewinders at home) rage,
I flicked my light on to high beam and gave the cow the biggest, meanest,
badass biker dude two-finger salute imaginable. She kept on accelerating,
must have one of the top 98-fastest accelerating cars I think. Three kids
in the back saw me insulting their mum and waved back. I gave them the
bird. They waved harder. Alright kids, you shall not be put to death
because of the sins of your misbegotten parent.

I wanted to stop at the supermarket to buy some lunch, but hell, this
woman was obviously a fire controller on the way to a blaze, or a doctor
on the way to an accident. I pulled up behind her and followed them all
the way down the main road at a consistent 80km/h, only 60% overlimit.
Must be something pretty serious. I began to feel a little peeved at
myself for not noticing that she was on a life-critical mission and
moving over sooner. As we hit 85km/h, I began composing an apology for
when we got to the fire/accident scene.

Through Homedale (turn left into Moores Valley Rd, first left, first
right, number 12, that’s my place) and over the bridge. Brakes on hard,
where’s she going? Oh, left. Left indicator came on just as she was
accelerating hard out of the intersection. Told you this was one of
the 98 fastest accelerating cars ever. Driven by Mrs Rupert, anyway.

Down a few blocks, past kids on bicycles and more kids playing with a
ball on the side of the road. Good thing you’re on your way to an
emergency, lady, else you’d be on a sure winner for a careless driving
prize. Whoa, brakes on again. Left with no indicating, into Richard
Prouse park. Well, well, well, whaddya know.

No fire, no accident. The kids were late for their ball game. I checked
my watch, exactly 12:58. Nice one, Mrs Rupert. Your kids are two minutes
early. Hope you’re happy, they’d have been a fucking sight later than
one o’clock if I’d become strawberry jam underneath your car. People
like you should post to rec.autos. You’d feel at home there, you’ve only
got a quarter of a brain and you’ve got your priorities all fucked up.
Maybe I should have just lain in the road and magnanamously said, “Look,
sorry I dented your front fender and got blood on your headlights, don’t
mind me, the ambulance will be here soon, off you go, get your kids to
the park?” I bet you wouldn’t have even thanked me as you took off.

Ride back to the supermarket, everythings a bit of an anticlimax now. I
want to hit the open road out to the coast but not in my current mood.
Why risk throwing my girl away just to let off steam? No, better to start
worrying about what I’m going to have for lunch and get it home.

Got home, parked my bike under the carport and lock her. How many of you
guys pat your bike’s seat and thank her for doing a good job, praise her
for a good run? She’s got me home safe and sound all this time, she
deserves a pat every now and again.

I’ve had her nearly seven years and still haven’t got a name for her. A
fellow Usenetter from Pommyland called his GT Candy. Great name, wish I’d
thought of it. Really appropriate with the deep, lustrous, wine red candy
paintwork of the kwacker. Best alternative I’ve come up with yet is Cherry,
but I’m still undecided. Maybe she should just remain “my girl”.

If you’ve persevered this far, thanks. Thought you’d like to know of a
day’s adventures for man and bike in good ol’ New Zealand. Toodle pip.

PS Keep the name suggestions coming through… also let me know if you
guys want to see any further postings of this size every now and again
when the writing bug takes me…

Regards
The Bear

—————————————————————————–
Downloaded from The Cave BBS (Wellington, NZ)
—————————————————————————–

0

Are Your A Bikaholic? By Dick Sorensen (June 25, 1992)

From : Aragorn
To : All
Subj.: Are You a Bikaholic?
Date : 25 Jun 92 21:06:53
Links: 4500 ->
——————————————————————————–
From: seanodon@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Aragorn)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
Subject: Are You a Bikaholic?

This was posted about a year ago (that’s when I saw it anyway). Since
I haven’t seen it in a while, I thought I would repost it. Please
apologize any errors in spelling and grammar. I erased the original and
had to retype the article.

Enjoy!!

This article is out of the January, 1988 newsletter of the Wheeling (IL)
Wheelmen (they host the annual Harmon Hundred). This was written by
Dick Sorensen and is reprinted without permission for your enjoyment and
reading pleasure. Any additional “tests” for this list may be sent to
seanodon@gn.ecn.purdue.edu. Now for the test.

******************

“Are You An Incurable Bikaholic?” Take This Test!

“You don’t love me anymore!” “I always come second place to your @#$%
bicycles!” Sound familiar? You’re definitely in trouble. You may be
going overboard on the fresh air and exercise bit. You’ve gone too far!
You’ve probably fallen victim to the insidious malady known as BIKAHOLISM!
What are they symptoms, you ask? Well based on personal experience, I
offer the following self-analysis.

You know you’re an incurable bikaholic when …

– You find that a strange jargon is working its way into your everyday
conversation. Words like “derailleur,” “Campagnolo,” “Biopace,”
“Kevlar,” “Dia Comp,” and “Shimano.”
– You have an uncontrollable urge to bring your bike into the house –
preferably in the living room or the bedroom.
– You find it amazingly easy to justify the purchase of a third bike –
this one just for special rides.
– You plan, and actually look foward to, a two-week bicycling vacation
trekking across mountainous terrain and setting a goal of 75 – 100
mils a day, rain or shine!
– You can actually remember which valve type is Presta and which is
Schraeder, and are adament about defending your favorite.
– Your spouse begins to automatically assume that you’ll be on a club
ride every weekend, or worse yet your non-riding spouse begins to
learn bike jargon.
– You meticulously care for your bike, while your $10,000 car quietly
rusts away.
– You view Christmas, birthdays, and anniversaries as times to exchage
gifts of bicycling components and accessories.
– You hang around bike shops without really needing anything.
– You’re so naive that you think a “wheel-watcher” is a bike racing fan.
– You accumulate bike catalogs – and find something new to order with
each new issue.
– You easily rationalize replacing perfectly good components, just
because somthing slightly better or trendier just came out.
– You never throw away the replaced parts – even worn out tires and tubes.
– Your eating habits have changed. Things like “gorp,” “Gookinade,” and
“carbohydrates” creep into your diet.
– You plan the year ahead around the dates of TOSRV, GEAR, the LAW
rally, the Hilly Hundred, the Makleville Death Ride, etc (the list
grows longer every year).
– You don’t plan any family events ahead until checking the “Monthly
Meanders” schedule.
– You begin to regard your job or school as a troublesome nuisance,
interfering with your quality biking time.
– You divide your friendships into two groups – those that bike and
those that don’t bike.
– You talk about Lemond, Induran, Chiapucci, and Bugno as if they were
close personal friends.
– You find yourself carrying on a spirited conversation with “Larry,”
the ever silent riding companion, when viewing the cycling video on
your wind trainer.
– Your all-time favorite movies are “Breaking Away” and “American
Flyers.”
– You talk as if you really understand gear ratios.
– You’ll ride all day in the numbing cold and soaking rain, and then
complain at home if a draft from an open window blows on you.
– Your family photo album is becoming filled with bike photos and
scenery views shot through the spokes. On the other hand, you have not
taken a candid photo of you spouse or kids for two years.
– You faithfully log every mile ridden.
– You regard the severity of a sickness or injury by the length of time
it takes until you can resume biking.
– You’re beginning to actually enjoy drinking warm water out of a water
bottle (especially at sag stops, sitting on the cold ground and
pigging out on bananas.)
– You have a permanent black grease mark across the calf of your right
leg.
– Your biggest goal is to qualify for RAAM (or some other suitably
difficult race/ride).
– You would like to wear your colorful skin outfits to work.
– You belong to more than two bike clubs and/or subscribe to more than
two bike magazines.
– You consider not being able to ride on your favorite ride as “the
ultimate tragedy.”
– You hang on to your favorite biking outfits, like a child’s teddy-
bear, even though they are tattered and torn.

(From jennifer@twinsun.com)

– You find your memory has improved – you can remember all the price
tags in your half dozen bike catalogs down to the last detail without
much effort.
– You are more concerned about your favorite bike than anything else
in anticipation of an earthquake.
– You find working up a 20% climb more entertaining than gobbling down
pop corn while watching your favorite TV show.

So there you have it. How’d you do with the test? You may wonder- how
do I know these intimate secrets that you thought only you knew. What
can I say? It takes one to know one.

******************

I hope you enjoyed this little excursion.

Bikaholic, and damn proud of it!
Aragorn
—
***seanodon@ecn.purdue.edu***********************************************
* Man-in-Black: “You mean you’ll put down your rock and I’ll put *
* down my sword, and we’ll try to kill each other *
* like civilized people.” _The Princess Bride_ *

0

NiCAD Batteries: Facts And Fallacies, From Radio Communication, May 1988 (Posted On November, 1992)

From uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!agate!stanford.edu!leland.Stanford.EDU!news Fri Nov 13 14:26:07 CST 1992
Article: 8049 of comp.sys.laptops
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!agate!stanford.edu!leland.Stanford.EDU!news
From: avery@scruffy.neuroinformatik.ruhr-uni-bochum.de (Avery Wang)
Subject: Re: NiCad batteries again — useful hints
Message-ID:
Sender: news@leland.Stanford.EDU (Mr News)
Organization: DSO, Stanford University
References:
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 09:24:39 GMT
Lines: 111

Here’s something I pulled off the net over 4 years ago — hope it’s useful!
-Avery
——————-
” NICAD BATTERIES – FACTS AND FALLACIES ” Published on Radio Communication
May 1988, TT.

Richargable nickel cadmium batteries, have, with reasons, become a popular
source of power for portable and handportable equipment. They can provide
reliable service over many years if due account is taken of their
peculiarities. Yet it remain true that many amateurs are failing to appreciate
not only the full capabilities but also the limitations of nicad cells used in
battery packs.

J.Fielding,ZS5JF,in “Nickel cadmium batteries for amateur radio equipment”
(Radio ZS september 1987,pp4-5) provides a useful survey of the facts and
foibles of nicads.The following extracts from his article attack some of the
common myths and also provide some safety hints.

1) “Rapid charging causes a decline in cell capacity”.
NOT TRUE provided that the charge is always terminated at a safe point.

2) “You should not charge only partially discharged cells as this causes a
loss in capacity.”
NOT TRUE. It is not necessary to discharge fully nicad batteries before
charging. In fact, THE OPPOSITE is true. Repeated partial charging gives an
increase in the number of charge/discharge cycles compared with
full-discharged cells.

3) “White crystals growing on the tops of nicad cells mean that the seal is
faulty and the cell should be scrapped.”
NOT TRUE. The electrolyte (potassium hydroxide) is extremely searching and can
penetrate the seals used in minute quantities. These crystals are potassium
carbonate, which is harmless and can be removed with soap and water. The
action of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reacts with the electrolyte to
form the crystals. After removing the crystals, it is recommended that a smear
of silicon grease is applied to slow down the growth of new crystals. The
amount of electrolyte lost in this way is insignificant.

4) ” I have a cell which appears to take a charge, but after the normal
charging period the open circuit voltage is very low. I have been told I
should throw it away.”
NOT TRUE. The reason the cell won’t take a charge is usually due to minute
crystalline growth across the internal electrodes, caused by prolonged
storage. A cure that nearly always works is to pass a very high current for
very short time through the affected cell. This fuses the internal “whisker”.
Discharging a large electrolytic capacitor is one method of doing this. But
note that in a battery the faulty cell MUST be isolated from the other cells
since zapping the complete battery will not usually result in a cure. Charge
the capacitor to about 30v and then discharge it through the faulty cell.
Several attemps may be required to clear a stubborn cell.

5) “A battery contains a cell with reversed polarity. The only cure is to
replace it”.
NOT TRUE. The reversed cell ca usually be corrected by a similar technique as
that given for 4). After re-polarising the cell, the complete battery can be
recharged in the normal way. Full capacity can be regained after about five
cycles.

6) “A nicad battery should be stored only in a discharged state”.
NOT TRUE. It can be stored in any state of charge. Due to its inherent
self-discharging characteristics it will eventually become fully discharged
after a sufficiently long period of storage. To recharge the battery before
returning it to service, a “conditioning” charge of 20h at the normal charging
rate is recommended. Afterwards charge normally; full capacity can again be
expected after about five cycles.

7) “It is not advisable to keep a nicad battery on permanent trickle charge as
this causes permanent degradation of the cells”.
NOT TRUE. So long as the trickle charge current is adjusted correctly, the
charge can continue indefinitely without loss in cell capacity. The safe
current can usually be obtained from the manufacturer’s data, but 0.025C is a
reasonable guide (ie. about 100mA for a 4Ah cell and PRO-RATA). This enables
the battery to remain fully charged.

ZS5JF also lists seven safety points that should be considered by users:

1) DO NOT short circuit a fully-charged battery. This if prolonged, can cause
excessive gas production with the danger of possible rupturing of the sealed
case.

2) Nicads contain a caustic electrolyte: this is perfectly safe as long as
common sense is used in use and handling of the cells.

3) A nicad can supply a very high current for a short period (a 4Ah cell can
supply over 500A for a few seconds). Sufficient thought should be given when
selecting a fuse between the battery and the equipment. The connecting wire
should be capable of passing enough current to ensure the fuse blows quickly
in the event of a short circuit.

4) DO NOT use partially-discharged cells with fully-charged ones to assemble a
battery. Assemble the battery with all the cells discharged and then charge
them as a battery.

5) DO NOT carry a fully- or partially-charged battery on an aircraft without
taking proper safety precautions. A short-circuited battery pack ca be a time
bomb in such situations. Consult the relevant IATA regulations or ask at the
airline check-in.

6) DO NOT subject battery packs to very high or low temperatures. Never
dispose of a battery pack in a fire or throw it out with domestic waste.
If it cannot be disposed of properly it is probably best to bury it in the
garden in a safe spot.

7) DO NOT discharge battery packs below about 1V per cell, otherwise there is
a possibility of cell reversal.

ZS5JF provides a good deal of other information on charging nicad batteries,
and gives as a reference a Varta publication of 1982 “Sealed Nickel Cadmium
Batteries” from which some of his notes may have been derived. (G3VA)

—-=====***=====—-

From uwm.edu!wupost!decwrl!csus.edu!netcomsv!mork!brunette Mon Aug 10 23:18:11 CDT 1992
Article: 9997 of rec.models.rc
Xref: uwm.edu rec.models.rc:9997 sci.electronics:38540
Newsgroups: rec.models.rc,sci.electronics
Path: uwm.edu!wupost!decwrl!csus.edu!netcomsv!mork!brunette
From: brunette@netcom.com (Hal Brunette)
Subject: Re: How to dispose of NiCads?
Message-ID:
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 20:10:45 GMT
Organization: Netcom – Online Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
References:
Lines: 88

>|> D.C. Myers, “Zap New Life into Dead Ni-Cd Batteries,” Popular Electronics,
>|> July 1977, pp. 60-61.
>|>
>|> The article explains internal shorts and how to clear them.

>If it`s possible, try to rewrite the article in a message here in rec.models.
>rc and sci.electronics.
>
>I`m sure many readers here has many NiCd cells they want to restore.

The failures the article talks about occur in mutli-cell Ni-Cd battery packs,
and are due to the voltage differences between cells. Say you have four 1.25 V
cells in a pack connected to a 200 ohm load. The load “sees” 5 volts and draws
25 mA. Since each cell must pass the entire 25 mA and each cell’s potential is
1.25 volts, Ohm’s Law tells us that each cell sees the equivalent load of 50
ohms.

But in practice, no four cells in a battery ever exhibit exactly the same output
voltage. Assume that one cell is delivering only 1.2 V, and the others are at
1.25 volts. Now, the 200 ohm load sees 4.95 volts and draws 24.75 mA. Since
all four cells must pass the entire 24.75 mA, each of the strong cells at 1.25
volts sees an equivalent load of 50.5 ohms; the weak cell sees only 48.5 ohms.
The weak cell works into the heaviest load and as a result will discharge more
rapidly than the other cells. If the pack is charged for only a short period
of time, the weak cell, which has been working the hardest, is also the one
that receives the least charging power.

This usually doesn’t matter if you trickle charge after each day of flying.
The inequality is small for any given charge or discharge cycle, due to the
relatively flat output voltage NiCd cells exhibit over most of their range.
But a combination of incomplete charges and deep discharges will exaggerate
the energy difference between a weak cell and the other cells. Operated
continually in this manner, the weak cell invariably reaches its “knee,” the
point at which its voltage decreases sharply, long before the other cells
reach the same point.

Now comes the problem! Suddenly, the weakest cell sees an increasingly heavy
load, which causes its voltage to drop even faster. This avalanche continues
until the cell is completely discharged, even as the other cells continue to
force current to flow. The inevitable result is that the weak cell begins to
charge in reverse, which eventually causes an internal short. Once an
internal short develops, recharging the cell at the normal rate is
futile. The short simply bypasses current around the cells active materials.
(Even though the cell is apparently dead, most of its plate material is still
intact.) If the small amount of material that forms the short could be removed,
the cell would be restored to virtually its original capacity once again.

Using the circuit shown, the internal short can be burned away in a few seconds.
In operation, energy stored in the capacitor is rapidly discharged through the
dead cell to produce the high current necessary to clear the short. Current is
then limited by the resistor to a safe charge rate for a small A cell.

Several applications of discharge current are usually necessary to clear a cell.
During the “zapping” process, it is a good idea to connect a voltmeter across
the cell to monitor results. Momentarily close the normally open pushbutton
switch several times to successively zap the cell, allowing sufficient time
for the capacitor to charge up between zaps, until the voltage begins to rise.
Then, with the toggle switch closed, watch as the potential across the cell
climbs to 1.25 volts. If the potential stops before full voltage is reached,
some residual short remains and another series of zaps is in order. If you
observe no effect whatsoever after several zaps and shorting out the cell and
taking an ohmmeter measurement indicates a dead short, the cell is beyond
redemption and should be replaced.

Once full cell potential is achieved, remove the charging current and monitor
battery voltage. If the cell retains its charge, it can be returned to charge
and eventually returned to service. But if the cell slowly discharges with no
appreciable load, the residual slight short should be cleared. To do this,
short circuit the cell for a few minutes to discharge it, zap again, and
recharge it to full capacity.

Good luck.

From uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!uunet!infonode!ingr!b11!naomi!lester Mon Aug 10 23:19:34 CDT 1992
Article: 10011 of rec.models.rc
Xref: uwm.edu rec.models.rc:10011 sci.electronics:38596
Path: uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!uunet!infonode!ingr!b11!naomi!lester
From: lester@naomi.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Les Bartel)
Newsgroups: rec.models.rc,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: How to dispose of NiCads?
Message-ID:
Date: 29 Jul 92 12:42:24 GMT
References:
Sender: usenet@b11.b11.ingr.com (Usenet Network)
Reply-To: lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
Organization: Dazix, An Intergraph Company
Lines: 56

In article , waeber@ufps9.unifr.ch (Bernard Waeber SIUF) writes:
|> In article , brunette@netcom.com (Hal Brunette) writes:

[Text of ‘zapper’ deleted]

|> Please correct me if i get this wrong, i guess the above circuit requires
|> to remove the dead cell from the multi-cell pack, right ?

Maybe not, see below.

|>
|> Which means, one has to take the Ni-Cd pack appart, and get the dead cell out.
|> The cells are usually connected with a point welded metal plate, which requires
|> you to rip the metal plate off the cell.
|> Now, once you fixed your shorted cell ( you hope ),with the above circuit ,you will have to
|> solder the cell back in place, which isn’t that abvious, if you apply to much
|> heat when soldering you may damage the cell, if you don’t apply enough heat you get
|> a cold solder spot, in which case it may brake loose, due to vibrations.
|>
|> The point is : You better know what you’re doing, when trying to recover a
|> dead Ni-Cd cell.

Absolutely.

|>
|> Guess your plane or heli is worth more, opposed to the 20 bucks
|> for a new Ni-Cd pack.
|>
|> So, if you aren’t too confident of fixing your Ni-Cd pack, return them to the place
|> where you bourght them.
|>
|> —
|> ben

You don’t have to remove the cell from the pack (unless it is in parallel
with another cell). Just clip the zapper leads to the terminals of the
cell. In fact, it seems to me that it may even work without isolating
the cell if there is a cell in parallel. The shorted cell should take
most of the current, and the non-shorted cell some current as well.

Bad cell
|
v
___ ___ ___
–|___|—-|___|—-|___|–
| |
| |
| |
| |
zapper leads

– Les

—
Les Bartel lester@naomi.b23b.ingr.com
Dazix, An Intergraph Company uunet!ingr!b23b!naomi!lester

From uwm.edu!wupost!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!ames!data.nas.nasa.gov!splatter.nas.nasa.gov!bross Mon Nov 16 22:36:07 CST 1992
Article: 8084 of comp.sys.laptops
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!wupost!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!ames!data.nas.nasa.gov!splatter.nas.nasa.gov!bross
From: bross@splatter.nas.nasa.gov (Wilson S. Ross)
Subject: Re: NiCad batteries again
Keywords: Storage, interrupted charging
References:
Sender: news@nas.nasa.gov (News Administrator)
Organization: NAS Program, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 92 03:55:52 GMT
Message-ID:
Lines: 9

My Toshiba battery was force-charged by a friend who has some sort
of generic charging equipment. It had reached a point where the machine
would not operate at all with the battery – even plugged in. Now it has
remained plugged & working for months, i.e, I have overcome the problem
of always shuffling batteries for home use. My other battery (still
good, I hope) sits on the shelf for when I travel. The ‘dead’ battery
isn’t good without the power supply.

Bill Ross

From uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!uvaarpa!murdoch!holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU!lch3e Sun Nov 22 15:10:20 CST 1992
Article: 8155 of comp.sys.laptops
Newsgroups: rec.video,rec.video.releases,comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!uvaarpa!murdoch!holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU!lch3e
From: lch3e@holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU (Lauren C. Howard)
Subject: An easy fix for nicads that REALLY works!
Message-ID:
Originator: lch3e@holmes.acc.Virginia.EDU
Sender: usenet@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 14:38:20 GMT
Lines: 47
Xref: uwm.edu rec.video:41091 rec.video.releases:3862 comp.sys.laptops:8155

Easy FIX for NICADS that REALLY works!

It’s simple, it’s easy, and it really works well!

First reinforce the battery pack (if in one) with clear cellophane tape.

Then drop the battery, onto it’s side, on the floor from about 6

ft. up. You want it to be a really HARD drop: but don’t break the

battery. Do this seven or more times for each battery.

If it’s in a pack, drop the pack so each battery hits the floor seven

times.

I know this seems crazy, but it DOES work, and well. If it doesn’t

work the first time, try again; harder! You have nothing to lose,

since you’d have to replace the battery anyway.

An example: the batteries in my portable printer are 8 years old.

They were at the point where even after 24 hours charge, and still

plugged into the charger, the printer wouldn’t operate. After

dropping, I now get three weeks of printing from one charge.

So far, it’s never failed. What have you got to lose? Post your

results so others can benefit, and spread the word!

From uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!gatech!destroyer!news.iastate.edu!sknapp Sat Nov 28 14:31:51 CST 1992
Article: 8219 of comp.sys.laptops
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!gatech!destroyer!news.iastate.edu!sknapp
From: sknapp@iastate.edu (Steven M. Knapp)
Subject: Re: T1000SE battery replacement (INSTRUCTIONS!)
Message-ID:
Sender: news@news.iastate.edu (USENET News System)
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
References:
Date: Sat, 28 Nov 1992 08:37:36 GMT
Lines: 76

In article ma90fau@imath1.ucsd.edu (ma90fau) writes:
>Sorry if this has been discussed before. On the recent thread,
>people has been talking about the Radio Shack’s replacement nicad
>cell. For people who has done the replacement for T1000SE, can you
>give me the detail instructions(what type of cell to use?..etc) to
>revitalize my old battery? …. just trying to find a cheap method
>to power my cheap notebook…
>Thanks!

Read me now, or save me for later. (in that imfamous Hans `n’ Frans tone) 🙂

Ok, so you have a T1000SE, and you have found how it does not work if you do
not have a good battery on the back. You called Toshiba, and suddenly felt
woozy. Aftermarket? Shure! $60 for the T1200XE pack (extended life, the only
way to go), but there still has to be a better way, the “college student
method”!

You call a battery store, and discover that the pack is ‘sealed’ and can not
be rebuilt. Then again, you never did listen to the ‘no user serviceable parts
inside’ lables.

The plan? Open it, replace the cells, and close it up.

Opening:

It is sealed, ultrasound welded actually. All you need to do is break
this thin joint. Take the pack off of the computer (back up that hardRAM!) and
place it so that the metal contact squares are faceing you and up. The part
faceing up, or the bottom of the pack, was physically seprate from the rest of
the shell. Note that all 4 metal contact squares are attached to this piece.
Now get 2 THIN screwdrivers or knives(jewlers screwdrivers work GREAT). Pick a
point that is faceing you (so it will not show when the battery is
reinstalled) and push a screwdriver in the small crack/seam between the two
pieces. Continue to CAREFULLY pry apart the rest of the seam, and remember,
the contact squares are comming all together. After having it all opened, make
shure to keep the latch and spring (trust me!).

Replacement:

Call you local battery distrubitor, or Mr. Nicad, or TNR-The battery
store (#’s should be in the 1-800 directory), tell them you got it open. Give
them the measurements of one of the cells. I believe they are 4/3A 1700mah,
and should be about $5 a shot. Mr NiCad does know them as T1000SE cells last I
checked. Get 6 of them. Looking at the old pack, replicate it using the new
cells, wire, tape, whatever! DO NOT FORGET THE TEMPRATURE SENSOR! The little
black thing attached to one of the cells in the original pack is VERY
important! After haveing everything hooked up, you are just about done.

Close it up:

Check that the contact squares do have voltage around what you would
expect (5-7.2V). Reassemble the case, and hold it shut however you see fit.
Since I use only one pack, having it on the computer holds it together, and
makes it easy to show others my hack. If you have 2 or more, scotch tape
should help, or even super-glue. But be warned, you might want to open the
pack again some time, and super-glue will make that VERY difficult.

There ya go! Good luck!
Any questions to sknapp@iastate.edu
Flames or insults to /dev/null!

I hereby declare this to be advice, use at own risk! I am not responsible for
your actions!
________________________________________________________________________
Steven M. Knapp Computer Engineering Student
sknapp@iastate.edu President Cyclone Amateur Radio Club
Iowa State University; Ames, IA; USA Durham Center Operations Staff

—
________________________________________________________________________
Steven M. Knapp Computer Engineering Student
sknapp@iastate.edu President Cyclone Amateur Radio Club
Iowa State University; Ames, IA Durham Center Operations Staff

From uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!noc.near.net!news.bbn.com!news.bbn.com!wbe Wed Dec 16 12:28:08 CST 1992
Article: 8462 of comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!noc.near.net!news.bbn.com!news.bbn.com!wbe
From: wbe@bbn.com (Winston Edmond)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Very dead T1000SE battery revived
Date: 16 Dec 92 03:01:31
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 87
Distribution: world
Message-ID:
NNTP-Posting-Host: crystal.bbn.com

Thanks to suggestions from this newsgroup, and after some experimenting, I
seem to have managed to revive a completely dead T1000SE battery pack. The
message rambles a bit so that others that have experienced the same problem
may compare the solution I found with others that have been discussed in this
newsgroup.

Completely dead battery = 0V output, 0 Ohms resistance, regardless of how
long it was “charged” on a T1000SE.

Current state = 7.2V output, and it just powered my T1000SE for 75 minutes
from full charge (green light) to first low charge beep, while
running the screen at medium brightness and using the 2400 bps modem.

Yes, 75 minutes isn’t as good as new, but this is the first full
charge/discharge cycle after revival, so I don’t yet know if it will get
better with proper use, or get worse again.

BACKGROUND (how I got into this mess and what didn’t work):

My problem started when the battery pack began running out of power much
sooner than it “should have”. I tried deep discharging, dropping the battery
pack from a moderately high distance (and other forms of physical bashing
that some people thought might help), and various other tricks over the
course of time. At first, these seemed to help slightly, but the
improvements were only temporary.

Eventually, while using an auto light bulb to discharge the battery pack,
I forgot the advice to not go below 1 Volt and let the pack discharge
completely. After trying to recharge it, I could get the green light to come
on, but the system would INSTANTLY shut down if the wall-plug power unit was
unplugged. A Voltmeter showed that the battery was only putting out 4.8V.
(NOTE: the green light doesn’t mean the battery pack is fully charged — it
means the battery pack isn’t likely to accept any more charge, and that only
means “fully charged” if all the cells are working.)

Continued attempts to revive the battery pack eventually left me with a
battery pack in which all cells were “dead” (in “cell reversal” mode, I
think, but I don’t understand NiCads well enough to be sure) — 0V, 0 Ohms
resistance, immune to all the simple attempts I tried to charge it.

WHAT DID WORK:

Someone on this newsgroup suggested using a large electrolytic capacitor
charged to 8V and discharged through a completely discharged battery pack. I
didn’t have a big enough electrolytic capacitor to do the job, so I tried two
alternatives: (1) another battery pack, and (2) an industrial power supply
capable of supplying 10 Volts at 10 Amps.

Partial success was obtained by connecting a working, fully charged
battery pack’s + to the now-completely-dead battery pack’s +, and – to -,
with just wires, for a few seconds. This produces a modestly bright spark.
Using a second battery pack was good enough to revive 4 of the 6 NiCad cells
in the pack, but wasn’t enough to bring back the last two. It might have
been enough if I’d put some regular batteries in series (and in parallel) to
get the voltage and current capacity up a bit.

The first industrial power supply I tried could only provide up to 5A at
up to 10V. This wasn’t enough.

The second power supply I tried could supply 10A at up to 20V, and 10A at
just 10-12V was enough. The power supply was a high grade unit with
adjustable current and voltage limits. I connected + to +, – to -, and let
10A at 12V flow through the battery for a few seconds. That brought the
battery pack back up to a full 7.2V! The rest of the charging I did on the
T1000SE, because I think feeding 120W into a few NiCad batteries for more
than a few seconds at a time is unwise. 🙂

DISCLAIMER:
This message provides history and opinions, not advice. If you elect to
try to duplicate this success, you do so at your own risk. I did find
that a Voltmeter for measuring the battery pack voltage (which was always
N * 1.2V) was indispensible.

COMMENTS ON OTHER SOLUTIONS (given what worked for me):
* The big electrolytic capacitor method probably would work, though it might
take several “zaps”.
* Using a 12V car battery probably also works, but is overkill and looks to
be much more dangerous since the current isn’t limited and it probably
causes sparks. (The bench supply I used caused no sparks when I touched
the probes to the battery pack, even though it instantly went between 0A
and 10A output.)
* Connecting up a set of 7 1.5V dry cells (or 9 1.2V NiCad cells) in series
to get 10+V, probably with N >= 2 sets in parallel to get sufficient
amperage, should also be able to do the job. I don’t know of anyone
that’s tried this, though.
-WBE

From uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!sun4nl!echelon!kees Wed Dec 16 14:55:59 CST 1992
Article: 8465 of comp.sys.laptops
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!sun4nl!echelon!kees
From: kees@echelon.uucp (Kees Hendrikse)
Subject: Re: Very dead T1000SE battery revived
Organization: Echelon Consultancy, Enschede, The Netherlands
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 13:44:06 GMT
Message-ID:
References:
Lines: 22

In wbe@bbn.com (Winston Edmond) writes:

> Thanks to suggestions from this newsgroup, and after some experimenting, I
> seem to have managed to revive a completely dead T1000SE battery pack.

After writing how he did manage to revive the NiCad, Winston Edmond suggest
other ways to do it, including:

> * Using a 12V car battery probably also works, but is overkill and looks to
> be much more dangerous since the current isn’t limited and it probably
> causes sparks.

Never ever try this suggestion, as a car battery (especially a healthy one)
is capable of delivering 70-80 Amps through the NiCad, which might cause
the NiCad to explode. Always use a device with controlled current. If you
can’t revive the NiCad with about 10 Amps, throw it away, it’s really dead.

—
Kees Hendrikse | email: kees@echelon.uucp
|
ECHELON consultancy and software development | phone: +31 (0)53 836 585
PO Box 545, 7500AM Enschede, The Netherlands | fax: +31 (0)53 337 415

From uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uunet.ca!synapse!peter.latocki Fri Dec 25 17:33:02 CST 1992
Article: 8578 of comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uunet.ca!synapse!peter.latocki
From: peter.latocki@synapse.org (Peter Latocki)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Battert for Old T1000
Message-ID:
Date: 25 Dec 92 08:53:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: SYNAPSE BBS – GATINEAU, QUEBEC – 819-561-4321
Reply-To: peter.latocki@synapse.org (Peter Latocki)
Lines: 13

TO:gaston@cpsc.ucalgary.ca
FROM:peter.latocki@synapse.org

I picked up a battery for my T1000 at Battery-Biz, 5530 Corbin Ave.
Suite 215 Tarzana California 91356 (818)774-1678 or (800)848-6782 a year
and a half ago. It sold for $18 and the people there were very nice to
deal with. Also try contacting Toshibs Canada for memory etc. They were
recently listing the RAM upgrade for the old T1000 for $79 but you have
to order through a dealer. Call their Fax line at 1-800-663-0378 to
have a copy of their price list faxed to you.
—
. SLMR 2.1a . Unable to locate Coffee — Operator Halted!

From uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!torn!skule.ecf!drill.me!ie.utoronto.ca!xiao Wed Jan 20 15:38:22 CST 1993
Article: 8834 of comp.sys.laptops
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!torn!skule.ecf!drill.me!ie.utoronto.ca!xiao
From: xiao@ie.utoronto.ca (Yan Xiao)
Subject: Another successful story of nursing dead battery
Message-ID:
Summary: Open it up, find the bad cell, reverse its polarity, DONE
Keywords: plyers, fainted
Organization: University of Toronto, Department of Industrial Engineering
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1993 15:48:07 GMT
Lines: 23

Here is my experience of fixing a dead batter.

Problem: the battery won’t hold any charge, but can be used when AC plug
is in (so what’s the use of the laptop)

Hypothesis: The polarity of one of the cells is reversed somehow.

Treatment one: use a car battery to reverse the bad cell
potential side effect: explosion
Treatment two: open it up and check for bad cell to see if it can be fixed.
side effect: breaking the nice outfit

I chose the second method. It required a little resolution to open
the battery case (T1000SE), but not too bad.
Using a simple flashlight bulb, I located the
bad cell. Then I used another 7.2v battery to apply to this
cell, and verified its working by the flashlight.
I had to use tape to bound the battery in good solid condition.

Results: it now can holds about 90min of charge.

Xiao

From uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!usenet.ucs.indiana.edu!silver.ucs.indiana.edu!wilkr Thu Jan 21 22:06:51 CST 1993
Article: 8854 of comp.sys.laptops
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!usenet.ucs.indiana.edu!silver.ucs.indiana.edu!wilkr
From: wilkr@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (richard wilk)
Subject: Ideas & Help needed: Running Laptop from Car Battery
Message-ID:
Summary: How can this be done???
Sender: Richard Wilk (wilkr@iubacs, wilkr@ucs.indiana.edu)
Nntp-Posting-Host: silver.ucs.indiana.edu
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 19:45:28 GMT
Lines: 53

I need some feedback, advice and tech help on the following problem.

I will be spending the summer living in a tent in Central America,
miles from the nearest power line. I will be spending most of my time
writing on my no-name clone 386SX laptop. This uses a fairly standard
12V nicad battery, and generally gives me about 1.25 hours.

I have located a couple of photo-volataic trickle-chargers which will
take about 8 hours to charge my battery (the cheapest one I have found
is from a company in Ann Arbor, at 313 453-6746 if you are interested).
But this will only give me an hour of writing a day.

We have the money to buy a 4000 watt coleman generator (best price
so far about $425), but not enough money to run it more than 2-3
hours a night (and who wants the noise anyway). We may have enough also
for a small PV array, but I don’t know how large or what wattage.

I am presently thinking about buying a car battery down there,
a battery charger, and an inverter. Then I would charge the car battery
every night, and run the computer off it through the inverter the
next day. Damark has a 100 watt inverter for sale right now for
c. $70.

Questions: Will this work? Has anyone tried something similar?

Sub-questions: How long do I have to run the generator to get the
battery charged?

How big a PV array would I need to replace the generator completely? (we
will be running a few lights and radios in the evenings too)

How many hours of use can I expect to get out of a car battery if
the computer is drawing about 45 watts (I *think* that is what
the manual says).

Does it make any sense at all to be going from 110 volts AC (battery
charger) to 12 Volts DC (battery) to 110 volts AC (inverter, computer
power supply) to 12 Volts DC (computer power jack)????? Is there
any way to feed the computer, safely, straight from the car battery??

I would appreciate hearing from anyone with experience, ideas or
knowledge (there must be someone with all three).

Thanks very much

Rick Wilk

—
Richard Wilk Anthropology Dept.
wilkr@iubacs Indiana University
voice 812-855-8162 Bloomington, IN 47405
“Things are more like they are now than they’ve ever been before.”

From uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!sgigate!sgiblab!pacbell.com!att-out!cbnewsh!colin Fri Jan 22 21:27:51 CST 1993
Article: 4811 of comp.sys.palmtops
Path: uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!sgigate!sgiblab!pacbell.com!att-out!cbnewsh!colin
From: colin@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (colin.alan.warwick)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops,sci.physics
Subject: Nickel metal hydride cells in standard form factors
Message-ID:
Date: 22 Jan 93 19:53:01 GMT
Followup-To: poster
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories – Holmdel NJ
Lines: 25
Xref: uwm.edu comp.sys.palmtops:4811 sci.physics:46685

Does anyone have data on nickel metal hydride rechargable cells in
standard form factors?

I’d like to populate a table like:

Form Charge Price
factor (mA hr) ($)
======================
AAA ??? ???
AA ??? ???
C ??? ???
D ??? ???

[What ever happened to A and B cells?]

Also, what is the voltage of a fully charged NiMH cell, under a moderate load?

Thanx,

colin.alan.warwick@att.com

“This is a talk on experimental mathematics, and if that sounds like a
contradiction, it is no more so than `theoretical physics’.”
— F. N. H. Robinson.

From uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!yale.edu!newsserver.jvnc.net!darwin.sura.net!ukma!cs.widener.edu!iggy.GW.Vitalink.COM!nocsun.NOC.Vitalink.COM!indetech!cirrus!pete Tue Feb 9 11:47:44 CST 1993
Article: 5050 of comp.sys.palmtops
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Path: uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!yale.edu!newsserver.jvnc.net!darwin.sura.net!ukma!cs.widener.edu!iggy.GW.Vitalink.COM!nocsun.NOC.Vitalink.COM!indetech!cirrus!pete
From: pete@cirrus.com (Pete Carpenter)
Subject: Nickel Hydride Sources
Message-ID:
Sender: news@cirrus.com
Organization: Cirrus Logic Inc. Fremont, California
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1993 22:41:31 GMT
Lines: 50

These two companies sell Nickel Hydride batteries. Both sell AA and C sizes,
and both cost exactly the same (Hmmmm) They call themselves “Alternative
Energy” suppliers, which means they sell solar (photovoltaic or PV) panels,
and other stuff like 12 VDC to 120 VAC inverters, etc. I’ve bought lots of
stuff from both.

——————————————————————————

SUNELCO
100 Skeets St.
P.O. Box 1499
Hamilton, MT 59840-1499
order 800-338-6844
info 406-363-6924
fax 406-363-6046

catalog size amp-hr price
————————————-
NI-AAHY AA 1.0 AH $ 8
NI-CHY C 3.5 AH $16

——————————————————————————

Real Goods likes to wear their politics on their sleave, so to speak. If you
think Clinton may ruin the world by being too _conservative_, you’ll fit right
in 🙂 I like their merchandise, not their preaching.

Real Goods
966 Mazzoni St.
Ukiah, CA 95482-3471
800-762-7325

50-105 AA 1.1 AH $ 8
50-104 C 3.5 AH $16

catalog includes this statement –
“a little fatter than AA batteries, may not fit in very tight spaces”

——————————————————————————

I got some AAs from Real Goods, and they fit in my ZEOS, but unfortunately,
I can’t get them to work. Voltage is 1.35, same to Radio Shack AA NiCd.s,
which work fine.

—
Pete Carpenter pete@cirrus.com

Talk about your plenty, talk about your ills,
One man gathers what another man spills. – Robert Hunter

From uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!hri.com!noc.near.net!news.bbn.com!bbn.com!sher Wed Feb 24 13:53:02 CST 1993
Article: 9312 of comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!hri.com!noc.near.net!news.bbn.com!bbn.com!sher
From: sher@bbn.com (Lawrence D. Sher)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: T1000SE battery life
Message-ID:
Date: 24 Feb 93 13:18:02 GMT
References:
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
Lines: 66
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com

In article proett@tailspin.nas.nasa.gov (Tom Proett) writes:
>Hi,
>
>I have a T1000SE which has a problem with the battery. It will only
>work when it is plugged in now. If I try to unplug it, it will
>shut down right away. I took the battery out and hooked it to a
>flashlight bulb to drain it. It lighted the bulb brightly for
>just under 6 hours. I charged it again and it still would not work.
>
>Is there a setting on the computer itself which tells it to not shut
>down? It seems that the battery is at least fairly good if it can
>light a light for more than 5 hours.
>
>Thanks.
>
>–
>proett@tailspin.nas.nasa.gov
>NASA Ames Research Center

This seems to be a common problem. I don’t know any definitive answers,
but since I faced the same problem, I had occasion to look into it.

1. Buy replacement cells, open the pack, and put in the new cells. A
good source for replacement cells (in New England): Gates Energy
Products, Inc. 1 Prestige Drive, Meriden, CT 06450-7105 Tel: (203) 238
6912, FAX (203) 238 6887 Voice Mail: (904) 462 8725. Attention: David
Childs, sales engineer, Northern Sales Region. He was very helpful for
me. The cells to get: GLF-1700A Ultramax NiCad. (The cell size,
officially, is 4/3A.) Cell cost is around $5.50-6.00 as I recall.

Opening the pack requires a careful dissection along the ultrasonically
welded perimeter seam, visible with the pack upside down. You can put
it back together again with glue of various flavors. Be sure to put
back the temperature sensor that is nestled in between two of the cells.

2. Exhume the existing cell(s). Once the pack was open, I found one
cell that was weak (discharged quickly) and one that was zero volts,
zero ohms. (Even so, of course, the remaining cells would easily run
most flashlight bulbs.) Taking a cue from various other posters (“put a
good cell in parallel with the bad one”, “discharge a capacitor into the
bad cell”) and feeling I had little to lose, I decided that if a little
was good, more would be better. So I connected a 12v automobile battery
charger across each bad cell (one at a time). I set the current level
to “trickle”, connected positive-to-positive, negative-to-negative, and
turned on the power for about 3 seconds. Scarey! Longer connections
obvious raise the ante, like inadvertent explosions. An ammeter (on the
charger) showed currents exceeding 10 amperes, tending to decay over a
few seconds to less than 10 amperes, but I wasn’t about to get too
academic about this. A voltmeter showed 0 volts before the treatment
and 1.2+ after. I repeated this treatment about 3 times, with a
respectful interval in between, like a minute. Voila, the cell now
looked normal, with an open circuit voltage of about 1.3. I put
everything back together, let the Toshiba charger care for the pack
overnight, and the next morning, it all seemed to run fine.

Note: I first tried this treatment across several cells in series, only
one of which was bad. It did not help!

I can hardly guarantee the safety or long-term consequences of this
procedure. But, clearly, there is some rationale to the talk that
a sufficient goosing of these cells can exhume them.
.—————————————————————-
/Internet email: sher@bbn.com
Larry Sher < US Mail: BBN, MS 6/5A, 10 Moulton St., Cambridge, MA 02138
Telephone: (617) 873 3426 FAX: (617) 873 3776
`—————————————————————-

From uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ehbbs!joe.george Sun Mar 7 15:29:10 CST 1993
Article: 5584 of comp.sys.palmtops
Path: uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ehbbs!joe.george
From: joe.george@ehbbs.com (Joe George)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.palmtops
Subject: HP95LX batteries ?
Message-ID:
Date: 5 Mar 93 23:01:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Ed Hopper’s BBS – Berkeley Lake, GA – 404-446-9462
Reply-To: joe.george@ehbbs.com (Joe George)
Lines: 26

SDFW-> What does the ’95LX use for batteries ?

Just about any AA batteries work, with varying results. The HP’s
internal battery-level meter is geared to the steady voltage dropoff of
alkaline batteries; the reason NiCd batteries stink out loud in
equipment like this is that when NiCds run out of gas, the voltage drop
off is quick and very steep and _very_ unforgiving. I’ve not used NiMH
batteries in my HP (but I have one in my laptop, it’s got a lot longer
life but an odd voltage drop off. Not bad, just odd.)

The batteries I now exclusively use in my HP are Eveready Energizer
High-Energy Lithium AA Batteries. Theyre about $1.50 a pair more
expensive than standard Energizers but I get 2-3x the life out of them.
They, too, have a kind of quick drop off (I ran for 3 weeks with the
battery meter on “Full” and went down to “Empty” in a matter of 2 days)

Joe

* SLMR 2.1a * TV is a medium; anything well done is rare.

—-
+—————————————————————————+
| Ed Hopper’s BBS – ehbbs.com – Berkeley Lake (Atlanta), Georgia |
|USR/HST:404-446-9462 V.32bis:404-446-9465-Home of uuPCB Usenet for PC Board|
+—————————————————————————+

From uwm.edu!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!news.ans.net!cmcl2!netnews!jan.ultra.nyu.edu!edler Wed Apr 21 15:28:17 CDT 1993
Article: 10220 of comp.sys.laptops
Path: uwm.edu!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!news.ans.net!cmcl2!netnews!jan.ultra.nyu.edu!edler
From: edler@jan.ultra.nyu.edu (Jan Edler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: Getting rid of Nicad memory effect
Date: 19 Apr 1993 17:57:14 GMT
Organization: New York University, Ultracomputer project
Lines: 27
Message-ID:
References:
NNTP-Posting-Host: jan.ultra.nyu.edu

In article jarnold@tixel.mv.com writes:
>I had posted a note a few weeks ago about how to “fully discharge” a
>nicad battery pack (that powers my notebook pc) that has apparently
>developed the dreaded nicad memory effect. Brand new, I used to be
>able to get 3+ hours of heads-down work out of a charge, but now
>(same apps, same work habits) I’m lucky to get as much as *one* hour.

I have been using a resistor to regularly discharge my T1000SE battery
for several years. This is a 7.2V pack. I use a 10 Ohm power resistor
from Radio Shack. I remove the battery, place it upside down, place
the resistor on the battery contacts (I’ve bent the resistor’s leads to
make this convenient), and put a little weight on it to make a good
connection. I normally connect a voltmeter to it, and wait about 10 or
12 minutes for the voltage to drop below 6V. I keep the voltmeter on
my desk, so this is convenient, but otherwise I just time it for about
10 minutes. I use a kitchen timer to remind me when to check the
battery. I go through this procedure almost every time the machine
shuts off, before recharging (i.e., about daily). This arrangement
seems to work well.

When I started doing this, a few years ago, I drained the battery all
the way (until the resistor was cold). I never had any trouble, but
various people were making arguments that this could damage the cells,
so now I stop somewhere below 6V. So far so good.

Jan Edler
edler@nyu.edu

From uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!olivea!charnel!csusac!sactoh0!mnj Tue May 18 14:40:39 CDT 1993
Article: 14012 of comp.sys.handhelds
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Path: uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!olivea!charnel!csusac!sactoh0!mnj
From: mnj@sactoh0.sac.ca.us (Mark Newton-John)
Subject: Re: Batteries for the Psion Series 3
Message-ID:
Organization: Sacramento Public Access Unix
References:
Date: Tue, 18 May 93 08:38:59 GMT
Lines: 29

In ah57@unix.brighton.ac.uk (Andrew) writes:

>Has anybody found it possible to use rechargeable batteries in their
>Psion Series3? I Have tried using rechargeables but they seem only to last
>for about a day before I get lots of Main battery is low warnings.

The problem with rechargeables is that they are not the 1.5 volts
that regular alkalines give. (typically 1.2 volts)

The Psion sees the low voltage and will give the low battery
warning, and if ignored, will start to use the memory battery.

With the Portfolio, what can happen is that the low battery warning
could be missed, and when the power falls off (rechargebles fall
off rapidly) memory loss will occur.

The best batteries that I have found to use in handhelds are Maxell
(yes, the tape company) Photo AA (LR6) alkalines. They are a more
powerfull alkaline, designed for high drain useage in camera
flashes and motor drives. They are $3.49 per 4-pack. They have
outlasted a set of Energizers (stupid rabbit) and Duracells.

—
mfolivo@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US SAC-UNIX (916) 649-0161
The Good Guys! We know our stuff
Audi The Alternate Route
Atari Power without the Price

�

0

Glenn Sahlin’s Introduction To Batteries

Charging batteries
after reading some of the messages under “battery help”,I thought I might
be able to clear up some of the popular misconceptions about batteries.
Many of the problems blamed on memory or shorted cells are often problems
resulting from improper charging or discharging.It’s a very grey area and
clearcut answers are hard to find,you will soon find out why!
One question often asked about ni-cad’s is;”should they be deep discharged
to condition the cells”.Heres where that grey area starts,most manufacturers
suggest some form of deep discharge occasionally but never a total discharge.
Most devices(ie.laptops,camcorders)have internal circuitry to sense when
a battery has discharged to or near its rated capacity and disconnect either
partially or totally from the load,don’t drop a load resistor across the
terminals and kill it,this will cause cell damage to one extent or another.
Most importantly begin charging shortly after you have completed discharge!
I will adress lead acid batteries later in this file,but by all means don’t
deep discharge a lead acid cell,doing so will definetly harm it and possibly
destroy it.Again charging shortly after discharge is essential to long
cycle life of a lead acid battery as well.
Ni-cad chargers exist in many forms.They can be a simple as a transformer
cap and diode or as complicated as microprossesor based systems that cost
up and over $1000.The more extravigant,the better the results,usually.
The problem is when to terminate charge,overcharging a cell results in
venting.This is when a cell builds pressure internally as a result of
overcharging and releases elecrolite into the air.Over time this can cause
cell damage resulting in a significant decrease in cycle life.(# of times
a battery discharges and subsequently recharges to full capacity)
The following graph shows the voltage profile of a single ni-cad cell
during a charge cycle.

l x l x
l x l x x
l x l
l voltage x l
l x l
l x l
l x l
l x l
l x capacity l
l_______________________________________________________l______________________
0% approx 100%

Notice how the voltage peaks near full capacity and then starts to drop.
So a simple assumption would tell you that you could sense that peak
and drop (commonly referred to as the negative delta v) and terminate charge,
right?……wrong!
The promblem occurs when you put cells in series (a battery)to get appropriate
voltages.They all have slightly different voltage profiles during the charge
cycle,like this:
t1 t2
l x=cell 1 l l
l o=cell 2 l l
l t=cell 3 l o o xt x t l
l o x t o x t
l oxt o x t
lvoltage xot
l xot
l xot
l xot
l xot l ??? 100% ??? l
l xot l l
l xot capacity l l
l__________________________________________________l____________________l_______
0% l 100% l

As you can see,things get kinda grey!

This graph is unrealistic in the sense that it’s impossible to determine
individual cell voltages when they are connected in series to form a battery.
What actually happens is you get a very mushy curve.If you terminate early
at position t1(see graph)most of your cells will be below full capacity,
terminate at t2 and most of them will be in overcharge.
There are a number of methods of charge termination,some simpler than
others some more effective than others,these are a few of the popular ones.
-temperature as a cell accepts current,it has a certain effeciency
at wich it turns incoming energy into stored chemical energy.(cell efficiency)
most cell systems have been optimized over the years to a point were they
are all very efficient.Were this comes into play is simple,energy in = energy
out.If a cell has reached full capacity,the incoming energy from the charging
system has to go somwhere,that somwhere is heat!So,what you can do is sense
that increase in temperature and terminate charge.sounds simple but,there
are numerous drawbacks.first of all,you have to have a temprature sensing
device in close proximity to the cells,this is impracticle in most cases.
Secondly you again have the problem of cells being different from eachother
you may terminate to early or maybe to late,your guess is as good as mine!
Lastly if your battery is located near your charging system,your near
transformers,transitors,diodes and other heat generating devices,how do you
compensate for this???
-negative delta v as discussed before,this has many drawbacks but is
the more popular among higher grade systems.
-coulometric control basically,a coulometer that keeps track of how
much energy gets discharged and then puts it back in,high cost and
inaccuracies in mesuring equipment keep this one in the ultra high
grade market.
-constant voltage don’t even think about it!every manufacturer
strongly suggest anything but!
-constant current the most popular,requires alot of guess work
on the part of the manufacturer.you have to select a charge current
appropriate for capacity of the cells.To high and you overcharge,to low
and it takes you 12+ hours to reach full capacity,if at all.
combinations of any of these are also very common (exept con.v) and
can result in some nice systems.
So far I’ve told everything wrong with ni-cad chargers,to be truthfull
many of these can work ok.Most manufacturers claim ni-cad’s can cycle up to
10,000 times if treated properly,The problem is that treated properly
means making many compromises that are unrealistic or impossible for
most applications.The last form of charging I’d like to discuss is algorithm
or “pulse” charging.It employs alot of the methods listed above,but with
a twist.

A basic pulse charge algorithm looks somthing like this:

l ——————–1 second————————l–next cycle—–
l l
l l
xxxxxxx—-charge level 1 —xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
x x
0 charge level————————- x xxxxxxxx —————–
x x
x x
xxxxx ———– -2.5 discharge

To start this a constant current charger,the output is determined by
The capacity of the cells.Charge level one represents current being passed
to the battery at a specified level.Lets say for now that that level is 1
amp.(charge level 1=1 amp)For a period of time,lets say 985ms we are putting
current into the battery.(charge level 1)After that time expires we go to
part two.(-2.5 discharge)At this point,for a short period of time,say
5ms we discharge at 2.5 times the level we charged at.(or in our case,2.5 amps)
this serves one major function,”burping”.When a ni-cad cell is charging one
of the gasses being generated internaly is oxygen,it forms and sits on the
two plates of the battery.The problem happens when crystals begin to form
in the cell and use these bubbles as a bridge between the two plates(anode
and cathode)of the cell,if they complete the bridge you now have a dialectric
short,or a dead battery!What happens during that 5ms pulse or “burp” can
save alot of trouble,it breaks the bubbles and allows the oxygen to be more
readily available for the continuing chemical reaction.This accomplishes a
couple of things,as a result of the oxygen situation mentioned above you can
charge at much higher levels without cell venting.(fast charge)secondly,you
prevent shorts,giving you longer cycle life.Just as a note of interest,the
crystals that form in the cell,shorting or not,cause the chemical conversion
that takes place during charging and discharging to slow down,somtimes to a
point where the cell can’t function anymore.True “memory”has yet to be proved
and this is what is really happening when your battery quits!Best way to
prevent it is to keep your battery charged when not in use.
Getting back to pulse charging,the last segment in the algorithm is
called the quiet window.It serves two basic purposes,it allows the cell
to chemically recuperate after discharging and it provides a period of time
to collect information from the cells.(such as looking for – delta v).after
the quiet window the loop begins again at charge level 1,it runs continuosly
at 1 second intervals until terminated by some method of charge termination.
Once the cell reaches near full capacity some type of maintanance charge is
usually applied,such as running an algorithym at a lower frequency and
amplitude,this helps top off the cells and keep them fully charged.
This technology is fairly new and should be introduced into the various
consumer markets soon.My only advice to people who are stuck with cheap
ni-cad chargers supplied by manufacturers is to be more selective next
time!Spending an extra $100 at purchase time will pay for itself if one
battery last you 2 years as opposed to 2 cycles.

comments or questions??
send replies to glenn sahlin

0

G Saintiny Writes About The Glories Of The Bathroom, From The Winter Solstace 1990 EV Will And Word

Reprinted from the Winter Solstace 1990 EV Will and Word

BATHROOM PARTY
One day, i decided to let go all the intellectual stops and create
a happiness vortex all my own. By now, i had learned to approach
such a task by asking these questions: What do i want? What’s the
problem? Who can help? How?
In short order, i discovered i wanted to throw a bathroom party.
For a long time, i’d toyed with the concept of doing a theatrical
production in a bathroom because of the bathroom’s psychic imprint.
The bathroom is magical! People routinely get naked there. Water
appears and vanishes. Things disappear in the toilet bowl. People
force things out of their bodies. One can experience body-wide
fields of heat, cold, steam, and tingly water there. Mirrors are
stared into. Rituals of hygiene are performed. All interactions
become intimate. The bathroom is the most dangerous room in the
house (Most accidents take place there). It is a favorite place
in which to commit suicide.
Furthermore, the tub can be used as a stage, and lighting tends to
be complex (window behind tub–say–and a door, and the bathroom
light).
But during those days of self-examination through creation of the
bathroom party concept, i saw that theatre as theatre wasn’t right
for me. It was all too convoluted and cerebral. It lacked the
very messiness, scattered and crowded style which had attracted me
to the bathroom in the first place.
I realized that all i wanted was my happiness vortex. Not to
teach. Not to do good theatre or laudable ritual. Not to make a
political statement. These things would, i could easily see,
appear and with gusto, but as secondary manifestations of my simple
lust to birth my bathroom party.
It was at this point–where i’d rejected any artistic
pretensions–that i quickly grew aware of a tradition of the
bathroom party. My most direct links were in the child folk
cultures, but i soon recognized it in both modern and ancient adult
cultures as well, in the folk and court/society circles.
Bathroom parties, though they haven’t self-consciously been
performed as beads on a long traditional thread, are in fact a
common thing. There is the solitary bathroom experience, for
example, of sinking into a tub of warm water and scented oils or
of frothy cool bubbles. There is the young hidden expression of
sexuality, which in inhibited modern cultures, often takes place
in the bathroom as well.
But not all bathroom parties have been solitary. Sex is often
enjoyed in the bathroom, the shower or tub serving as mattress or
dance floor. The tub is often where the small child is introduced
to bathroom partying, naked and sitting up to the navel in warm
water, surrounded by tub toys and joined by an older guardian.
Simple puppetry turns the tub of toys into a toddler’s theatre!
And bathroom parties are not exclusively an adult or baby
pass-time, either. Kids and adolescents, herded into our school
system, let it all hang out in the boy/girl segregated bathrooms.
They meet to talk behind the backs of their jailers, script
graffiti, fight and play, toke a smoke, jack off, talk love, and
so on. Girls keep it up, quite openly, past school age, and boys
get together too, but (as Woody Allen might say) “with an
explanation.”
Furthermore, kids have a tradition of holding seances. One branch
of traditions is the Mary Worth/Mary Wolf/or Bloody Mary ritual.
This is performed in the bathroom around either the toilet or the
mirror. Groups are all girl, all boy, or mixed–according to the
particular tradition. The bowl or mirror is stared into in the
dark, and a chant along the lines of “I believe in you, Mary Worth”
is repeated a specific number of times (3 and l0 are popular
numbers). A blue light is supposed to appear. Kid seances are
about as effective as any other kind.
Another branch of traditions is the girls’ marriage divination, at
least one of which takes place in the bathroom. A candle is lit
before the mirror; a charm is spoken; and the face of one’s future
spouse (Yes, it’s awfully presumptuous) will appear in the mirror.
These traditions are widespread and are passed down from child to
child, generation after generation. There are traditions as grand
in age and decorum as the most ceremonious of these seances in
adult bathroom parties. They can easily be typified by reference
to the ancient Greek gymnasium. Modern locker room and spa
behavior (especially sauna) clearly carry the tradition along.
Native American sweat lodges and Asian spas argue for an almost
universal network of bathroom partying traditions. Of course,
class/age/gender sometimes kept such celebration from truly being
universal. The oldest public baths in the US are only about a
hundred years old, and most have been shut down, as have most of
the baths that openly championed homosexual celebration. How many
of the poor or homeless can get clean in a dignified–never mind
enjoyable manner? Spas are for the rich in the USA (Even public
swimming pools–sometimes the same thing as a public bath–are
closing down in NYC).
So i could rest assured that i was not an out-and-out pioneer in
this effort. I am not brave in that sense. I want to push the
envelope (and how), not invent it. My birthday ’round the corner
(3 July/Cancer), and the unwelcome return and reunion of two
relatives whose combined neuroses threatened to reach critical mass
on my day of days catalyzed me into action. I made a few phone
calls, and one friend invited me over.
Based on my theory that birthday cake used to be little cakes, and
that the fire used to be much less centralized under a single adult
guardian’s control, we exchanged cookies and lit a candle and
incense. I brought over my plush toy lamb, Sappho, and had her
call down the blessings of my personal guide/deity, Goldilox, in
a few words initiating my friend and friend’s 2 year old into the
mysteries of Goldilox. I was nude, my friend wore a bathing suit,
the babe wore diapers and shirt and had to be changed once.
Everyone played the harmonica at some point (babe learning very
quickly).
I had names of six songs my friend and i both knew written on slips
of paper (Babe was asleep then). We mixed the slips ’round. I
then pulled out three and, from inside the tub (Babe awake by
then), wove a musical review marrying the song triplet.
Adults drank screwdrivers, and the babe drank apple juice. I sang
one of my folkish songs with accompaniment of a toy accordion.
Baby played with tambourine at one point while parent played on
harmonica and i did body percussion. Baby played with the stuffed
animals as we looked on, clapping alot. Most of the celebration
was recorded on audial tape. Much free discussion, gossip, and
philosophizing went on throughout.
Sleep, hugs and kisses brought the celebration to its amiably
exhausted close.
I find it significant that a child was involved in this. In a way,
it was mere luck of the draw. But for me, if there can’t be kids,
i’m scared away too. The gnostic masses i’ve been to have lacked
the presence of children (even though they are called for in the
script). Sure, it was luck of the draw, but seeking child energy
was also a main priority for me. In all my dream lists of guests,
i worked hard to include a child or two–even if it all seemed like
wishful thinking. Also, i go to the mass in order to feel out
certain recurring stories or themes in my life. I felt a more
direct, visceral, and celebratory examination in this bathroom
party than i would have felt had i gone to a gnostic mass at this
time.
The gnostic mass may be a great way to commune with a large
scattered group over long periods of time. But by asking one’s
self (not one’s ego constructs), “What do i want?” one can find
adventures that the mass merely keeps track of.
–g. saintiny, l99l

SEX IS PEACE
TRUE WILL NOT SLAVERY
CONSCIOUSNESS IS STRENGTHtem, let it all hang out in the boy/girl segregated bathrooms.
They meet

0

A Guy Takes His Fine Oldsmobile Out For A Ride And To The Mechanics Of The Country

Are Americans getting a square deal for the $65 billion they spend each year
to maintain their cars? To find out, a 1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan
(one of the biggest- selling U.S. cars that year) with 20,000 miles on the
odometer was used.

Under the supervision of a consulting mechanic and project editor, an
Oldsmobile dealer made the car “like new”: engine tuned, transmission
serviced, new spark plugs, brakes, shock absorbers, struts, fan belts and
hoses. Every vital component was thoroughly checked and, if there was any
doubt, replaced.

Then the blue-grey Olds was put on the road. Behind the wheel: a nationally
syndicated automotive columnist and veteran of hundreds of road tests. The
assignment: travel the country, pick repair garages at random and see how they
treat a customer in need. A single spark-plug wire was pulled loose from the
V-6 engine just before each stop, thus making the motor run roughly.

A loose wire is something that even a novice mechanic should notice.
Reattaching it to the plug was all that was necessary to put our car in perfect
running condition. But many mechanics either didn’t spot the problem or
fraudulently “corrected” it by selling or recommending the wide array of parts,
oils and solvents.

What was discovered after stops at 225 garages should be a warning to every
car owner. Here is the account of the 10,000-mile safari through America’s
auto-repair jungle.

The engine was faltering as I pulled up at a large independent garage in Old
Saybrook, Conn., one morning. I told the mechanic my car “wasn’t running
right.”

As he opened the hood, I heard the sharp cracking sound of a loose plug wire
“shorting out” against the engine block. Ignoring that symptom, the mechanic
slowly removed the oil-filler cap. With a grave look, he stuck a long
screwdriver into the opening and placed an ear against the wooden handle. Like
a doctor with a stethoscope, he listened to the engine.

“You got a bad rocker,” he said. Beckoning me inside the garage, he staged
an impressive show-and-tell, swiveling the rocker arms (they open the engine
valves) on a rocker shaft he had picked off the floor.

He phoned about replacement parts, meanwhile congratulating me for coming to
his garage. “You’re going to save about half over what a dealer would charge.”

The repair would take three hours and cost $125 to $175. But, he warned,
there might be other problems once he “got inside” the engine. I told him I’d
think it over. I drove away, pulled off the road and pushed the wire back onto
the spark plug, restoring the car to smooth running condition.

FAIR GAME. That wire, about the length and thickness of a garter snake,
would bite time and time again as I sought repairs at gas stations,
dealerships, independent garages and chain automotive outlets in 33 states. My
experience made me acutely aware why so many Americans complain about their
treatment in the nation’s 300,000 auto-repair shops:

Only 28 percent of my stops resulted in a correct diagnosis and repair.
Three out of four times, I was either denied service, had to wait for hours (or
days), or was victimized by dishonesty, incompetence or both.

When a mechanic did work on the car, I got a satisfactory repair only 44
percent of the time.

In the other 56 percent, mechanics performed unnecessary work, sold
unnecessary parts or charged for repairs not done. Worse, some of their work
created new engine problems.

Make no mistake, I met a lot of good, honest mechanics, but their reputation
is unfairly stained by a large number who either don’t know what they are doing
or treat motorists as “fair game” or fools.

My loose wire provoked a slew of remedies, including spark-plug cleanings,
“major” and “minor” tuneups, valve adjustments, correction of “fuel
starvation,” carburetor adjustment and even transmission rebuilding.

Among parts recommended were fuel filters, gasoline additives, catalytic
converters, air pumps, engine control modules, distributor caps and rotors, and
valve lifters. In all, more than 100 useless remedies were prescribed, priced
from $2 to more than $500.

One blitz of rip-offs began in Jacksonville, Fla. At five consecutive shops
there, “cures” included a distributor cap ($30), a single spark plug ($8.93)
and replacing the end of the plug wire ($17.27)

Deciding it was time to get out of Jacksonville, I headed north. In
Brunswick, Ga., a mechanic spotted the loose wire but attached it to a new plug
($17.36), replacing the one installed in Jacksonville just 65 miles earlier!
Next stop–Savannah, where two successive shops recommended tuneups for $184
(including new plug wires) and $101 (with new plug wires “highly recommended”
at extra cost).

CHAIN REACTION. Big-city shops were much more likely to go after my wallet
than small-town and rural garages were. The presence of nationally “certified”
mechanics did not guarantee good service–in fact, I got gypped in 50 percent
of the shops boasting nationally certified technicians. I received exellent
treatment in some pretty crude garages. I got taken to the cleaners in some
fancy shops complete with coffee, courtesy and the latest technology.

I found, too, that car owners are often victims of shoddy repairs that cause
other problems. When a Kansas City, Mo., mechanic replaced (unnecessarily) a
gas filter, he forgot to reinstall the spring that holds the filter in place.
I limped into a garage in Salina, Kan., where a mechanic found the spring lying
on the manifold and also discovered that my carburetor air-cleaner gasket had
not been reinstalled.

There was a monotonous quality to the majority of my encounters with the
chiselers or incompetents. Occasionally there were breathtaking instances of
outright fraud. One of these began early one morning in Tucson, Ariz.

As I pumped gas at a service station beside Interstate 10, a wiry fellow in
work clothes sauntered out and hunkered down on the other side of the car.
That’s nice, I thought. He’s checking my tire pressure.

“I see you’ve got new shocks,” he said. “Good! But your coil springs are
bent.” Coil springs do wear out, and may bend under extremely rare conditions,
but this was definitely not the case with our low-mileage car. The attendant
said he just happened to have a set that he could install for $125.

I drove away without the new coil springs, but I couldn’t help thinking about
hapless motorists who might have been frightened into having them installed.

FISHING FOR PROFITS. Another memorable encounter took place in San Antonio,
when I pulled into a transmission repair shop. The owner test-drove the Olds
with me in the passenger seat. As we climbed a hill, the car seemed to be
straining. I looked down and noted that he had one foot on the gas and the
other on the brake. “boy, it ain’t got no power at all in second gear,” he
said. “It’s real obvious the clutches are burnt.” His solution: rebuild the
transmission for $395 to $495, “depending on if I can save the torque
converter.”

One device the motorist with engine trouble is almost certain to run into is
“the scope”–an electronic engine analyzer. In honest, competent hands, the
concept is great–you let the high-tech detective with its switches, dials and
oscilloscopes sort out the problem. Trouble is, these devices vary in
accuracy, and their operaters vary widely in ability to interpret them.

At a national retailer’s auto-care center in Biloxi, Miss., two mechanics
plugged a hand-held computer into an outlet under my dash. The computer was
supposed to “interface” with the car’s diagnostic system and print out the
potential source of the problem. The mechanics worked for an hour, never
bothering to look for a loose wire.

Finally they produced a printout indicating, they said, that I needed a new
distributor cap and rotor. The loud snapping sound (of the shorting plug wire)
was, they claimed, coming from the fuel-adjustment solenoid on the carburetor.
I paid the scope charge of $16.93, returned to the car, lifted the loose plug
wire and asked one of the mechanics if this might be the problem. Shrugging,
he turned and walked away.

The good mechanics I met used the scope intelligently, usually to quickly
confirm that my loose plug wire was the only problem. But often the scope was
nothing more than a fishing rod to pull in profits on unnecessary repairs.

In Hays, Kan. at another large chain-store auto center, two technicians
fiddled with the car for an hour trying a new distributor cap and rotor,
apparently not noticing the loose wire inches away. They hooked the car to an
engine analyzer, but still couldn’t spot the real problem. They said the
trouble was a bad leak in the intake manifold. They were clearly groping, but
at least in this case it cost me only $5.73

It seemed apparent from many encounters that some mechanics are intimidated
by the newer “high-tech” cars. They assume that any problems with them must be
exotic, and they forget to go back to trade-school basics, such as visually
checking for loose wires and hoses. The scope is assumed to be the high-tech
answer, but in inept hands, these machines often hinder rather than help.

A NEW CURE ALL. At a service station near the Pennsylvania Turnpike in
Carlisle, Pa., three employees gathered to look under the hood of my car. They
never started the engine, but immediately decided to replace the fuel filter.
One of them also said the distributor cap and rotor “might” be the problem. I
refused the $90 estimate for the cap and rotor. But this encounter–in which,
I must emphasize, the mechanics never started the engine– still cost me $25.44

As I progressed on my trip, I found that fuel filters have become the modern
cure-all for engine troubles. Filters are a critical component of modern fuel
systems, but barring unusual circumstances (a tank of bad gas), they should
last 15,000 miles or more.

I stopped at a station in Baker, Calif. Without pausing to listen to my
faltering engine, the mechanic said, “I know what your problem is.” He began
replacing a filter installed a few days earlier in Laramie, Wyo., so I asked
how the “old” one looked. He blew through it before observing sagely, “It’s
pretty well clogged.” I left the station $11 lighter, my engine still stumbling
and the plug wire still dangling.

At a gas station in Lordsburg. N.M., two mechanics mused on any number of
ills, for my poorly running engine. They quickly began changing–you guessed
it–the fuel filter. A silver Ford van lurched to a stop nearby. A woman got
out and announced, “My truck’s broke.” One mechanic threw open the hood.
“Sounds like a fuel filter to me.” He was busily installing one as I refused a
$200 estimate for replacing my air pump and distributor cap.

SMALL RIP-OFFS. As I headed out of Lordsburg, I recalled something I had
heard a man say in a repair shop waiting room in Massachusetts: “Oh, I know
I’ll probably get taken. I just hope it isn’t for too much.” Sad to say, many
people seem prepared to pay a hidden incompetent or fraud tax on repairs.

But millions of others don’t even dream they are being victimized. Whether
it’s a fuel filter, oil additive or “phantom” plug cleaning, these $20 or $30
bites can add up. For an unscrupulous garage, running enough of them through
the cash register is a lot safer than going for a huge swindle that might bring
local authorities onto the scene.

I found such scams especially prevalent at stations along interstates, where
the chance of a traveler coming back to complain is almost nil. The easiest is
the phony repair. In Beaumont, Texas, a garage owner said with good humor,
“Eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents is all I can do to you” for replacing
a plug wire. But he had merely re-attached the one I had loosened.

In Tucson, my wife took the car, with the plug wire loose, to the auto center
of a national retailer she has grown to trust. Somebody reconnected the wire.
But she was charged $29.99 for a “carburetor adjustment” and a timing check.
The carburetor on the Olds was factory-sealed, and should not be adjusted.

SPARK-PLUG SABOTAGE. “Here’s your problem,” the smiling mechanic in a Salt
Lake City garage told me. He held up a spark-plug wire. It had a “bad cut,”
he said, that was causing our engine to misfire.

Indeed, the wire WAS cut–freshly cut. There was a neat half-inch-wide
incision clear around the insulation, which had not been there when I pulled
the wire from the plug less than a half-hour before. The mechanic had replaced
the wire with a new blue one, and the car ran fine. Bill: $24.75.

At a garage an hour northeast of Las Vegas a few days later, I walked to the
back of the car while the mechanic peered under the hood, and I could see his
elbow working furiously as he tugged and twisted something. “I found your
problem,” he announded triumphantly.

He held aloft the same blue wire that had been replaced in Salt Lake City.
But the end that fits over the spark plug had been broken off. (Try breaking
the end off a plug wire sometime–you really have to work at it.) He repaired
the wire for $15.30.

By the end of my trip, I found it difficult to account for the range of
prices I encountered. I found a set of plug wires with a five-year guarantee
in an auto store for $15.99. A set at an Olds dealer in Tucson cost $53.76.
Estimates for a set plus installation charge ranged from just under $50 in
Omaha to $82.60 in Wheeling, W. Va.

THE “PREVENT” DEFENSE. The most important weapon you have is knowledge of
your car. Read the owner’s manual. Understand the basics. Does your car have
a carburetor or fuel injection? Four cylinders or six? Have a mechanic point
out the basic under-hood geography so you can check your oil and coolant
levels, spot a loose wire or hose. Follow a regular maintenance plan–oil
changes and such–to PREVENT trouble. A Department of Transportation study
shows that the three leading causes of on-the-road breakdowns are bad tires,
running out of gas, and cooling-system problems. All three could largely be
avoided by a “check before you drive” inspection.

*When you find an honest, competent garage, patronize it regularly.

*Insist on a detailed written estimate and the assurance that no extra work
will be done without your permission.

*Be specific in describing your car’s symptoms.

*When precautions fail: Complain. Notify authorities.

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0

Buying Your Massachusetts Automobile Insurance

“Buying Your Massachusetts Automobile Insurance” has been
prepared for you by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance as
part of our continuing effort to inform consumers on the
detailed and sometimes complex aspects of purchasing automobile
insurance in the Commonwealth. This guide outlines the basic
automobile coverages you are required by law to purchase, as
well as the coverages available to you on an optional basis.
We have also included a description of the newly amended Safe
Driver Insurance Plan – the Commonwealth’s merit rating plan
which offers premium credits to policyholders who practice safe
driving habits. Furthermore, this guide provides information
on filing complaints and money-saving tips for reducing your
premium without sacrificing insurance protection.

If you receive this pamphlet after you purchase your 1990
automobile insurance and you wish to make changes in the
coverage, limits, deductibles or discounts, contact your agent
or company. They can assist you. If you are not satsified
call us. Our Consumer Service Section can be contacted at
(617) 727-7189, X 300.

As you know, the Automobile Insurance Reform Act of 1988
succeeded in updating our no-fault system, lowered the costs of
repairing damaged vehicles, expanded consumers’ choices and
initiated long-term, cost-saving efforts that will benefit
consumers into the 1990s.

The 1988 Reform Law addressed the rising costs in the system
through both tort law changes, such as the increase in the tort
threshold from $500 to $2000, and coverage changes, including
the increase in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) from $2,000 to
$8,000, and the coordination of benefits between health
insurance and PIP coverage. Consumers have realized reduced
premiums from additional coverage changes and newly available
discounts. The Reform Law increased the standard deductible
from $300 to $500 for both collision and comprehensive
coverages and created an optional $100 glass deductible. Also,
additional rated reductions are now available for consumers
whose vehicles are equipped with both an anti-theft device and
an auto recovery system, and for cars equipped with air bags or
passive restraint devices.

A new Safe Driver Insurance Plan will mean substantially
reduced premiums for long time good drivers.

This year, a new Safe Driver Insurance Plan takes effect. The
aim of the Plan is to make the Massachusetts merit rating
system more fair by ending the subsidization of unsafe drivers
by good drivers. The Plan, known as a “bonus malus” system,
can be compared to a ladder. The bottom of the ladder
represents the lowest premiums and the top of the ladder
represents the highest premiums. Drivers will be assigned
credits and surcharges that are a percentage of the premium for
specific coverages. Each year, drivers with an incident-free
record move down one step on the ladder and earn a premium
credit. Drivers who have at-fault accidents or certain traffic
violations move up the ladder a number of steps equal to the
number of unsafe driver points assigned and will be assessed a
surcharge for each point. Each step up or down the ladder is
equal to 7% of the driver’s premium for liability coverage
(bodily injury, PIP, and property damage liability) and 5% of
the premium for collision coverage.

BUYING YOUR MASSACHUSETTS

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE

1990

MICHAEL S. DUKAKIS
Governor of Massachusetts

TIMOTHY H. GAILEY
Commissioner of Insurance

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Division of Insurance

CONTENTS

1. COMPULSORY COVERAGES
Part 1: Bodily Injury to Others………………
Part 2: Personal Injury Protection……………
Part 3: Bodily Injury Caused by an
Uninsured Auto………………………
Part 4: Damage to Someone Else’s Property……..
2. OPTIONAL COVERAGES
Part 5: Optional Bodily Injury to Others………
Part 6: Medical Payments…………………….
Part 7: Collision…………………………..
Part 8: Limited Collision……………………
Part 9: Comprehensive……………………….
Part 10: Substitute Transportation…………….
Part 11: Towing and Labor…………………….
Part 12: Bodily Injury Caused by an
Underinsured Auto……………………
3. SAVING MONEY…………………………………….
4. 1990 SAFE DRIVER INSURANCE PLAN……………………
5. FILING A COMPLAINT……………………………….

FROM THE COMMISSIONER

“Buying Your Massachusetts Automobile Insurance” has
been prepared for you by the Massachusetts Division of
Insurance. This guide contains a description of the basic
coverages you are required by law to purchase, as well as the
coverages available to you on an optional basis. We have also
included information on filing complaints and money-saving tips
for reducing your premium without sacrificing insurance
protection.
Many motorists pay a higher premium than they should
because they choose coverages that do not suit their needs.
The most common and costly mistake consumers make when buying
automobile insurance is to renew their policy without assessing
how their individual insurance needs might have changed.
Instead, before you renew your policy, reevaluate your
insurance choices and your eligibility for the many discount
opportunities. Also, buy only the coverage you need and select
deductibles you can afford.
The Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP), which offers
premium credits to motorists who practice safe driving habits,
has been significantly changed for 1990. Although automobile
insurance will always be expensive in an urban, densely
populated state like Massachusetts, you can reduce the cost of
your premium an average of $140 by driving safely and
maintaining an incident-free driving record. Although the Plan
is complex, I urge you to read Part 4 of this guide carefully
for information on the Plan’s many new improvements.
Please keep in mind that this guide is not meant to be a
substitute for the Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Policy.
Always refer to your Policy for the exact terms and conditions
of your automobile insurance. If you receive this guide after
you have renewed your policy for 1990, and you wish to make
changes in your coverage, limits, deductibles or discounts,
contact your agent or company. They can assist you in making
the necessary changes. If you need further information on
automobile insurance, contact the Division of Insurance at 280
Friend Street, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 727-7189 or 436 Dwight
Street, Room 338, Springfield, MA 01103, (413) 784-1190.

Timothy H. Gailey
Commissioner of Insurance

COMPULSORY COVERAGES

Since 1927, under Massachusetts insurance law, motorists
have been required to purchase compulsory motor vehicle
liability insurance. All registered motor vehicles in the
Commonwealth must be insured under Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the
Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Policy. When you buy this
insurance, you receive financial protection in case you become
involved in an accident.
Of course, not all insurance-buying decisions are simple
or clear-cut, because you cannot predict the future. When in
doubt, remember that it is more important to have insurance
against large losses which could threaten your standard of
living than smaller losses that you can afford to pay yourself.

Compulsory Coverages
Part 1: BODILY INJURY TO OTHERS will pay for the damages
to anyone injured or killed by your auto in Massachusetts up to
a limit of $10,000 per person and $20,000 per accident.
Part 1 applies whether your auto is being driven by you
or by someone else with your permission. However, this
coverage never covers injuries to the driver of your auto or to
guests in your auto.
Limits higher than $10,000 per person and $20,000 per
accident and coverage for injuries incurred by guest occupants
of your auto and for out-of-state accidents may be purchased
under Part 5.

Part 2: PERSONAL INJURY PROTECTION (PIP), provides
payment of up to $8,000 to you, anyone driving your auto with
your consent, anyone living in your household, passengers in
your auto and pedestrians struck by your auto, for expenses
incurred as the result of an accident, without regard to
fault. PIP pays for medical expenses, replacement services and
75% of any lost wages.
If you already have good health insurance and disability
health plans – provided by your employer, for example – you
should consider taking a deductible and excluding yourself and
the members of your household from this coverage. However,
remember that even with a comprehensive health insurance plan,
you would not be provided with coverage for lost wages and
replacement services, unless your employer offers a wage
continuation program.

Even with a large deductible for you and members of your
household, guests in your automobile and pedestrians are still
fully covered.

Part 3: BODILY INJURY CAUSED BY AN UNINSURED AUTO
protects you, members of your household, and guests in your
automobile against losses caused by an uninsured automobile, or
from a hit-and-run accident, unless the household member or
guest is protected by their own or another auto insurance
policy. In addition, this coverage protects you and members of
your household as pedestrians against injuries caused by an
uninsured auto or a hit-and-run driver.
Compulsory uninsured automobile coverage requires a
minimum limit of $10,000 per person and $20,000 per accident.
Increasing this coverage makes good sense for most people,
especially for persons who travel outside of Massachusetts, as
compulsory auto insurance is not mandatory in all states.
Please keep in mind that you can purchase Part 3
coverage with limits that are lower than but not higher than
the limits you purchase for Part 5. It is recommended that you
purchase this coverage in limits equal to the limits you
purchase under Part 5.
Part 4: DAMAGE TO SOMEONE ELSE’S PROPERTY pays for
property damage and for costs resulting from the loss of the
use of property damaged from an accident caused by you, a
household member or anyone using your auto with permission.
This Part never covers damage to your automobile or property.
The minimum amount required is $5000. However, you
should consider purchasing this insurance with higher limits.
Today’s new car and repair prices being what they are, a limit
of $25,000 is a good choice for many people.

OPTIONAL COVERAGES

There are eight other coverages available to you in
addition to the compulsory insurance, and in general it is up
to you whether you purchase them or not. These optional
coverages provide additional protection against financial loss
resulting from an automobile accident. If you have borrowed
money to purchase your automobile, your lender may legally
require you to carry the optional coverages, Collision (Part 7)
and Comprehensive (Part 9).
. Your insurance company may refuse to issue you some optional
coverages because of certain prior driving violations or
insurance-related crimes.

Optional Coverages
Part 5: OPTIONAL BODILY INJURY TO OTHERS allows you to
extend the protection you must purchase under Part 1, by
offering coverage above the $10,000/$20,000 limit for injuries
caused by you in Massachusetts, in other parts of the United
States and in Canada.
Unlike the compulsory Bodily Injury insurance, Part 5
will pay for injuries to guests of your automobile and for
injuries to others caused by any person who is using your car
with your consent.
To protect your assets and future income, it makes good
sense to buy higher limits under this Part; $100,000 per person
and $300,000 per accident will meet most drivers needs. Such
additional coverage is valuable since, considering the rising
costs of medical and hospital care, court judgments can easily
exceed $20,000.

Part 6: MEDICAL PAYMENTS covers medical expenses for
injuries resulting from any accident involving you, any
household member and any passenger, once the limits provided
under Part 2, Personal Injury Protection have been exhausted.
It does not cover lost wages. Drivers who have comprehensive
health insurance plans may not need the extra coverage provided
under Part 6.
You should, however, think about buying this Part if you
and your household members do not already have adequate health
insurance or if you want this protection for passengers in your
automobile.

Part 7: COLLISION insurance pays for damage to your
automobile caused by a collision regardless of fault. The cost
of collision protection varies with the model and year of your
automobile, where it is garaged and the operator
classification. Because it pays for damages regardless of
fault, this Part is expensive to purchase.
Unfortunately, there is no good rule-of-thumb to use
when purchasing Collision coverage. If your automobile is
financed, your lender may require you to carry this Part on
your policy. However, if you own your automobile outright,
your decision to purchase Collision should depend on whether or
not you can afford to replace your automobile without help from
your insurance company.

A deductible is the portion of each claim you agree not
to be covered for. For example, if you purchase Collision with
the standard $500 deductible and you suffer a loss of $700, you
will collect $200 from your insurance company. If a loss of
less than $500 occurs, you are responsible for the entire
amount. Collision protection can be purchased at a much lower
price when you purchase a deductible higher than the standard
$500 deductible. Choose the larger deductible if you can
afford to pay a larger loss out of your own pocket. You also
have the option to purchase the more expensive $300
deductible. The choice is not an easy one, so take the time to
evaluate your financial circumstances when purchasing this and
any other available deductible.
Your company may require a $500 Collision or Limited
Collision deductible if you have had a major at-fault accident
within the previous three years.
WAIVER OF DEDUCTIBLE coverage may be purchased at a
higher premium if you opt to purchase Collision coverage. The
Waiver of Deductible allows any deductible you choose to be
ignored in cases of fault on the part of another identifiable
driver. The deductible would not be waived in a hit-and-run
accident, even if the unidentifiable party was completely at
fault.
You might choose to purchase the Waiver of Deductible
for the benefit it offers if you are involved in an accident
caused by an identifiable, insured driver. While many
policyholders are willing to pay the additional cost for the
Waiver of Deductible’s convenience, others view the benefits as
too few to justify the extra premium.
NOTE: Your failure to list a household member as an
operator on your policy may have very serious consequences.
Your insurer will not pay for a Collision loss for an accident
which occurs while your auto is being operated by a household
member who is not listed as an operator on your policy.
Payment is withheld when the household member, if listed, would
require the payment of additional premium on your policy
because the household member would be classified as an
inexperienced operator or a higher rating step would be
assigned under the Safe Driver Insurance Plan.

Part 8: LIMITED COLLISION also pays for damages to your
automobile caused by a collision, although in limited
circumstances. Because this coverage is not as broad as Part
7, its cost is considerably less.
This coverage will not pay for one-car accidents,
accidents in which you are more than 50% at fault or for
accidents where the owner or driver of the other vehicle cannot

be identified. Limited Collision will pay for most other
accidents and offers the convenience of dealing with your own
insurance company.
If you are willing to pay for the damage you might cause
to your auto, or if the value of your auto does not justify
purchasing full Collision coverage, then Limited Collision or
no collision coverage is your best bet.
You may reduce or eliminate the $500 standard Limited
Collision deductible for an extra premium.
NOTE: Your failure to list a household member as an
operator on your policy may have very serious consequences.
Your insurer will not pay for a Limited Collision loss for an
accident which occurs while your auto is being operated by a
household member who is not listed as an operator on your
policy. Payment is withheld when the household member, if
listed, would require the payment of additional premium on your
policy because the household member would be classified as an
inexperienced operator or a higher rating step would be
assigned under the Safe Driver Insurance Plan.

Part 9: COMPREHENSIVE coverage will pay for losses which
are not caused by a collision, such as fire, theft and
vandalism losses. In addition, this insurance will pay you up
to $15 a day for substitute transportation until your stolen
auto is recovered (up to a limit of $450).
Comprehensive coverage does not insure personal
belongings in your auto unless they have been made a permanent
part of your automobile. This means that clothing is never
covered, but a C.B. radio permanently installed in the opening
of the dash or console is.
The standard deductible for Comprehensive coverage is
$500, although you have the option to purchase a $300
deductible. As with the Collision coverage, buying back to the
lower deductible will raise your premium cost. Seriously
consider choosing a larger deductible than the standard one if
you can afford to pay a larger loss out of your own pocket.
You should also consider installing an anti-theft device and/or
a signal-activated vehicle recovery system. Anti-theft
equipment and recovery system discounts, which are discussed in
the Saving Money Section, range from 5% to 35%.
You also have the option of purchasing a $100 deductible
on glass claims. If you take a deductible, you will reduce the
cost of your Comprehensive coverage by %, however if you have
a claim for a broken windshield or other glass damage, you will
have to pay for the first $100 of that damage.

Part 10: SUBSTITUTE TRANSPORTATION pays up to $15 a day
for car rental, taxicab fares and other transportation costs
(up to a limit of $450).
You should carefully consider whether you need this
coverage. Claims for loss of use caused by another driver are
generally payable under that driver’s Damage To Someone Else’s
Property coverage (Part 4). Comprehensive Coverage (Part 9)
provides reimbursement for loss of use resulting from theft.
Moreover, Substitute Transportation coverage does not pay under
all conditions. If your auto is being repaired or replaced
because of damages that would be covered under Collision
coverage (Part 7), you can collect under Part 10. There is no
coverage, however, if your auto is merely in the shop for
routine repairs.
Please note that if you are under the legal age or have
a poor credit rating you may be unable to rent a vehicle.
However, you do remain eligible for the reimbursement of
transportation expenses.

Part 11: TOWING AND LABOR will pay up to $25 for towing
and labor charges each time your automobile breaks down. The
cost of replacement parts is not covered and labor is covered
only to get your auto going again at the place of breakdown.
If you belong to a motor club, you may already have
Towing and Labor coverage – so check your club’s benefits
before purchasing Part 11.
Your insurance company may legally refuse to sell you
Towing and Labor coverage.

Part 12: BODILY INJURY CAUSED BY AN UNDERINSURED AUTO
will pay damages for bodily injury to people injured or killed
as the result of certain accidents caused by someone who does
not have enough insurance, up to the difference between the
total amount collected from the automobile bodily injury
liability insurance covering the owner and the operator of the
auto and the limits you purchased for this coverage.
Your company will pay damages to or for you, or any
household member, unless the household member has his or her
own Massachusetts auto policy or is covered by a Massachusetts
auto policy of a household member providing similar coverage
with higher limits, if you are injured as a pedestrian or while
occupying an auto you do not own. It will also pay damages to
or for anyone else occupying your auto unless that person has
his or her own Massachusetts auto policy or is covered by a
Massachusetts auto policy of any household member providing
similar coverage.

Below are some examples of how this coverage works:
EXAMPLE 1 – You do not buy the Underinsured Auto coverage. You
are injured in an auto accident caused by the other driver who
is legally responsible for your injuries. Your damages total
$20,000. The other driver’s Bodily Injury liability limit is
$10,000. You can collect $10,000 from the other driver’s
insurance, but you must sue the other driver to collect the
other $10,000. If the other driver has no assets, you could
suffer a loss of $10,000.

EXAMPLE 2 – You purchase Underinsured Auto coverage limits of
$20,000 per person; $40,000 per accident. Your damages are
$30,000. The other driver’s policy provides $10,000 of Bodily
Injury liability insurance, which you collect from his
company. You can only collect an additional $10,000 from your
company. This is the difference between the amount collected
from all automobile Bodily Injury liability limits and your
Underinsured Auto limit of $20,000 for each person.

EXAMPLE 3 – You purchase Underinsured Auto coverage limits of
$20,000 per person; $40,000 per accident. Your damages are
$20,000. The other driver’s policy provides $10,000 of Bodily
Injury liability insurance which you collect from his company.
Your Underinsured Auto coverage will pay you $10,000 in full
payment of your outstanding damages. This is the difference
between the other driver’s Bodily Injury limits and your
Underinsured Auto coverage limits.

Keep in mind that since all registered motor vehicles
must have the compulsory Bodily Injury limits of $10,000 per
person; $20,000 per accident, purchasing Underinsured Auto
coverage limits of $10,000/$20,000 provides little or no
coverage. If you choose to purchase Underinsurance coverage,
you may buy limits that are less than but not higher than the
limits purchased under Part 5, however it is recommended that
you buy it in limits equal to the limits you purchase under
Part 5.

SAVING MONEY

Getting the discounts you are entitled to, paying
attention to detail and driving conscientiously can all work to
keep your insurance costs down. By following the suggestions
listed below, you will maximize the available savings.

Be An Alert Shopper
Before choosing your coverages, limits and deductibles,
read the Massachusetts Automobile Insurance Policy carefully to
be certain that you understand the coverages. Assess your
driving habits in order to determine the coverages and limits
you need. When filling out the application, make sure that you
complete it accurately in order for your policy to be rated
properly. Finally, when you receive your Coverage Selections
Page, do not file it away without checking to see that the
coverages, limits, deductibles, discounts and premium are
correct.

Review Your Bill
You do not leave the store without a receipt – and you
should not buy auto insurance without an itemized bill!
First, look at your bill to find out whether any part of
the total cost is for service fees. Although some agents and
brokers charge nothing for the additional effort needed to fill
out various forms or to bring your license plates from the
Registry, others will charge you a fee for performing such
services. However, no agent or broker can charge service fees
in connection with issuing or renewing your automobile
insurance policy, nor are you legally bound to pay for any
other services your agent or broker performs without your
consent.
Your itemized bill should tell you whether you have been
enrolled in a motor club. Obviously, if you do not want to
join a motor club or if you are already a member of a different
motor club, you should not pay the membership dues. If you do
belong to a motor club, check to see if membership includes
benefits similar to the Towing/Labor and Substitute
Transportation coverages – there is no point in buying
duplicate coverage.
Of course, the main thing your insurance bill will tell
you is how much you owe. According to state law, no company,
agent or broker can ask you to pay more than 30% of your
premium before you renew your coverage (although you may pay
more than 30% if you wish). However, if you have defaulted on
a premium payment during the previous twenty-four months, your
insurer can legally require payment of 100% of your premium.

Should you choose to pay less than your total bill, it
is likely that you will have to pay some kind of finance
charge. Choose your finance plan carefully. Commercial
lenders and insurance premium finance agencies charge up to 18%
interest per year on the unpaid balance. Insurance premium
finance agencies may also charge an additional $16 fee for
setting up the account.
For many policyholders, another way of making time
payments is to do business with an insurance company that will
bill you in installments and charge a flat fee for each
billing. These charges vary from company to company and
according to the number of installments you want to make. In
some instances the company’s carrying charges will cost less
than other financing arrangements.

Discount Opportunities
Be particularly careful to answer those application
questions relating to the following five discounts, which can
cut your insurance costs considerably if you qualify for them.
* Low Mileage Discount – If you drive 5,000 or fewer
miles per year, you are eligible for the maximum 10% discount.
If you drive between 5,001 and 7,500 miles per year, you are
eligible for a 5% discount. The discount applies to all
coverages except Comprehensive, Substitute Transportation and
Towing and Labor, and applies to the rate for each insured car
as otherwise determined by territory, driver class, vehicle
model year and symbol, prior to the application of SDIP
surcharges or credits.
* Senior Citizen Discount – Drivers 65 years or older
who are principal operators of their cars receive a 25%
reduction on all their auto coverages, provided there is no
inexperienced driver (one with less than six years of driving
experience) listed on their policies. Cars used for business
are not eligible. The 25% discount does not apply to SDIP
Surcharge Points.
* Public Transportation Discount – Choosing to take
public transportation instead of using your automobile can save
you 10% on your property damage liability and collision
coverages. The maximum discount is $75. To obtain this
discount, you must show evidence of purchase of 11 months of
commuter passes or tickets from a qualified transit system.
* Anti-Theft and Recovery System Discounts-
Policyholders who install certain kinds of anti-theft devices
are eligible for a 5%, 15%, or 20% discount on Comprehensive
coverages. The installation of a signal-activated vehicle
recovery system, in combination with an approved anti-theft
device, can qualify you for a savings between 25%-35%. The
size of the discount varies, depending on the kind of
anti-theft device, and whether it is combined with a vehicle
recovery system.

You should seriously consider buying and using some kind
of anti-theft device and/or vehicle recovery system. Before
you choose a particular brand or model, check with your agent,
broker or company representative about the discount. A quick
check before you buy can help you avoid an expensive
misunderstanding later.
* Multi-Vehicle Discount – Individuals and married
couples who own more than one car and insure them for Collision
or Limited Collision coverage with the same company can get a
5% discount on these coverages. This discount is available
only to experienced drivers.

Inexperienced drivers can realize a 10% savings on three
of the four compulsory coverages and on optional liability and
collision coverages, if they complete an approved
driver-training course. The savings is calculated into the
rates for the particular driver classifications.
Finally, you can affect the cost of your policy by how
you and the other operators of your auto drive. You will
receive Credit Points on your policy if you and the other
operators maintain good driving records. More detailed
information about the Safe Driver Insurance Plan can be found
in Part 4 of this guide.

THE 1990 SAFE DRIVER INSURANCE PLAN

If you and the other drivers listed on your policy have
incident-free driving history records, then your insurance
premium for Bodily Injury to Others (Part l), Personal Injury
Protection (Part 2), Damage to Someone Else’s Property (Part 4)
and Collision (Part 7) coverages will be reduced by the
application of Credit Points, helping to lower your total
automobile insurance bill. If you or any other driver listed
on your policy caused an accident or violated any surchargeable
motor vehicle traffic law, your insurance premium for Parts 1,
2, 4, and 7 will increase due to the application of Surcharge
Points.
The 1990 Safe Driver Insurance Plan 211 CMR 125.00 is
published in accordance with the authority granted to the
Commissioner of Insurance under Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 175 Section 113B.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1990 SAFE DRIVER INSURANCE PLAN
* All operators on a policy will be assigned an SDIP
Step.
* Six years of driving history will be used to rate your
policy.
* An SDIP Step is determined by adding Surcharge Points
for surchargeable incidents within the policy Experience
Period to a starting step value of 15 and subtracting
Credit Points for each year of incident-free driving
within the policy Experience Period for which the
operator was licensed to drive in Massachusetts.
* Operators will receive one Credit Point for each year
of incident-free driving for which they were licensed to
drive in Massachusetts.
* Surcharge Points for Surchargeable Incidents have
increased.
* Aging of incidents has been eliminated.

SAFE DRIVER INSURANCE PLAN (SDIP) STEPS
The 1990 Safe Driver Insurance Plan assigns an SDIP Step
to each operator listed on a policy. For policy year 1990 the
SDIP Step range is from 09 to 35. SDIP Step 09 is the Best
Credit Step for 1990.
All operators enter the step system at Step 15, the
neutral step – no increase or decrease in automobile insurance
premium. Each operator’s SDIP Step is computed by adding to
the starting step value of 15, Surcharge Points for
surchargeable incidents within the policy Experience Period,
and then subtracting Credit Points earned by the operator for
each incident-free year within the policy Experience Period or
special Credit Points for the Clean Slate Rule.

This equation will help you determine your operator SDIP
Step:
STARTING STEP 15
+ SURCHARGE POINTS
– CREDIT POINTS
———————-
= OPERATOR’S SDIP STEP

EXPERIENCE PERIOD
The Experience Period of a 1990 policy is the 6 year
period immediately preceding the policy effective date. The
Experience Period is expected to increase each year by 1 year
up to 15 years. For example, the Experience Period of a policy
in 1991 is expected to be 7 years.

CREDIT POINTS
One Credit Point is subtracted from the starting step of
15 for each incident-free year of driving during the policy
Experience Period. An incident free year of driving is any of
the 1-year periods immediately preceding the policy effective
date for which the operator has been licensed to drive in
Massachusetts and during which the operator has not had a
surchargeable at-fault accident or motor vehicle traffic
violation.
EXAMPLE: If you have been licensed to drive in
Massachusetts for 10 years, there are no surchargeable
incidents on your driving history record and your policy
effective date is 01/01/90, you will be placed at SDIP Step 09,
the Best Credit, for 1990. To compute this yourself, first
determine either the date you obtained your Massachusetts
driver’s license or the beginning date of your policy
Experience Period (preceding 6 years), whichever is later. In
this example, 01/01/84, the beginning date of the policy
Experience Period, is later. Next, subtract 6 Credit Points –
1 point for each incident-free year within the Experience
Period – from the neutral step 15. The resulting number is
your operator SDIP Step.

STARTING STEP 01/01/84 15
CREDIT POINTS – 06
—–
OPERATOR SDIP STEP = 09

Operators with less than 6 years of driving experience
will receive Credit Points for only those incident-free years
for which they were licensed to drive in Massachusetts.
Operators licensed to drive in Massachusetts for less
than 1 year will be placed at SDIP Step 15, the neutral step.

SURCHARGEABLE INCIDENTS AND SURCHARGE POINTS
At-Fault Accidents – If you are involved in an accident
and you file a Collision claim, or if another person

files a claim under Damage To Someone Else’s Property, your
insurance company must determine who was more than 50%
at-fault. It makes no difference whether the at-fault accident
occurred within the Commonwealth or out-of-state.
There are two types of at-fault accidents. A Minor
At-Fault Accident is a claim payment under Damage to Someone
Else’s Property, Collision or Limited Collision coverage of
more than $200 but not more than $1,500 and a Major At-Fault
Accident is a claim payment under Damage to Someone Else’s
Property, Collision or Limited Collision coverage of more than
$1,500.
If your company finds that you were at-fault and pays a
claim of more than $200, the at-fault accident will be added to
your operator’s driving history record and your company will
send you a Surcharge Notice. The Surcharge Date for an
at-fault accident is the Date of Notice entered by your insurer
on the Surcharge Notice form. The accident will become part of
your driving history record unless the company withdraws the
Surcharge Notice or you successfully appeal the notice to the
Board of Appeal.

Appealing At-Fault Accidents- Accident surcharges must
be appealed at the time you receive the Surcharge Notice from
your insurance company. Detailed instructions for filing an
appeal are on the Surcharge Notice. The Board of Appeal on
Motor Vehicle Liability Policies and Bonds will hold the
hearing and will notify you, your company and the Merit Rating
Board of its decision. If the Board determines that you were
not more than 50% at-fault in the accident, the Merit Rating
Board will remove the incident from your driving history record.
If your premium is increased due to Surcharge Points for
an at-fault accident while your appeal is pending, you must pay
the additional premium or your policy will be cancelled. Your
policy will be re-rated by your insurance company if you win
your appeal.
If you have any questions concerning an appeal of a
Surcharge Notice, contact the Board of Appeal at (617)
727-7189, extension #223.

Motor Vehicle Traffic Law Violations – If you are
convicted of, or make payments for, violating certain motor
vehicle traffic laws, or are assigned to an alcohol education
program, the court will notify the Merit Rating Board. The
motor vehicle traffic law violation will be added to your
driving history record. The court judgment date is the
Surcharge Date for a motor vehicle traffic law violation.
Surcharge Points are not assigned to a non-criminal
minor motor vehicle traffic law violation if it is the first
motor vehicle traffic law violation in the operator’s policy

Experience Period. No Surcharge Points are assessed for the
incident but no Credit Points are calculated for the year in
which the surcharge date is recorded, since the operator does
not have an incident-free year.
A list of all surchargeable Motor Vehicle Traffic Law
Violations can be obtained from the Merit Rating Board.

Out of-State Violations – Convictions of Motor Vehicle
Traffic Laws outside the Commonwealth that are reported to the
Registry of Motor Vehicles will be added to the operator’s
driving history record and will be subject to Surcharge Points.

Surcharge Points – The number of Surcharge Points
assigned to each surchargeable incident is determined by the
type of incident:

Minor Traffic Law Violation 2 Surcharge Points
Minor At-Fault Accident 3 Surcharge Points
Major At-Fault Accident 4 Surcharge Points
Major Traffic Law Violation 5 Surcharge Points

EXAMPLE: If you have been licensed to drive in
Massachusetts for 8 years; you have 2 Minor Traffic Law
Violations and 1 Minor At-Fault Accident on your driving
history record and your policy effective date is 01/01/90, then
your SDIP Step will be 17.

STARTING STEP 01/01/84 15
Incident Date Surcharge Date
SPEEDING 12/01/84 12/22/84 00
MINOR AT-FAULT ACCIDENT 07/17/87 08/18/87 03
SPEEDING 04/24/88 05/02/88 02
CREDIT POINTS (incident-free years 1985, 1986 and 1989) – 03
—-
OPERATOR SDIP STEP = 17

COMPREHENSIVE CLAIMS
Your insurance company is required to notify the Merit
Rating Board when a Comprehensive claim has been paid.
Comprehensive claims are added to the policyholder’s driving
history record. In future years the Comprehensive coverage on
your private passenger automobile insurance policy may be
subject to Surcharge Points if you submit four or more
Comprehensive claims on or after January 1, 1984, totaling
$2,000 or more.
Surcharge Points for Comprehensive claims will not be
applied for policies effective in 1990.

ASSIGNMENT OF OPERATOR SDIP STEPS TO VEHICLES LISTED ON A POLICY
After each operator listed on your policy is assigned an
SDIP Step, the operators are assigned to the vehicles listed on
the policy. The listed operator with the highest Step is
assigned to the vehicle with the highest combined premium for
Parts 1, 2, 4, and 7. For each subsequent vehicle, the listed
operator with the next highest Step is assigned to the vehicle
with the next highest combined premium until all the vehicles
have been exhausted. An operator’s SDIP Step greater than SDIP
Step 15 can not be billed on more than one policy in effect at
the same time.
When there are more vehicles than operators listed on a
policy, the excess vehicles are assigned the step of the
operator with the lowest Step unless such operator’s Step is
above SDIP Step 15. In such case, the excess vehicles are
assigned SDIP Step 15.

EXAMPLE: A policy lists four (4) vehicles and three (3)
operators: Operator A’s SDIP Step is 20, Operator B’s SDIP
Step is 15 and Operator C’s SDIP Step is 09.

Vehicles Operators
1 A. SDIP Step 20
2 B. SDIP Step 15
3 C. SDIP Step 09
4 C. SDIP Step 09

APPLICATION OF PREMIUM ADJUSTMENTS TO COVERAGES
An operator’s SDIP Step determines how much of an
adjustment will be made to the policy premium. SDIP Steps 09
(Best Credit) to 14 are Credit Steps. For each step below 15
the operator’s premium will be adjusted downwards. Step 15 is
the neutral step, which means the operator is neither in credit
nor surcharge status, and will not receive a reduction or an
increase in premium. Step 16 through 35 are Surcharge Steps.
For each step above 15 the operator’s premium will be adjusted
upwards. If you wish to calculate the actual amount of your
credit or surcharge, refer to “Calculation of SDIP Credits and
Surcharges” at the end of this section.

Liability Premium- Each step represents a 7% change in
the following liability coverages:
Part l: Bodily Injury to Others
Part 2: Personal Injury Protection
Part 4: Damage to Someone Else’s Property (PDL)

Collision Premium- Each step represents a 5% change in
Collision Coverage:
Part 7: Collision

Example: If you have been licensed to drive in
Massachusetts for six years; you have no incidents on your
6-year driving history record; your SDIP Step is 09; and you
have Liability and Collision coverages on your policy, then you
will receive a 42% (7% X 6 steps) reduction on your Liability
coverages and a 30% (5% X 6 steps) reduction on your Collision
coverage.

CLEAN SLATE RULES
The Safe Driver Insurance Plan provides incentives to
operator’s who have incidents on their record in the early
years of the Experience Period, but in subsequent years have
maintained clean driving history records.

Transitional Clean Slate Rule- In order to ensure a fair
and equitable transition from the 1989 Safe Driver Insurance
Plan, the 1990 Safe Driver Insurance Plan includes a Clean
Slate Rule. For 1990, a 3-Year Clean Slate Rule will place an
operator in a credit step if that operator would have been in
credit status under the 1989 SDIP.
If the operator’s SDIP Step is greater than 15, the
operator’s SDIP Step will be set at 14 if all of the following
conditions for the Clean Slate Rule are met:

Three (3) Year Clean Slate Rule applies to an operator on a
1990 policy if:
a. the operator has a three year period of incident free
driving within the policy Experience Period;
b. the three year period occurs after 1/1/87 and before
12/31/90;
c. the operator had a valid Massachusetts driver license
for the entire three year incident-free period; and
d. the operator’s SDIP step at the end of the incident-free
period would be greater than 14. Then the operator’s
SDIP step is set to 14.
Points for surchargeable incidents within the policy Experience
Period which have surcharge dates that are recorded after this
3-year incident free period are added to operator SDIP Step 14.

Clean Slate Incentive- As an incentive to promote safe
driving, a Five (5) Year Clean Slate provision has been added
for policies effective after 1991. If an operator maintains
five consecutive years of incident-free driving within the
policy Experience Period, and the operator’s SDIP Step is
greater than 15, then the operator’s SDIP Step will be set at
15. The operator must have a valid Massachusetts driver’s
license for the entire five year incident free period.
SAFE DRIVER INSURANCE PLAN (SDIP) STATEMENT
Your insurance company is required to send you a Safe
Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP) Statement if you or any operator
listed on your policy are not assigned Operator Step 09, the
Best Credit for 1990.

REFUSAL TO PAY A PREMIUM INCREASE
If you refuse to pay your premium increase due to
Surcharge Points, your insurance company will cancel your
policy after sending you the Notice of Cancellation required by
law.

RECORD ERROR OR BILLING PROBLEMS
If you believe a billing is erroneous, you should first
contact your insurance agent, broker or company. Make sure you
have all necessary information on hand, including your Coverage
Selections Page, Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP) Statement
and copies of your billings.
If you question the accuracy of your driving history
record as shown on your Safe Driver Insurance Plan (SDIP)
Statement call or write the Merit Rating Board’s Insurance
Company Services Section, 100 Nashua Street, 6th Floor, Boston,
MA 02114, (617) 727-7017. You must pay a billed premium while
the matter is under investigation or your insurance company
will cancel your policy. If an error is discovered, it will be
corrected and all parties will be notified in writing. If you
were erroneously billed your insurance company will re-rate
your policy.

OBTAINING A COPY OF YOUR OPERATOR DRIVING HISTORY RECORD
You may obtain a copy of your operator driving history
record from the Merit Rating Board. This detailed record will
show six years of your active surchargeable incidents on file
at the Merit Rating Board. The cost is $3.00. DO NOT MAIL
CASH. Make check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
No fee is required to inspect your computer record at
the Merit Rating Board’s office. However, a prior appointment
must be made with the Board’s Insurance Company Service Section.
CALCULATION OF SDIP CREDITS AND SURCHARGES
Your total policy credit or surcharge is determined by
multiplying the coverage premium shown on your Coverage
Selections Page by the factor which corresponds to your SDIP
Step (see below), and then adding the products for all four
coverages. Subtract this number from your total premium if you
are determining a credit. Add this number to your total premium
if you are determining a surcharge.
================================================================
SURCHARGE FACTORS
Step Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 7
Number BI to Others PIP Property Collision
Damage
—— ——— ——- ——– ——-

35 1.40 1.40 1.40 1.00
34 1.33 1.33 1.33 0.95
33 1.26 1.26 1.26 0.90
32 1.19 1.19 1.19 0.85
31 1.12 1.12 1.12 0.85
30 1.05 1.05 1.05 0.75
29 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.70
28 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.65
27 0.84 0.84 0.84 0.60
26 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.55
25 0.70 0.70 0.70 0.50
24 0.63 0.63 0.63 0.45
23 0.56 0.56 0.56 0.40
22 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.35
21 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.30
20 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.25
19 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.20
18 0.21 0.21 0.21 0.15
17 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.10
16 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.05
=================================================================
NO CREDIT/NO SURCHARGE FACTORS
Step
Number Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 7
—— ——- —— —— ——
15 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
=================================================================
SURCHARGE FACTORS
Step
Number Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 7
—— ——— ——- —— ——
14 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.05
13 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.10
12 0.21 0.21 0.21 0.15
11 0.28 0.28 0.28 0.20
BEST 10 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.25
CREDIT= 09 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.30
================================================================

The Division would like to thank the Merit Rating Board for its
preparation of this section of the guide.

FILING A COMPLAINT

If you believe that your insurance company has acted
improperly in issuing, renewing or cancelling your automobile
insurance policy, or has refused to pay all or part of a fair
claim, or your agent, broker or company has misrepresented you,
you have the right to file a complaint and seek a resolution.
The problem may be due to a simple error, and may be
corrected with an inquiry over the telephone. Contact your
agent, broker or company representative. Make sure you have all
necessary information on hand, such as the policy or account
number, a clear and concise description of the problem and any
other important information.
If you do not receive a prompt, satisfactory response,
write a letter to the company briefly explaining your problem and
what you expect to be done to correct it. It may be a good idea
to send the letter by registered mail to guarantee that the
company receives it.
If you still feel you have been treated unfairly, send a
complaint letter to the Division of Insurance, and we will assist
you in resolving your problem. Be sure to include your name,
address, and phone number; the name of the agent, broker or
insurance company; the policy number; and a brief description of
the problem. Make sure you keep a copy of the letter and any
other documents you include with the letter, for your own
records. Keep all letters, receipts, bills and policies together
for easy reference. The Division of Insurance has Consumer
Service offices located at:

280 Friend Street 436 Dwight Street, Rm. 438
Boston, MA 02114 Springfield, MA 01103
(617) 727-3333 (413) 784-1190

We will make every effort to ensure that your valid
complaint is resolved in a satisfactory manner, by investigating
the problem, clarifying misunderstandings and making sure you get
clear responses to your questions. We cannot however, guarantee
a favorable action on your complaint if it is not supported by
facts or the law, nor can we provide legal services that may be
required to settle a more complicated complaint.

0

Suggestions For Auto Mar

AUTO & GARAGE

Keep an auto maintenance book. Write down dates that repairs, or
maintenance was done. Write down where the work was done or by
whom.

On a piece of tape write the mileage down when the next oil
change is due. Attach this to your upper windshield or another
convenient place to remind you when it’s time to change the oil.

Never wash your car in the sun to prevent streaking.

A dust mop head, worn as a mitten is great for washing your car.

Coca-cola and aluminum foil will clean rust off your car bumper.

Remove old bumper stickers with lighter fluid. Soak stickers for
a few minutes then gently remove with a razor blade.

Steel wool pads with soap cleans white sidewalls the best.

Clean splattered bugs off with baking soda and a nylon net.

When white walls are clean use a little vinyl top wax to keep
them clean longer.

Clean headlights, chrome and enamel with baking soda.

Drop a business card or file card with your name on, down the
window slot in case you ever need to prove ownership.

Prevent rust by keeping the underside of your car clean also.
Place a lawn sprinkle under your car and turn on full blast. Move
occasionally so it will reach all areas. This is a good way to
remove all salt and road grime

If you chip the paint on your car, clean promptly and apply clear
nail polish to area to prevent rust.

Remove road salt from carpet with equal amounts of vinegar and
water.

Remove tar from rubber car mats, by dabbing a generous dose of
linseed oil on tar. Let it soak for about fifteen minutes and
blot with a dampened cloth.

Use newspaper to wipe windows dry after cleaning to avoid
streaks.

Make your own washer solvent that won’t freeze by combining 1
quart of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons liquid
detergent. This formula won’t freeze down to 35 degrees below 0.

Line your car trunk with a plastic rug protector to protect the
carpeting. It will make clean up easier if dirty or greasy
objects are placed in the trunk.

Leave one window open a crack to prevent frost from building up
on the inside of the window.

If car windows do steam up on the inside, carry a blackboard
eraser in your vehicle. This will quickly remove fog.

When tuning up your car, set gap on plugs using the widest gap
that the manufacturer recommends, Your car will run better, idle
better, and will give you better gas mileage.

Clean hard to reach areas (dash, cup holders) with a dampened
sponge tip brush.

Laundry prewash takes tar off car finish.

Peanut butter has been known to remove tar also.

Avoid putting air in your tire if the temperature is below 10
degrees. The valve could stick and let all of the air out.

If wipers are beginning to wear down, extend their life by
rubbing briskly with sandpaper.

Clean windshield wipers with a good scrubbing of baking soda and
water.

A radio antenna will slide up and down easier, if a coat of wax
is applied occasionally. Wax paper will work great. Rub the wax
paper up and down the antenna, the wax from the paper will coat
the antenna.

If battery terminals are heavily corroded, the quickest and
easiest way to clean them is to pour carbonated soft drink over
them. It will eat the corrosion away. Soda and water will also
do the trick.

Apply vaseline to battery posts for better contact.

Grease one side of a penny and place that side down on the middle
of the battery so corrosion will collect on the penny instead of
the battery posts.

If you don’t have a sealed battery, make sure to check the water
level. Water evaporates fast during summer heat.

A broom is the quickest way to clean snow from a car. You can
cut the handle down on the broom and store it in the trunk.

In the glove box, keep a few Handy Wipes to remove gas odor from
your hands from filling the tank.

Remove auto grease from hands with baking soda and water.

A hubcap can be used as a shovel if your auto gets stuck in the
snow, mud, or sand.

Place a bag of kitty litter in your trunk, in case you get stuck
in the snow. Sprinkle some under the tires to get traction.

An unpainted garage entry door can swell and warp and be hard to
open. Remove door and allow to dry. Paint door and all edges to
seal out moisture.

Grease and oil spots in garage are unsightly and also can be
tracked into the house. Avoid ruining carpets by keeping garage
floor clean.

Auto grease can be cleaned up with ordinary baking soda and warm
water.

Make a drip pan to collect oil drips by placing corrugated
cardboard in a cookie sheet. Or fill a cookie sheet with kitty
litter. Change as needed.

Oil drips on your garage floor can be absorbed with kitty litter
or oatmeal.

If your vehicle leaks fluids, leave kitty litter on floor and
sweep up when saturated.

To prevent dust from rising when sweeping out a dirty garage,
shred newspaper and dampen with hot water. Spread newspaper
around floor and then sweep.

Fresh grass clippings can also be used to keep dust down.

If you have an automatic garage door, and you often come home to
find it open, try changing the frequency. Your neighbor’s garage
opener may be set to the same frequency as yours. While on
vacation unplug opener to avoid garage door being open.

If you have poor lighting in garage, place reflector tape on
objects that might be hit.

Paint a bright color strip or use luminous tape on center of back
wall to aim the car down the center of garage.

Use carpet strips, foam rubber, or pieces of rubber tire around
support studs or framing that car doors open against.

Paint parking spaces on garage floor for bicycles, lawn mowers
and other objects to help children return objects to the right
places.

0

Attila The Hun And The Battle Of Chalons By Arther Ferrill

[ra.msstate.edu:pub/history/articles/article.attila.txt]

This is a draft of an article that was published in a slightly different
form in MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History. All citations should
be to the published version and not to this draft.

ATTILA THE HUN AND THE BATTLE OF CHALONS

by Arther Ferrill

No one represents the unbridled fury and savagery of bar-
barism as much as Attila the Hun. Even in the twentieth cen-
tury one of the worst names that could be found for the Germans
was to call them Huns. Attila, as the greatest Hun leader,
is the stereotypical sacker of cities and killer of babies.
In his own day he and his Huns were known as the “Scourge of
God,” and the devastation they caused in Gaul before the great
Battle of Chalons in 451 AD became a part of medieval folklore
and tradition.
The clash at Chalons was one of those rare monumental
conflicts, pitting against one another two of the towering
figures of Late Antiquity, the fierce and passionate Attila
and the noble Ae?tius, sometimes called “the last of the Ro-
mans.” By 451 Aetius had been the foremost general in the
Roman Empire for many years, and he was also the chief polit-
ical adviser to the Emperor of the West, Valentinian III. In
the previous forty years the once great Empire had suffered
staggering setbacks, especially in the West. Ae?tius had done
more than anyone else to keep what remained of the Roman world
strong and prosperous.
Despite Ae?tius’ efforts, when Attila crossed the Rhine
with the Huns in 451, he threatened a tottering relic of pow-
er. The Western Roman Empire had already been ravaged by
Visigoths, Vandals, Suebi, Alamanni, Burgundians and other
barbarian tribes. Visigoths had an independent kingdom in
Aquitaine, and Vandals occupied North Africa with a capital
at Carthage. Roman rule in many parts of Gaul and Spain was
merely nominal. Although Aetius had waged his own personal
fight against the tide of the times, he had not been able to
hold back the wave of invasions that had rolled over the West
ever since Alaric and the Visigoths had sacked the city of
Rome in 410.
One of the most fascinating features of the story of At-
tila and the Huns is that the background to their potent pen-
etration of Roman Gaul and the decisive Battle of ChE?lons is
every bit as spellbinding as the actual combat itself. Al-
though parts of the story are nearly incredible, the evidence
for it is reasonably good–as good, at least, as evidence ever
is for the fifth century AD. It is a tale of lust for sex and
power, for money and land, and the principal actors are as
colorful as any who ever lived.
The Huns themselves were a people of mystery and terror.
Arriving on the fringes of the Roman Empire in the late fourth
century, riding their war horses out of the great steppes of
Asia, they struck fear into Germanic barbarians and Romans
alike. Some scholars believe that they had earlier moved
against the Chinese Empire but were turned away and swept to-
wards Rome instead. As they approached the Black Sea and con-
quered the Ostrogoths, they also drove the Visigoths across
the Danube into the Roman Empire and caused the crisis that
led to the astounding defeat of the Roman army under the Em-
peror Valens at Adrianople in 378 AD.
Those early Huns, using the traditional tactics of mount-
ed archers, seemed like monsters from the darkness to their
more civilized contemporaries. The Roman historian Ammianus
Marcellinus, writing at the end of the fourth century, de-
scribed their savage customs and elaborated on their military
tactics:

The nation of the Huns…surpasses all other barbarians
in wildness of life….And though [the Huns] do just bear
the likeness of men (of a very ugly pattern), they are
so little advanced in civilization that they make no use
of fire, nor any kind of relish, in the preparation of
their food, but feed upon the roots which they find in
the fields, and the half-raw flesh of any sort of animal.
I say half-raw, because they give it a kind of cooking
by placing it between their own thighs and the backs of
their horses….
When attacked, they will sometimes engage in regular
battle. Then, going into the fight in order of columns,
they fill the air with varied and discordant cries. More
often, however, they fight in no regular order of battle,
but by being extremely swift and sudden in their move-
ments, they disperse, and then rapidly come together
again in loose array, spread havoc over vast plains, and
flying over the rampart, they pillage the camp of their
enemy almost before he has become aware of their ap-
proach. It must be owned that they are the most terrible
of warriors because they fight at a distance with missile
weapons having sharpened bones admirably fastened to the
shaft. When in close combat with swords, they fight
without regard to their own safety, and while their enemy
is intent upon parrying the thrust of the swords, they
throw a net over him and so entangle his limbs that he
loses all power of walking or riding.

Obviously, when the Huns first appeared on the edges of
the Roman Empire, they made a strong impression, but after
their initial threats they settled down along the Danube, par-
ticularly in the Great Hungarian Plain, and for almost fifty
years they served the Romans as allies more often than they
attacked them as enemies. In return, the Eastern Emperor,
beginning in the 420’s, paid them an annual subsidy. On the
whole, this uneasy relationship worked well although there
were times when the Huns threatened to intervene directly in
imperial affairs.
The decisive turn of events came with the accession of
Attila as King of the Huns. The new ruler was much more ag-
gressive and ambitious than his predecessors had been, and ar-
rogance sometimes made him unpredictable. There is a story
that he claimed to own the actual sword of Mars, and that other
barbarian chiefs could not look the King of the Huns directly
in the eyes without flinching. Attila was a striking figure,
and Edward Gibbon in The History of the Decline and Fall of
the Roman Empire offered a famous description of the person-
ality and appearance of the Hun, based on an ancient account:

His features, according to the observation of a Gothic
historian, bore the stamp of his national origin…a
large head, a swarthy complexion, small, deep-seated
eyes, a flat nose, a few hairs in the place of a beard,
broad shoulders, and a short square body, of a nervous
strength, though of a disproportioned form. The haughty
step and demeanour of the king of the Huns expressed the
consciousness of his superiority above the rest of man-
kind; and he had a custom of fiercely rolling his eyes,
as if he wished to enjoy the terror which he in-
spired….He delighted in war; but, after he had ascended
the throne in a mature age, his head, rather than his
hand, achieved the conquest of the North; and the fame
of an adventurous soldier was usefully exchanged for that
of a prudent and successful general.

At the outset of his reign (sometime after 435) Attila
demanded more money, and the Eastern Emperor, Theodosius II,
obligingly doubled the annual subsidy. For various reasons,
however, the new king began in the late 440’s to look to the
West as the main area of opportunity for the Huns. For the
next decade and a half after his accession Attila was the most
powerful foreign potentate in the affairs of the Western Roman
Empire. His Huns had become a sedentary nation and were no
longer the horse nomads of the earlier days. The Great Hun-
garian Plain did not offer as much room as the steppes of Asia
for grazing horses, and the Huns were forced to develop an
infantry to supplement their now much smaller cavalry. As one
leading authority has recently said, “When the Huns first ap-
peared on the steppe north of the Black Sea, they were nomads
and most of them may have been mounted warriors. In Europe,
however, they could graze only a fraction of their former
horse-power, and their chiefs soon fielded armies which re-
sembled the sedentary forces of Rome.” By the time of Attila
the army of the Huns had become like that of most barbarian
nations in Europe. It was, however, very large, as we shall
see, and capable of conducting siege operations, which most
other barbarian armies could not do effectively.
In any event the Hunnic invasion of Gaul was a huge un-
dertaking. The Huns had a reputation for cruelty that was not
undeserved. In the 440’s one of Attila’s attacks against the
East in the Balkans aimed at a city in the Danubian provinces,
Naissus (441-42). It was located about a hundred miles south
of the Danube on the Nischava River. The Huns so devastated
the place that when Roman ambassadors passed through to meet
with Attila several years later, they had to camp outside the
city on the river. The river banks were still filled with
human bones, and the stench of death was so great that no one
could enter the city. Many cities of Gaul would soon suffer
the same fate.
After securing a strong position on the Roman side of the
Danube the Huns were checked by the famous Eastern Roman
general, Aspar, as they raided Thrace (442). Then, in 447,
Attila descended into the Balkans in another great war against
the East. The Huns marched as far as Thermopylae and stopped
only when the Eastern Emperor, Thodosius II, begged for terms.
Attila accepted payment of all tribute in arrears and a new
annual tribute of 2,100 pounds of gold. The Huns were also
given considerable territory south of the Danube. One source
says of this campaign, “There was so much killing and blood-
letting that no one could number the dead. The Huns pillaged
the churches and monasteries, and slew the monks and
virgins….They so devastated Thrace that it will never rise
again and be as it was before.” This strong victory in the
East left Attila free to plan the attack on the West that
culminated in the invasion of Gaul.
Another of the great barbaric chieftains of the age,
Gaiseric, King of the Vandals, played a role in the prelude
to Chalons. He urged Attila to attack the Visigoths in the
West because of the hostility between Vandals and Visigoths.
A generation earlier Gaiseric’s son had married the daughter
of Theodoric I, King of the Visigoths, but in 442 the Roman
Emperor Valentinian III agreed to the betrothal of his daugh-
ter to Gaiseric’s son, and the Visigothic princess was re-
turned to her people with her nose and ears inhumanly
mutilated. From that time on the enmity of Vandals and Visig-
oths was great, and when Attila did cross the Rhine, the
Visigoths joined Aetius against the Huns, but the Vandals
stayed out of the war.
Two other considerations proved especially important.
One was the death of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius II, who
fell from his horse and died in 450. His successor, Marcian
(450-7), took a hard line on barbarian encroachment in the
Balkans and refused to pay Attila the usual subsidy. The fury
of the Hun was monstrous, but he decided to take out his wrath
on the West, because it was weaker than the East,and because
one of history’s most peculiar scandals gave Attila a justi-
fication for war with the Western Emperor. Honoria, Emperor
Valentinian’s sister, had been discovered in 449 in an affair
with her steward. The unfortunate lover was executed, and
Honoria, who was probably pregnant, was kept in seclusion. In
a rage she smuggled a ring and a message to the King of the
Huns and asked Attila to become her champion. He treated this
as a marriage proposal and asked for half of the Western Em-
pire as her dowry. So when he crossed the Rhine, he could
claim that he merely sought by force what was his by right of
betrothal to Honoria.
After massive preparations Attila invaded the Rhine with
a large army of Huns and allied barbarian tribes. In his force
was a sizable body of Ostrogoths and other Germanic warriors,
including Burgundians and Alans who lived on the barbarian
side of the frontier. The Franks were split between pro- and
anti-Roman factions. As early as April Attila took Metz, and
fear swept through Gaul. Ancient accounts give figures that
range between 300,000 and 700,000 for the army of the Huns.
Whatever the size, it was clearly enormous for the fifth cen-
tury AD. Some of the greatest cities of Europe were sacked
and put to the torch: Rheims, Mainz, Strasbourg, Cologne,
Worms and Trier. Paris fortunately had the advantage of hav-
ing a saint in the city and was spared because of the minis-
trations of St. Genvieve.
After he secured the Rhine, Attila moved into central
Gaul and put OrlCAans under siege. Had he gained his objec-
tive, he would have been in a strong position to subdue the
Visigoths in Aquitiane, but Ae?tius had put together a formi-
dable coalition against the Hun. Working frenetically, the
Roman leader had built a powerful alliance of Visigoths, Alans
and Burgundians, uniting them with their traditional enemy,
the Romans, for the defense of Gaul. Even though all parties
to the protection of the Western Roman Empire had a common
hatred of the Huns, it was still a remarkable achievement on
Ae?tius’ part to have drawn them into an effective military
relationship.
Attila had not expected such vigorous action on the part
of the Romans, and he was too wise to let his army be trapped
around the walls of Orleans, so he abandoned the siege, ac-
cording to one source, on June 14. This gave the Romans and
their allies the advantage in morale as the Huns withdrew into
the open country of the modern Champagne district of France.
There on the Catalaunian Plains (some believe closer to Troyes
than to Chalons) a great battle was fought, probably about
June 20. Attila seems to have been shaken by his sudden re-
versal of fortune. Uncertain of victory and in the confusion
of retreat, on the day of the battle he stayed behind his lines
in the wagon laager until afternoon. It is likely that he
planned to begin fighting late enough in the day to fall back
under darkness of night should that prove necessary. He did
finally move up his army in battle order.
On the right wing of the Hunnic army Attila stationed the
bulk of his Germanic allies. The Ostrogoths fought on the
left, and in the center Attila took position with his best
troops, the Huns. On the other side Aetius decide to put his
least reliable troops, the Alans, in the center to take what-
ever assault Attila directed towards them. The Visigoths were
placed on the Roman right, and the Romans themselves took the
left. Aetius clearly hoped to execute a double envelopment,
hitting hard against the two weak flanks of Attila’s army
while fighting a defensive, holding action in the center.
When the Romans on the left were able to seize some high ground
on the flank of the Hunnic right wing during an initial skir-
mish, they gained a considerable advantage.
Thus began one of the Western world’s greatest and most
decisive battles. All the sources agree that it was a costly
one in human lives: cadavera vero innumera (“truly countless
bodies”), is the way one ancient author puts it. Attila
struck hard against the Alans in the Roman center. As he drove
them back the Romans on his right moved down in a sharp attack.
The forward momentum of the Huns in the center exposed their
flank to an attack by Theodoric, King of the Visigoths, and
as night fell, the Huns had taken a beating though losses on
both sides were extraordinary. Attila retreated to the safety
of his laager, and the archers of the Huns kept the Romans at
bay. Theodoric had lost his life in the battle.
In fact at this point the battle was over. Some on the
Roman side wanted Ae?tius to resume the fighting the next day,
but he chose not to. Perhaps he wanted to leave Attila with
his forces, though battered, still intact in order to keep the
barbarians of Gaul united behind Rome. In any event, he en-
couraged the new King of the Visigoths to hurry back to
Aquitaine to secure his accession to the throne. Attila began
his withdrawal back across the Rhine and was able to effect
it easily. Many have criticized Aa?tius for making things too
easy for the Huns, for not destroying their army, but it is
not necessary to introduce political considerations to ex-
plain the Roman commander’s motives. Militarily he did the
right thing. The sources make it clear that the Roman alli-
ance also took heavy losses at Chalons, and Attila was merely
a wounded tiger. He continued to have considerable military
power. Although the Hun had been beaten in a bloody battle,
it was probably wise for Aetius to allow his savage foe a line
of retreat. To have driven Attila the Hun out of the Empire
was satisfaction enough. It is true that in the following
year Attila invaded Italy and caused much suffering before he
withdrew, but if he had launched a successful counterattack
in Gaul the whole course of Western history might have been
changed. Unlike most other barbarians of the age, the Huns
were not Christians, and their respect for the Graeco-Roman
Christian civilization of the Late Empire was much more lim-
ited even than that of Visigoth and Vandal.
For various reasons twentieth century “scientific” his-
torians have minimized and even ridiculed the concept of “de-
cisive battles”. There is a widespread belief that human
events are rarely determined on the battlefield. In the nine-
teenth century Edward Creasy’s book, The Fifteen Decisive Bat-
tles of the World (originally published in 1851) became a best
seller and exercised considerable influence. (Incidentally
Creasy included the Battle of Chalons on his list.) But the
early twentieth century saw a change. Hans Delbru?ck totally
ignored Chalons in his monumental History of the Art of War
Within the Framework of Political History (1920-21), and one
of the foremost authorities on the Late Roman Empire, J.B.
Bury, refused, as some others have done, even to call it by
its traditional name:

The Battle of Maurica [Chalons] was a battle of nations,
but its significance has been enormously exaggerated in con-
ventional history. It cannot in any reasonable sense be des-
ignated as one of the critical battles of the world….The
danger did not mean so much as has been commonly assumed. If
Attila had been victorious…there is no reason to suppose
that the course of history would have been seriously altered.

To be sure, the exact location of the battle has been
disputed and is in doubt. In that general area of modern
France it has been a favorite occupation of retired colonels
to spend their weekends looking for evidence of the battle-
field. But there are many extremely important ancient battles
whose exact locations are uncertain: Plataea, Issus, Cannae,
Zama, and Pharsalus, to name but a few. Considering the pau-
city of ancient evidence uncertainty of that sort is to be
expected, and it can hardly be used as evidence that the bat-
tles were not important. As to exaggerating the danger of
Attila and the Huns, why were they less dangerous than Hanni-
bal and the Carthaginians or Alaric and the Visigoths?
It is true that the threat of the Huns to Rome had not
been entirely removed by Aa?tius’ victory at Chalons. Though
beaten and forced to retreat across the Rhine, Attila still
had a powerful force, and he had not learned his lesson. The
next year (452) he crossed over the Alps and moved down into
Italy, launching another great invasion that terrorized the
inhabitants of the Western Roman Empire. In some ways this
second invasion of the West was even more savage than the
first. The city of Aquileia at the tip of the Adriatic was
wiped off the face of the earth. The fugitives from that piti-
ful city are supposed to have fled into the lagoons of the
Adriatic and to have founded the new city of Venice. Much of
the Po Valley–Milan, Verona, and Padua–was devastated and
depopulated. The Hun had pillaged and destroyed Northern It-
aly! Aa?tius found it much more difficult to persuade Visig-
oths and Alans to help in the defense of Italy than he had a
year earlier in organizing them to protect Gaul.
For awhile it appeared that Italy would be lost to the
invaders, but actually Attila’s position was weaker than the
Romans realized, undoubtedly because of the serious losses he
had suffered the previous year at ChE?lons. There is a famous
tradition that Pope Leo I met Attila in Northern Italy at the
confluence of the Minicio and the Po and persuaded him to
leave Italy with a display of eloquence and a show of elabo-
rate sacerdotal robes. There occurred, according to legend,
one of the most famous miracles in the history of Christian-
ity–St. Peter and St. Paul appeared to Attila threatening him
with instant death if he ignored the urgings of Leo.
In an act that added immeasurably to the influence of the
fledgling papacy, an obliging Attila led his army out of It-
aly. It was probably not so much the influence of Leo as the
fact that his troops were short of supplies that motivated the
great barbarian leader. There had been a famine in Italy in
450-51, and logistical support had never been a strong point
for barbarian armies. Also a plague swept through the army
of the Huns, and the Eastern Emperor Marcian sent an army
across the Danube to strike into the heartland of the Huns’
territory. When these factors are added to the disastrous
loses the year earlier at Chalons, it is obvious why Attila
was able to see merit in the humanitarian arguments of Pope
Leo.
In any event, the great Hun spared Rome and withdrew from
Italy. Twice in successive years, at Chalons and in Northern
Italy, the menace of the Huns had proved incapable of bringing
the Western Empire to its knees. Perhaps Rome’s last great
service to the West was to serve as a buffer between the Asi-
atic Huns and the Germanic barbarians whose destiny was to lay
the medieval foundations of the modern, western nations. Ae-
tius had been blamed by many Italians for not having destroyed
Attila and the Huns in Gaul, but “the last of the Romans” had
contributed substantially to the ruin of the once proud bar-
barian nation. Its place in the pages of history was over.
In the next year after the retreat from Italy Attila died
an appropriately barbarian death. He took a new, young, beau-
tiful bride, a damsel named Ildico, though he already had a
coterie of wives. The wedding day was spent in heavy drinking
and partying, and the King of the Huns took his new bride to
bed that night in drunken lust. The next morning it was dis-
covered that he had died–drowned in his drunkenness in his
own nosebleed. The new bride was found quivering in fear in
the great man’s bedquarters. The empire of the Huns dissi-
pated nearly as quickly as its most famous leader. In 454 the
Ostrogoths and other Germanic tribes revolted against the
Huns, and the sons of Attila, who had quarreled among them-
selves, could not deal with the crisis. In the words of Bury,
the Huns were “scattered to the winds.”
Even in the last days of the Roman Empire in the West it
was still possible for the imperial general Aetius to mobilize
a major military force in defense of Gaul. During his ascen-
dancy in the 430’s, 40s and early 50s Rome had lost much, par-
ticularly to the Vandals in North Africa, yet had remained
powerful enough to thwart the ambitions of Attila the Hun.
Naturally, there was jealousy and rivalry between Aa?tius and
his superior, the Emperor Valentinian III. The General’s suc-
cess against the Huns and his effective treatment of the
Visigoths in Gaul actually helped to make him unnecessary any
longer, and in 454 Valentinian killed him personally with the
imperial sword. One of the Emperor’s advisers said, “You have
cut off your right hand with your left.” The next year two
of Ae?tius’ followers killed the Emperor, and within a gener-
ation, by 476, there would no longer be a Roman Emperor in the
West. Ae?tius was truly “the last of the Romans.”

Requirements For Becoming An Astronaut: Announcement No. 3ACS-83 For Mission Specialist And Pilot Astronaut Candidates

“6_3_2_16.TXT” (8108 bytes) was created on 07-08-92

REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT

ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 3ACS-83

FOR

MISSION SPECIALIST & PILOT ASTRONAUT CANDIDATES

ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE PROGRAM

M I S S I O N S P E C I A L I S T A S T R O N A U T

Mission specialist astronauts, working with the commander and pilot, have
overall responsibility for the coordination of Shuttle operations in the areas
of crew activity planning, consumables usage, and other Shuttle activities
affecting experiment operations. Thus, mission specialists are proficient in
payload operations and are required to have a detailed knowledge of the Shuttle
systems as well as the operational characteristics, mission requirements and
objectives, and supporting systems and equipment for each of the experiments
that will be conducted on their assigned mission. Mission specialists
participate in extravehicular activities, perform special payload handling or
maintenance operations using a remote manipulator system, and assist in
specific experiment operation at the discretion of the experiment sponsor.

P I L O T A S T R O N A U T

Space Shuttle pilot astronauts serve as both Shuttle commanders and pilots.
During flight, the Shuttle commander has onboard responsibility for the space
vehicle, crew, mission success, and safety of flight. The Shuttle pilot assists
the commander in controlling and operating the Shuttle. In addition, Shuttle
pilots may deploy and retrieve payloads using a remote manipulator system,
participate in extravehicular activities, and support specific payload
operations where appropriate.

G E N E R A L C A N D I D A T E I N F O R M A T I O N

Selected applicants join the Johnson Space Center and are assigned to the
Astronaut Office. They will undergo a 1-year training and evaluation period
during which they are placed in responsible technical or scientific positions
allowing them to contribute substantially to the Shuttle Program and continue
to work in their scientific or technical fields, where feasible, while under
evaluation. They also participate in the basic astronaut training program which
is designed to develop the knowledge and skills required for formal mission
training upon selection for flight assignments. Pilot astronaut candidates are
required to maintain proficiency in NASA aircraft during their candidate
period.

Applicants are made aware that selection as an astronaut candidate does not
ensure selection as an astronaut. Final selection as an astronaut depend upon
satisfactory completion of the 1-year training and evaluation period. Civilian
candidates who successfully complete the training and evaluation period and are
selected as astronauts become permanent Federal employees. Civilian candidates
not selected as astronauts may be placed in other positions within NASA
depending upon Agency requirements and manpower constraints at the time.

Successful military candidates will be detailed to NASA for a time period
established by NASA/Department of Defense (DOD) Memorandum of Understanding.

NASA has an affirmative action program goal of having qualified minorities and
women among the newly-selected astronaut candidates. Therefore, women and
minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

QUALIFICATIONS OF APPLICANTS
(Both Military and Civilian Applicants)

M I S S I O N S P E C I A L I S T A S T R O N A U T

C A N D I D A T E P R O G R A M

Applicants MUST meet the following minimum qualification requirements.

o Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in
engineering, biological or physical science, or mathematics. Degree
must be supplemented by at least 3 years of related professional
experience. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for
all or part of the experience requirement (master’s degree = 1 year,
PhD degree = 3 years). Quality of academic preparation is important.

o Ability to pass NASA Class II space flight physical (similar to
military and civilian flight physicals) to include the following
specific standards:

DISTANCE VISUAL ACUITY: 20/100 or better uncorrected;
correctable to 20/20, each eye.

HEARING LOSS NOT TO EXCEED:

Frequency (Hz) 500 1000 2000

Loss (db) better ear 30 25 25
worse ear 35 30 30

BLOOD PRESSURE: Preponderant systolic not to exceed
140, nor diastolic to exceed 90 mm Hg, measured
in a sitting position.

o Applicants height between 60 to 76 inches.

P I L O T A S T R O N A U T C A N D I D A T E P R O G R A M

Applicants MUST meet the following minimum qualification requirements.

o Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in
engineering, biological or physical science, or mathematics. An
advanced degree or equivalent experience is desired. Quality of
academic preparation is important.

o At least 1000 hours pilot-in-command time in high performance jet
aircraft (an aircraft having at least 3000 pounds of thrust per
engine). Flight test experience is highly desirable.

o Ability to pass NASA Class I space flight physical (similar to military
and civilian flight physicals) to include the following specific
standards:

DISTANT VISUAL ACUITY: 20/50 or better uncorrected;
correctable to 20/20 each eye.

HEARING LOSS NOT TO EXCEED:

Frequency (Hz) 500 1000 2000

Loss (db) 30 25 25

BLOOD PRESSURE Preponderant systolic not to exceed
140, nor diastolic to exceed 90 mm Hg, measured
in a sitting position.

o Applicant height between 64 and 76 inches.

E D U C A T I O N R E Q U I R E M E N T S

Applicants for the Astronaut Candidate Program must meet the basic education
requirements for NASA engineering and scientific positions, specifically
successful completion of a standard professional curriculum in an accredited
college or university leading to a bachelor’s degree with major study in an
appropriate field of engineering, biological or physical science, or
mathematics.

The following degree fields which may be related to engineering and the
sciences are not considered qualifying:

o Degrees in Technology; i.e. Engineering Technology, Aviation
Technology, Medical Technology, etc.

o Degrees in Psychology (except Clinical, Physiological, or
Experimental Psychology, which are considered qualifying).

o Degrees in Aviation, Aviation Management, or similar fields.

C I T I Z E N S H I P R E Q U I R E M E N T S

Current regulations require that preference for appointment to Astronaut
Candidate positions be given to U.S. citizens when there is an adequate source
of well qualified citizens available. NASA anticipates that there will be an
adequate source of well qualified U.S. Citizens.

P A Y A N D B E N E F I T S

Salaries for civilian candidate will be based on the General Schedule pay scale
of the Federal Government, generally ranging from GS-11 through GS-14.
Candidates will be compensated in accordance with prevailing Federal pay scales
based on their individual academic achievements and experience.

Other benefits include vacation and sick leave and participation in the Federal
Government retirement, group health, and life insurance plans.

Selected military candidates will be detailed to the Johnson Space Center but
will remain in an active military status for pay, benefits, leave, and other
similar military matters.

—
NASA-JSC, ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 3ACS-83 FOR MISSION SPECIALIST AND PILOT ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATES, 1983.

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ASTRONAUTS & PHYSICAL FITNESS

Several callers to NASA Spacelink have asked for details of an astronaut
physical fitness training regimen. We have received the following response
from the Johnson Space Center:

Astronauts stay in shape by running and working out in their fully furnished
gymnasium at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. There is no set training
schedule. Astronauts may exercise as they wish, as long as they stay fit.

0

“6_3_2_14.TXT” (734 Bytes) Was Created On 07-08-92 ASTRONAUTS WITH MORE THAN 500 HOURS IN SPACE (Number Of Flights) Carr 2017:15:32 (1) E. Gibson 2017:15:32 (1) Pogue 2017:15:32 (1) Garriott 1674:56:28 (2) Bean 1671:45:27 (2) Lousma 1619:13:49 (2) Conrad 1179:38:36 (4) Young 835:42:03 (6) Weitz 793:13:31 (2) Brand 746:03:53 (4) Lovell 715:05:25 (4) Kerwin 672:49:49 (1) Thagard 604:45:06 (4) Musgrave 598:07:22 (4) Brandenstein 575:49:18 (3) Cernan 566:16:22 (3) Crippen 565:48:15 (4) Scott 546:54:13 (3) Shaw 533:53:06 (3) Bluford 513:15:52 (3) Mattingly 508:34:12 (3) Stafford 507:44:10 (4) Lucid 502:41:25 (3)

Astronauts with More than 500 Hours in Space, from the Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

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Background On The Astronaut Program, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

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BACKGROUND ON THE ASTRONAUT PROGRAM
SOURCE: Information Summaries
Astronaut Fact Book
February, 1992

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) selected the first
group of astronauts in 1959. From 500 candidates having the required jet
aircraft flight experience and engineering training as well as height below 5
feet 11 inches, 7 military men became the Nation’s first astronauts. The
second and third groups chosen included civilians who had extensive flying
experience. By 1964, requirements had changed and emphasis was placed on
academic qualifications; in 1965, 6 scientist astronauts were selected from a
group of 400 applicants who had a doctorate or equivalent experience in the
natural sciences, medicine, or engineering. The group named in 1978 was the
first of Space Shuttle flight crews and was composed of 15 pilots and 20
mission specialists; 6 of the 35 were women and 4 were members of minorities.
Since then, 5 additional groups have been selected with an even mix of pilots
and mission specialists.

In total, 195 astronauts have been selected in the 13 groups from 1959 through
1990; there are 97 astronauts currently in the program; 78 have retired,
resigned or been reassigned; and 20 are deceased.

Payload specialists are career scientists or engineers selected by their
employer or country for their expertise in conducting a specific experiment or
commercial venture on a Space Shuttle mission. Their names are not included in
the Astronaut Fact Book.

NASA accepts applications for the Astronaut Candidate Program on a continuing
basis and selects candidates as needed.

0

Alphabetical List Of Astronauts, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

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ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ASTRONAUTS
SOURCE: Information Summaries
Astronaut Fact Book
February, 1992

Selection Missions
Name __Year___ Group _Flown__ Status

Adamson, James C. 1984 10 2 Current
Aldrin, Buzz 1963 3 2 Former
Akers, Thomas D. 1987 12 1 Current
Allen, Andrew M. 1987 12 Current
Allen, Joseph P. 1967 6 2 Former
Anders, William A. 1963 3 1 Former
Apt, Jerome 1985 11 1 Current
Armstrong, Neil A. 1962 2 2 Former

Bagian, James P. 1980 9 2 Current
Baker, Ellen S. 1984 10 1 Current
Baker, Michael A. 1985 11 1 Current
Bassett, Charles A., II 1963 3 Deceased
Bean, Alan L. 1963 3 2 Former
Blaha, John E. 1980 9 3 Current
Bluford, Guion S., Jr. 1978 8 3 Current
Bobko, Karol J. 1969 7 3 Former
Bolden, Charles F., Jr. 1980 9 2 Current
Borman, Frank 1962 2 2 Former
Bowersox, Kenneth D. 1987 12 Current
Brand, Vance D. 1966 5 4 Current
Brandenstein, Daniel C. 1978 8 3 Current
Bridges, Roy D., Jr. 1980 9 1 Former
Brown, Curtis L., Jr. 1987 12 Current
Brown, Mark N. 1984 10 2 Current
Buchli, James F. 1978 8 4 Current
Bull, John S. 1966 5 Former
Bursch, Daniel W. 1990 13 Current

Cabana, Robert D. Cameron, Kenneth D. Carpenter, M. Scott Carr, Gerald P. Carter, Manley Lanier, Jr. Casper, John H. Cernan, Eugene A. Chaffee, Roger B. Chang-Diaz, Franklin R. Chapman, Philip K. Chiao, Leroy Chilton, Kevin P. Cleave, Mary L. Clifford, Michael R. Coats, Michael L. Cockrell, Kenneth D. Collins, Eileen M. Collins, Michael Conrad, Charles, Jr. Cooper, L. Gordon, Jr. Covey, Richard O. Creighton, John O. Crippen, Robert L. Culbertson, Frank L., Jr. Cunningham, Walter 1985 11 1 Current
1984 10 1 Current
1959 1 1 Former
1966 5 1 Former
1984 10 1 Deceased
1984 10 1 Current
1963 3 3 Former
1963 3 Deceased
1980 9 2 Current
1967 6 Former
1990 13 Current
1987 12 Current
1980 9 2 Former
1990 13 Current
1978 8 3 Former
1990 13 Current
1990 13 Current
1963 3 2 Former
1962 2 4 Former
1959 1 2 Former
1978 8 3 Current
1978 8 3 Current
1969 7 4 Former
1984 10 1 Current
1963 3 1 Former

Davis, N. Jan 1987 12 Current
Duffy, Brian 1985 11 Current
Duke, Charles M., Jr. 1966 5 1 Former
Dunbar, Bonnie J. 1980 9 2 Current

Eisele, Donn F. 1963 3 1 Deceased
England, Anthony W. 1967 6 1 Former
Engle, Joe H. 1966 5 2 Former
Evans, Ronald E. 1966 5 1 Deceased

Fabian, John M. 1978 8 2 Former
Fisher, Anna L. 1978 8 1 Current
Fisher, William F. 1980 9 1 Former
Foale, C. Michael 1987 12 Current
Freeman, Theodore C. 1963 3 Deceased
Fullerton, Charles G. 1969 7 2 Former

Gardner, Dale A. 1978 8 2 Former
Gardner, Guy S. 1980 9 2 Former
Garriott, Owen K. 1965 4 2 Former
Gemar, Charles D. 1985 11 2 Current
Gibson, Edward G. 1965 4 1 Former
Gibson, Robert L. 1978 8 3 Current
Givens, Edward G., Jr. 1966 5 Deceased
Glenn, John H., Jr. 1959 1 1 Former
Godwin, Linda M. 1985 11 1 Current
Gordon, Richard F., Jr. 1963 3 2 Former
Grabe, Ronald J. 1980 9 3 Current
Graveline, Duane E. 1965 4 Former
Gregory, Frederick D. 1978 8 3 Current
Gregory, William G. 1990 13 Current
Griggs, S. David 1978 8 1 Deceased
Grissom, Virgil I. 1959 1 2 Deceased
Gutierrez, Sidney M. 1984 10 1 Current

Haise, Fred W., Jr. 1966 5 1 Former
Halsell, James D., Jr. 1990 13 Current
Hammond, L. Blaine, Jr. 1984 10 1 Current
Harbaugh, Gregory J. 1987 12 1 Current
Harris, Bernard A., Jr. 1990 13 Current
Hart, Terry J. 1978 8 1 Former
Hartsfield, Henry W., Jr. 1969 7 3 Current
Hauck, Frederick H. 1978 8 3 Former
Hawley, Steven A. 1978 8 3 Former
Helms, Susan J. 1990 13 Current
Henize, Karl G. 1967 6 1 Former
Henricks, Terence T. 1985 11 1 Current
Hieb, Richard J. 1985 11 1 Current
Hilmers, David C. 1980 9 4 Current
Hoffman, Jeffrey A. 1978 8 2 Current
Holmquest, Donald L. 1967 6 Former

Irwin, James B. 1966 5 1 Former
Ivins, Marsha S. 1984 10 1 Current

Jemison, Mae C. 1987 12 Current
Jernigan, Tamara E. 1985 11 1 Current
Jones, Thomas D. 1990 13 Current

Kerwin, Joseph P. 1965 4 1 Former

Lee, Mark C. 1984 10 1 Current
Leestma, David C. 1980 9 2 Current
Lenoir, William B. 1967 6 1 Former
Lind, Don L. 1966 5 1 Former
Llewellyn, John A. 1967 6 Former
Lounge, John M. 1980 9 3 Current
Lousma, Jack R. 1966 5 2 Former
Lovell, James A., Jr. 1962 2 4 Former
Low, G. David 1984 10 2 Current
Lucid, Shannon W. 1978 8 3 Current

Mattingly, Thomas K., II 1966 5 3 Former
McArthur, William S., Jr. 1990 13 Current
McBride, Jon A. 1978 8 1 Former
McCandless, Bruce, II 1966 5 2 Former
McCulley, Michael J. 1984 10 1 Former
McDivitt, James A. 1962 2 2 Former
McMonagle, Donald R. 1987 12 1 Current
McNair, Ronald E. 1978 8 2 Deceased
Meade, Carl J. 1985 11 1 Current
Melnick, Bruce E. 1987 12 1 Current
Michel, F. Curtis 1965 4 Former
Mitchell, Edgar D. 1966 5 1 Former
Mullane, Richard M. 1978 8 3 Former
Musgrave, F. Story 1967 6 4 Current

Nagel, Steven R. 1978 8 3 Current
Nelson, George D. 1978 8 3 Former
Newman, James H. 1990 13 Current

Ochoa, Ellen 1990 13 Current
O’Connor, Bryan D. 1980 9 2 Former
O’Leary, Brian T. 1967 6 Former
Onizuka, Ellison S. 1978 8 2 Deceased
Oswald, Stephen S. 1985 11 1 Current
Overmyer, Robert F. 1969 7 2 Former

Parker, Robert A. R. 1967 6 2 Former
Peterson, Donald H. 1969 7 2 Former
Pogue, William R. 1966 5 1 Former
Precourt, Charles J., Jr. 1990 13 Current

Readdy, William F. 1987 12 1 Current
Reightler, Kenneth S., Jr. 1987 12 1 Current
Resnik, Judith A. 1978 8 2 Deceased
Richards, Richard N. 1980 9 2 Current
Ride, Sally K. 1978 8 2 Former
Roosa, Stuart A. 1966 5 1 Former
Ross, Jerry L. 1980 9 3 Current
Runco, Mario, Jr. 1987 12 1 Current

Schirra, Walter M., Jr. 1959 1 3 Former
Schmitt, Harrison H. 1965 4 1 Former
Schweickart, Russell L. 1963 3 1 Former
Scobee, Francis R. 1978 8 2 Deceased
Scott, David R. 1963 3 3 Former
Searfoss, Richard A. 1990 13 Current
Seddon, Margaret Rhea 1978 8 2 Current
See, Elliot M., Jr. 1962 2 Deceased
Sega, Ronald M. 1990 13 Current
Shaw, Brewster H., Jr. 1978 8 3 Former
Shepard, Alan B., Jr. 1959 1 2 Former
Shepherd, William M. 1984 10 2 Current
Sherlock, Nancy J. 1990 13 Current
Shriver, Loren J. 1978 8 2 Current
Slayton, Donald K. 1959 1 1 Former
Smith, Michael J. 1980 9 1 Deceased
Spring, Sherwood C. 1980 9 1 Former
Springer, Robert C. 1980 9 2 Current
Stafford, Thomas P. 1962 2 4 Former
Stewart, Robert L. 1978 8 2 Former
Sullivan, Kathryn D. 1978 8 2 Current
Swigert, John L., Jr. 1966 5 1 Deceased

Thagard, Norman E. 1978 8 4 Current
Thomas, Donald A. 1990 13 Current
Thorne, Stephen D. 1985 11 Deceased
Thornton, Kathryn C. 1984 10 1 Current
Thornton, William E. 1967 6 2 Current
Thuot, Pierre J. 1985 11 1 Current
Truly, Richard H. 1969 7 2 Former

van Hoften, James D. A. 1978 8 2 Former
Veach, Charles Lacy 1984 10 1 Current
Voss, James S. 1987 12 1 Current
Voss, Janice E. 1990 13 Current

Walker, David M. 1978 8 2 Current
Walz, Carl E. 1990 13 Current
Weitz, Paul J. 1966 5 2 Current
Wetherbee, James D. 1984 10 1 Current
White, Edward H., II 1962 2 1 Deceased
Wilcutt, Terrence W. 1990 13 Current
Williams, Clifton C., Jr. 1963 3 Deceased
Williams, Donald E. 1978 8 2 Former
Wisoff, Peter J. K. 1990 13 Current
Wolf, David A. 1990 13 Current
Worden, Alfred M. 1966 5 1 Former

Young, John W. 1962 2 6 Current
Adamson, James C. 1984 10 2 Current
Aldrin, Buzz 1963 3 2 Former
Akers, Thomas D. 1987 12 1 Current
Allen, Andrew M. 1987 12 Current
Allen, Joseph P. 1967 6 2 Former
Anders, William A. 1963 3 1 Former
Apt, Jerome 1985 11 1 Current
Armstrong, Neil A. 1962 2 2 Former

Bagian, James P. 1980 9 2 Current
Baker, Ellen S. 1984 10 1 Current
Baker, Michael A. 1985 11 1 Current
Bassett, Charles A., II 1963 3 Deceased
Bean, Alan L. 1963 3 2 Former
Blaha, John E. 1980 9 3 Current
Bluford, Guion S., Jr. 1978 8 3 Current
Bobko, Karol J. 1969 7 3 Former
Bolden, Charles F., Jr. 1980 9 2 Current
Borman, Frank 1962 2 2 Former
Bowersox, Kenneth D. 1987 12 Current
Brand, Vance D. 1966 5 4 Current
Brandenstein, Daniel C. 1978 8 3 Current
Bridges, Roy D., Jr. 1980 9 1 Former
Brown, Curtis L., Jr. 1987 12 Current
Brown, Mark N. 1984 10 2 Current
Buchli, James F. 1978 8 4 Current
Buchli, James F. 1978 8 4 Current

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Astronaut Birthplaces By State, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

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ASTRONAUT BIRTHPLACES BY STATE
SOURCE: Information Summaries
Astronaut Fact Book
February, 1992

ALABAMA: Hartsfield, Jemison, K. Thornton, James Voss, C. Williams
ARKANSAS: Covey

CALIFORNIA: Chilton, Clifford, Coats, Hauck, McCulley, Ochoa, O’Connor, Ride,
van Hoften, Young
COLORADO: Brand, Carpenter, Carr, Lounge, Roosa, Swigert
CONNECTICUT: Spring, Thuot

DELAWARE: Sherlock
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Gregory, Stewart

FLORIDA: Davis, Lenoir, Richards, Thagard

GEORGIA: Bridges, Carter, Hammond, Walker

HAWAII: Onizuka

ILLINOIS: Cernan, Kerwin, Mattingly, McDivitt, Meade, Nagel, Veach
INDIANA: J. Allen, Borman, M. Brown, England, Grissom, Janice Voss, D.
Williams, Wolf
IOWA: Cunningham, Hilmers, Nelson, Shriver

KANSAS: Engle, Evans, Hawley
KENTUCKY: Wilcutt

LOUISIANA: Halsell

MARYLAND: Ivins, Jones, Reightler
MASSACHUSETTS: Apt, Duffy, McCandless, Musgrave, O’Leary, Precourt
MICHIGAN: Chaffee, Leestma, Lousma, McMonagle, Searfoss, Shaw, Worden
MINNESOTA: Cabana, D. Gardner
MISSISSIPPI: Haise, Peterson, Truly
MISSOURI: Akers, Godwin, Springer

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Shepard
NEW JERSEY: Aldrin, Schirra, Schweickart, Sullivan
NEW MEXICO: Gutierrez, Schmitt
NEW YORK: Adamson, Bobko, Cleave, E. Collins, A. Fisher, Fullerton, E. Gibson,
R. Gibson, Grabe, W. Gregory, Hoffman, Melnick, Parker, Runco, Wetherbee
NORTH CAROLINA: E. Baker, C. Brown, Duke, Helms, McArthur, Smith, W. Thornton
NORTH DAKOTA: Buchli, Hieb
OHIO: Armstrong, Bassett, Cameron, Eisele, Glenn, Harbaugh, Henize, Henricks,
Lovell, Low, Overmyer, Resnik, Sega, Thomas, Walz
OKLAHOMA: Cooper, Garriott, Pogue, Stafford
OREGON: Griggs
PENNSYLVANIA: A. Allen, Bagian, Bluford, Bursch, Conrad, Freeman, Hart, Irwin,
Weitz
RHODE ISLAND: Readdy
SOUTH CAROLINA: Bolden, Casper, Culbertson, McNair
SOUTH DAKOTA: Gemar
TENNESSEE: M. Baker, Bull, Jernigan, Seddon, Shepherd
TEXAS: Bean, Blaha, Cockrell, Creighton, Crippen, Fabian, W. Fisher, Givens,
Harris, Holmquest, Mitchell, Mullane, Scott, See, White
UTAH: Lind
VERMONT: Graveline
VIRGINIA: Bowersox, G. Gardner, Wisoff
WASHINGTON: Dunbar, Gordon, Oswald, Scobee
WEST VIRGINIA: McBride
WISCONSIN: Brandenstein, Chiao, Lee, Michel, Slayton

ASTRONAUTS BORN IN OTHER COUNTRIES*

AUSTRALIA: Chapman
CHINA: Lucid
COSTA RICA: Chang-Diaz
ENGLAND: Foale
HONG KONG: Anders
ITALY: M. Collins
PACIFIC ISLANDS: Newman
WALES: Llewellyn
WEST GERMANY: Thorne

*See biographical sketches for city.

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Short Biographical Sketches Of Deceased Astronauts, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

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SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF DECEASED ASTRONAUTS
SOURCE: Information Summaries
Astronaut Fact Book
February, 1992

BASSETT, Charles A., II, Captain, U.S. Air Force
Born December 30, 1931, in Dayton, Ohio.
Bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Texas Technological
College.
Died February 28, 1966, at St. Louis, Missouri, in crash of T-38 jet.

CARTER, Manley Lanier, Jr., “Sonny,” Captain, U.S. Navy
Mission specialist.
Born August 15, 1947, in Macon, Georgia.
Bachelor of arts in chemistry and doctorate of medicine from Emory
University.
Flew on STS-33.
Died April 5, 1991, near New Brunswick, Georgia, in the crash of a
commercial airliner while on NASA business travel.

CHAFFEE, Roger B., Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy
Born February 15, 1935, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from Purdue
University.
Died January 27, 1967, at NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
in Apollo spacecraft fire.

EISELE, Donn F., Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
Born June 23, 1930, in Columbus, Ohio.
Bachelor of science in astronautics from U.S. Naval Academy; master of
science in astronautics from U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology.
Flew on Apollo 7.
Died December 2, 1987, in Tokyo, Japan of a heart attack.

EVANS, Ronald E., Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Born November 10, 1933, in St. Francis, Kansas.
Bachelor of science in electrical engineering from University of
Kansas; master of science in aeronautical engineering from U.S. Naval
Postgraduate School.
Flew on Apollo 17.
Died April 6, 1990, in Scottsdale, Arizona, of a heart attack.

FREEMAN, Theodore C., Captain, U.S. Air Force
Born February 18, 1930, in Haverford, Pennsylvania.
Bachelor of science from U.S. Naval Academy; master of science in
aeronautical engineering from University of Michigan.
Died October 31, 1964, at Ellington Air Force Base, Houston, Texas, in
crash of T-38 jet.

GIVENS, Edward G., Jr., Major, U.S. Air Force
Born January 5, 1930, in Quanah, Texas.
Bachelor of science in naval sciences from U.S. Naval Academy. Died
June 6, 1967, near Houston, Texas, in an automobile accident.

GRIGGS, S. David, Civilian
Born September 7, 1939, in Portland, Oregon.
Bachelor of science from U.S. Naval Academy; master of science in
administration from George Washington University.
Flew on STS 51-D.
Died June 17, 1989, near Earle, Arkansas, in the crash of a
World-War-II-era training plane.

GRISSOM, Virgil I., Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force
Born April 3, 1926, in Mitchell, Indiana.
Bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.
Flew on Mercury 4 and Gemini 3.
Died January 27, 1967, at NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
in the Apollo spacecraft fire.

IRWIN, James B., Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
Born March 17, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Bachelor of science in naval science from U.S. Naval Academy; master
of science in aeronautical engineering and instrumentation engineering
from University of Michigan.
Flew on Apollo 15.
Died August 8, 1991, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, of a heart attack.

McNAIR, Ronald E., Civilian
Born October 21, 1950, in Lake City, South Carolina. Bachelor of
science in physics from North Carolina A & T State College; doctorate
of philosophy in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Flew on STS 41-B.
Died January 28, 1986, in STS 51-L accident.

ONIZUKA, Ellison S., Major, U.S. Air Force
Born June 24, 1946, in Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii.
Bachelor and master of science in aerospace engineering from
University of Colorado.
Flew on STS 51-C.
Died January 28, 1986, in STS 51-L accident.

RESNIK, Judith A., Civilian
Born April 5, 1949, in Akron, Ohio.
Bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Carnegie-Mellon
University; doctorate of philosophy in electrical engineering from
University of Maryland.
Flew on STS 41-D.
Died January 28, 1986, in STS 51-L accident.

SCOBEE, Francis R., Major, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
Born May 19, 1939, in Cle Elum, Washington.
Bachelor of science in aerospace engineering from University of
Arizona.
Flew on STS 41-C.
Died January 28, 1986, in STS 51-L accident.

SEE, Elliot M., Jr., Civilian
Born July 23, 1927, in Dallas, Texas.
Bachelor of science from U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; master of
science in engineering from University of California at Los Angeles.
Died February 28, 1966, in St. Louis, Missouri, in the crash of a T-38
jet.

SMITH, Michael J., Commander, U.S. Navy
Born April 30, 1945, in Beaufort, North Carolina.
Bachelor of science in naval science from U.S. Naval Academy; master
of science in aeronautical engineering from U.S. Naval Postgraduate
School.
Died January 28, 1986, in STS 51-L accident.

SWIGERT, John L., Jr., Civilian
Born August 30, 1931, in Denver, Colorado.
Bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from University of
Colorado; master of science in aerospace science from Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute; master of business administration from Hartford
College.
Flew on Apollo 13.
Died December 27, 1982, of cancer.

THORNE, Stephen D., Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy Born February 11,
1953, in Frankfurt-on-Main, West Germany.
Bachelor of science in engineering from U.S. Naval Academy.
Died May 24, 1986, in Alta Loma, Texas, in an airplane crash.

WHITE, Edward H., II, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force
Born November 14, 1930, in San Antonio, Texas.
Bachelor of science from U.S. Military Academy; master of science in
aeronautical engineering from University of Michigan.
Flew on Gemini 4.
Died January 27, 1967, at NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
in the Apollo spacecraft fire.

WILLIAMS, Clifton C., Jr., Major, U.S. Marine Corps
Born September 26, 1932, in Mobile, Alabama.
Bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Auburn University.
Died October 5, 1967, near Tallahassee, Florida, in the crash of a
T-38 jet.

0

Ruby’s Pearls: Promotional Blurb

RUBY’S PROMOTIONAL BLURB
ISSN NO: 1079-6673, International Ref. Books Serial No: A0019982

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claim any rights to stories submitted aside from a one-time
showcasing in the magazine, and possible inclusion in the “best of”
anthology which is published yearly, hard copy. It makes no charge
to any reader, and while it is distributed by subscription to at
least one board in each of the 50 states, as well as GEnie and
CompuServe, it is also uploaded, at the publisher’s expense, to a
number of sites internationally, such as Hong Kong, China, Japan,
London, Paris, Canada and Portugal — with its latest two sites
being Dublin, Ireland and Ascunsion, Paraguay. It has been written
up in The New York Times, Analog Magazine, and Miami’s New Times,
among other publications, is listed in Writer’s Market, Writer’s
Short Story and Novel Market, and Georgia/Florida Writer’s Market.
Ruby’s Pearls continues to seek publicity, with an eye toward
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Ruby’s exists only for the benefit of its readers and its
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through RIME, board number 5215; and Internet, address:
Ruby@gate.net.
Each entry in every Ruby issue is individually copyrighted, and
the contents are copyrighted as a whole, in their entirety, and may
not be reproduced in part, but only in whole, and in no format
other than electronic. Ruby’s Pearls is expressly not to be
reproduced in any other than a not-for-profit manner. Each
story/adventure in every Ruby’s Pearls issue is individually
copyrighted in the name of its author, and any request to reproduce
an individual piece, independent of the entire contents of any
issue, must be sought and obtained from the individual author.
Ruby’s Pearls may not be reproduced in any CD ROM or other
electronic collection which is offered for sale. Such inclusion is
an express violation of the legal copyright herein advertised.

For back issues, special adventures and ongoing humor and chat,
call:
RUBY’S JOINT BBS – 1-904-777-6799
Home of the legendary Ruby Begonia 777-6700

or FTP the magazine on Internet:

ftp ftp.gate.net
login: anonymous
Password: [your e-mail address]
cd /pub/users/ruby
binary [very important; this ensures the .ZIP shows up as a
.ZIP!]
get rubyv*.zip (any issue number up thru 39, Dec. 94.)

When the transfer is complete, type “bye”–then download the file
from your Internet provider to your own computer. Volume 39 is the
latest in the Ruby’s Pearls Humor/Fiction Elecmag which has been
published monthly since September, 1991. Back issues are available.

0

Introduction To Ruby’s Pearls

RUBY’S PEARLS
INTRODUCTION

This brief collection of short stories is electronically
published by David and Del Freeman, with the invaluable aid of
our Assistant Editor, Michael Hahn, for your reading pleasure.
The entire contents of each issue are copyrighted as a body,
and each individual story is independently copyrighted. Nothing
herein may be reproduced in forms other than electronic, nor
can any portion be extricated and reproduced. The whole may be
reproduced electronically so long as it is kept intact, and is
not reproduced in any form other than not-for-profit.
Ruby’s is dedicated to fiction short stories, and may
frequently contain satirical spoofs, meant to amuse and
entertain. No offense is intended to any individual, group or
organization, and the broad spectrum of characterization is
intended to be so outlandish as to obviously establish its
humorous intent. Any resemblance to people, places or
associations, living or dead, active or defunct, is purely
coincidental.
Ruby’s Pearls’ ISSN NO. is 1079-6673. Its Serials
Directory International Reference Book Control No. is
A0019982.

0

The Art Of Writing Textfiles. What You Needed To Know.

+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+
^+ +^
+^ THE ART OF WRITING TEXTFILES ^+
^+ +^
+^ WRITTEN BY: ^+
^+ THE BRONZE RIDER +^
+^ HOME BASE: THE PRISM BBS/AE/CF ^+
^+ +^
+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+

THIS FILE IS OBVIOUSLY ABOUT WRITING T-FILES. TO WRITE A T-FILE, YOU NEED
THESE THINGS:

1. YOU NEED AN APPLE //E OR //C WITH UPPER & LOWER CASE…
(USING A II+ IS REALLY A PAIN.) AN APPLE ISN’T NECESSARY, BUT REAL
TEXTFILE WRITERS DONT USE ANYTHING BUT THE BEST…

2. YOU NEED AN 80 COLUMN CARD.

3. YOU NEED THE ABILITY TO STRETCH OUT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY SO THAT
THE FILE TAKES LONGER TO V)IEW AND TAKES UP MORE DISK SPACE. A TEXTFILE
SHOULD BE AT LEAST 15 SECTORS, BUT ITS BEST IF ITS OVER 20.
EXAMPLE:

YOU WANT TO SAY:
WRITING T-FILES IS A PAIN…

IN A T-FILE YOU WOULD SAY IT LIKE THIS:
WRITING A TEXTFILE IS A VERY TIME-CONSUMING AND ARDUOUS TASK.
IT TAKES A LOT OF THOUGHT AND IS VERY WEARING ON A PERSON. IT
IS NOT AT ALL EASY.
AND THEN YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

4. YOU NEED THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THE SCREEN AND KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE
CENTER IS SO THAT YOU CAN CENTER GARBAGE.
EX.
->VVVVVVVVV GARBAGE ^^^^^^^^^
^+ HELLO +^ HELLO
+^+^+^+^+^+^+ >

(^^^^^^^^^^^)
) HELLO (
(^^^^^^^^^^^)

> THE LOCKSMITH THOSE GUYS WRITE THE BEST T-FILES <

8. ITS HELPFUL TO HAVE A GOOD WORD PROCESSOR, BUT AE WILL DO THE JOB GOOD
ENOUGH. AE HAS ONE OF THE BEST TEXT EDITORS.

9. IT HELPS A LOT IF YOU ARE DRUNK AND TO HAVE MUSIC BLASTING IN YOUR EARS
IN STEREO. I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT THATS JUST THE WAY IT WORKS.

WRITE A TEXT FILE AND GIVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE WITH A MODEM, BUT THATS
KIND OF A PAIN.

NOW HERE IS A LIST OF NON-NECESSITIES:

1. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEEL STUPH RITE.
SPEELINK ERRURS AR VARY COMON.

2. YOU DON’T NEED A 1200 BAUD APPLE-CAT UNLESS YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO
STRETCH OUT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO SAY. USUALLY ANY 300 BAUD MODEM
WILL WORK FINE.

3. YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE WRITING YOUR TEXTFILE
ABOUT IF YOU CAN MAKE IT UP AS YOU GO ALONG.

4. YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A -REAL PIRATE-, BUT IT HELPS. YOU ALSO DON’T -HAVE-
TO BE STONED, BUT IT HELPS.

5. AND YOU DEFINATELY DON’T NEED A HIGH I.Q., BUT I HEAR THAT IT HELPS.

(^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^)
)! !(
(! CALL THESE AWESOME BBS’S, AE’S, AND CF’S… !)
)! !(
(! THE PRISM BBS/AE/CF 300/1200 BAUD 10 MEG ……. (201)-637-6715 !)
)! THE METAL AE – PASSWORD:KILL ……………….. (201)-879-6668 !(
(! THE CORELINE BBS ………………………….. (201)-239-7737 !)
)! THE DRAGON’S WEYR BBS 10 MEG ………………. (201)-992-0834 !(
(! LATER, THE BRONZE RIDER… !)
)! � !(
(^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^)

0

Jane’s Fighting Ships 1990-1991 (Specifications Of Warships)

From: Janes Copyright
To: “jason@textfiles.com”
Sender: “Ward, David”
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:38:46 -0600
Subject: Unauthorised hosting of Jane’s Fighting Ships data

Dear Mr Scott,

I bring to your attention that your website (www.textfiles.com) is hosting
information that is the copyright of IHS Global Limited.

Whilst I understand that the textfiles.com site is not hosting this data
for any monetary gain you will, I am sure, understand that copyright exists
over this data and that IHS Global Limited has a strong interest in ensuring
that the data is available only through its own channels and through its own
brands.

The data in question is from the 1990-1991 edition of Jane’s Fighting Ships
and can be found in the text file ‘armstech.txt’, which is located at the
following location on the textfiles.com site, http://www.textfiles.com/fun/
armstech.txt.

As stated earlier, the data held within this file is the copyright of IHS
Global Limited, owner of the Jane’s Fighting Ships publication and brand,
and is available only to its subscribers; by hosting this data and making it
free to download you are in breach of international copyright laws.

I therefore ask you, as proprietor of textfiles.com, to remove this data
from the www.textfiles.com site and any associated mirror sites within the
next 7 days from the date of this email and confirm your action by reply.
Failure to take action may result in this matter being placed in the hands
of the IHS Global Limited legal team and further action being taken
against you.

Yours sincerely,
David Ward

David Ward
Head of Production Operations
IHS Jane’s
IHS Global Limited, Sentinel House, 163 Brighton Road, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5=
2YH, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)20 8700 3874
Email: david.ward@ihsjanes.com
Web: www.janes.com and www.ihs.com

0

Learn Esperanto!

LEARN ESPERANTO! USE IT IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL WORK, IN YOUR
TRAVELS, IN YOUR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS!

Dec 6, 1988

Men of AntiArctica, greetings from the warm north. I am
speaking to you as an U S citizen and Electrical Engineer working
with the most popular, most mass-produced computer in the world
(IBM-PC). Powerful, now-inexpensive, and mass-produced by the
millions, this machine is the AK-47 rifle of computer equipment–
they are everywhere! Unfortunately, this computer can not be
considered a world-standard because the software is still based
on the English language.
I firmly beleive it would be better to have a standard,
world-wide environment of software based on the world
interlanguage ESPERANTO–providing easy software tools for WORK,
PLAY, LEARNING, and MANAGEMENT; and thus bringing the
perfectly-valid concept of the Esperanto world-interlanguage into
the “Information & Telecommunications Age”. I can provide the
software and the training materials (tapes, books, and printouts
to learn and use Esperanto for English, Spanish, and Russian
speakers), and you have the perfect place at which to implement
it. Together, we could have the whole continent of AntArctica
(200 men) speaking to each other in Esperanto in 1989, and using
battery powered IBM-PC Esperanto computers for scientific
data-processing, management, and entertainment.
I am not trying to sell you anything, I will give you what I
have (by mail and in-person at Punta Arenas); because the concept
is good and I would like to see it work.
My wife an I have scheduled a vacation to Chile an I will be in
Punta Aranas, Chile on January 25-27, 1989. It would be good to
meet with Sr. Patrico Calderon of COMAPA, and with any
representative from Palmer Station to discuss the possibilities
and advantages of Esperanto and computers. If you contact me by
mail, I could bring additional tape-players or a battery-operated
computer for donation to Palmer Station personnel. Looking
forward to hearing from you soon.

Regards,
George Brooks, US Citizen

0

Crimefighters Membership Application

CRIMEFIGHTERS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

(Please PRINT your information on this application.)
————————————————————————–
Charter Membership Application & Order Form
CrimeFighters International, Inc.

Date of application…………….. Date accepted ………………….

Surname ……………………………Given names…………………

Mailing address………………………………………………….

City/state…………………………………………..Zip……….

Telephone numbers (optional)

business……………….. home ………………

Answer Y or N to the following to indicate your response

( ) I’m willing to be contacted by other CrimeFighters. I authorize you
to give (only) my name and phone number to other members with the
purpose of joining (or forming) a lodge of CrimeFighters in my area.

( ) I’m willing to contact new members in my area.

( ) I’m willing to be a coordinator for my area.

( ) I’m willing to be an instructor on…………………………….

My qualifications:……………………………………………….

( ) I have a computer and ………. baud modem.

My Floppy disk size is (3.5″ 720K) or (5.25″ 360K) (either size).
Circle the one you can use, or are limited to using.

( ) I’m willing to set up a CrimeFighters BBS.
========================================================================

The following info is OPTIONAL. (It’s helpful for compiling statistics on
Crimefighters’ membership makeup.)

I have:

( ) I have no law enforcement experience

( ) ….yrs law enforcement experience as ………………………..)

( ) … yrs security experience as ………………………………)

( ) … yrs military service, with ……………………………….

I have other related experience as ………………………………..

My usual occupation is……………………………………………

Comments on above (if any) ……………………………………….

……………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………….
(Use a blank page if you need more room for suggestions or comments)

My Age is……. Sex ……. Marital status ……

( ) I’m interested in membership paraphernalia when they’re available.
(Baseball caps, shoulder patches, nylon jackets with CFI insignia.)
(rings, bumper stickers, car window decals, etc.)
==========================================================================

O R D E R F O R M
Enclosed:
( ) $10 for Charter membership only.
( ) $14 for membership and CRMFTR2 (disk ver 2.0+) when it’s available.
( ) $22 for membership and printed CRMFTR2 BOOK when it’s available.
( ) $20 for pending CrimeFighter’s Litigation Kit. (Delivery A.S.A.P.)

( ) Total of order payable in US$
( ) Nevada residents, please add 7% sales tax on total.
( ) Total including Nevada sales tax, if applicable

Please make your check or money order payable to: “CrimeFighters”.
Mail application to:
C.F.I.
806 Buchanan Blvd., Suite 115-300,
Boulder City, NV 89005.

* * * * * *

0

How To Connect Anything To Anything, By Jason!

\=======================================================================//
// ___ ___ \
\ \_\ //_\ //_\ //
// // //ow to connect // \nything to // \nything \
\ //
// (Alright, so I’m a sucker for weird text title graphics!) \
\ //
// Written with estranged pride by \
\ The Slipped Disk //
// \
\ Call Milliways 10Meg/BBS/AE/CF……………………(609)-921-1994 //
// \
\ (*) Everything you wanted to know about connecting anything (*) //
// (Don’t you hate infinitives and living up to them?) \
\=======================================================================//

If you aren’t an idiot, You are aware that this file is called “How to
connect anything to anything.” This is no small task. Let’s get started….

===/
Intro
/===

What many people don’t realize is that the illusion of genius can be created
with little or no intelligence at all. You see, when people talk about someone
being “Oh, so smart.” They aren’t referring in fact to his/her ACTUAL
intelligence, but to their EXPOSED or ASSUMED intelligence. Let’s
demonstrate…

Jimmy Carpenter in Butfuck, VA. His greatest technological achievement is
screwing in his lightbulb. Everybody thinks he`s a complete idiot, but little
Jimmy has an IQ of 145. Nobody knew.

Mark Dman of Boston, MA. He hooked up his phone to his stereo to his christmas
tree to his left leg. Everyone thought he was a complete genius. Everyone was a
bit surprised when he got stoned (as usual) and rammed the family camaro into a
7-11 front window.

These two cases (Fictional, asswipe!) in one way or another show that while
not showing brains can make people seem like idiots, acting like you have brains
can make people think you’re a genius. Simple enough? Good!

====================================================/
The ten commandments of hooking anything to anything
/====================================================

I. Thou shalt remember that in order for anything to work, thou must have a
complete circut in there somewheres.

II. Thou shalt remember that there must be connections of + to -, else thou
shalt look idiotic.

III. Thy tool-kit must be complete and ready, for it’s nasty to get shocked
because thou hadt spliced wire with thy teeth.

IV. Thou shalt always have an ample supply of wire at thy command, for it’s
aggravating to be unable to finish a project for want of two feet of wire.

V. It is always divine to stick LED’s in there somewheres, for flashing and
multi-colored lights bring illusion of genius.

VI. When working with circuts of more than 90 Volts, fuck it, for shocks are
a pain in the ass.

VII. If screwing with thy fone wires, be reminded that the holy repairmen
look down on “independent finanglers”.

VIII. Never screw with something thou cannot replace.

IIX. Always be sure that thou art not making irreversible changes when thou
might want to put back.

IX. Always set aside an ample amount of time to do thy work, for what looks
simple now, might not look so simple 2 hours later when thou comes back from
wherever thou came.

X. Remember that if thou are hurt because of info in this file, thine holy
writer takes NO responsiblity for thou being a fuck-up.

============================/
Some Examples of connections
/============================

Most parts of a connection (We’ll call them components) can be separated into
three different classifications:

I. Powered

Examples:

Radio Phone TV
Computer Light Tape player

II. Non-powered

Examples:

Speakers LED Microphone
Motor Screen Strobe

III. Line Affections

Examples:

DPST switch Timer Signal Splitter

Together, these different components add up to some sort of interesting
connections for everyone to marvel at. Let’s see how…

=======================/
Examples of connections
/=======================

To make this easier, I’ll give a list of some ideas. See if you can tell
what “Trick” they cause. Create some others as you wish! It’s your life!

Component type I Component type III Component type II
>————————————————–<
TV Switch Stereo

Phone Signal splitter TV & Stereo

Phone LED Phone line

Stereo Timer Phone

Answering Machine Timer TV

\===========================================================================//
// This little dazzling bit of authorship was by The Slipped Disk. \
\ Member of the 99th Percentile! //
// Look for the SlippedParodies from any good BBS, Including this one…. \
\ //
// Call………………Milliways………………………(609)/921-1994 \
\===========================================================================//
Call The Works BBS – 1600+ Textfiles! – [914]/238-8195 – 300/1200 – Always Open

0

Balloon Campaign Will Seek Evidence Of Antimatter Galaxy

Balloon Campaign Will Seek Evidence of Antimatter Galaxy
———————————————————————–

FILESPEC: ANTIMATR.DOC

DOCUMENT: Balloon Campaign Will Seek Evidence of Antimatter Galaxy

[07/29/88 Update of NASA Balloon Mission]

———————————————————————–

NASA will launch three huge balloons in Canada next month to
search for cosmic rays, including those that could provide
evidence of galaxies made of antimatter.

Antimatter consists of particles with electrical charges
opposite those of “common” matter, which constitutes Earth’s
material. When antimatter and matter collide there is a mutual
and complete annihilation, releasing energy far greater in
proportion then energy released by nuclear fission or fusion.

Whether antimatter could ever be created in sufficient
supply and harnessed to provide useful energy is a challenging
question.

The flights will begin Aug. 2, in a month-long campaign that
is part of the NASA Balloon Program managed by the Goddard Space
Flight Center’s Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va.

Balloons that will lift three cosmic ray experiments to
approximately 120,000 feet will be launched from Prince Albert
Saskatchewan Airport, approximately 300 miles north of the
U.S./Canadian border.

Scientific balloons are utilized to carry large research
payloads with scientific instruments to make measurements at
altitudes above 99 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere. They are
made of a thin polyethylene material and are more than 350 feet
in diameter at full inflation. These balloons provide unique
experiment platforms for measurements at altitudes in the upper
stratosphere.

Personnel from WFF and the National Scientific Balloon
Facility, Palestine, Texas, will provide the launching and
operational flight support at the primary operations site in
Prince Albert. Personnel from WFF also will provide downrange
telemetry tracking support at Edmonton, Alberta.

Principal investigators for this campaign are Dr. Steve
Ahlen, Boston University; Dr. W. Robert Binns, Washington
University; and Dr. Steve Schindler, California Institute of
Technology.

Ahlen’s extragalactic antimatter experiment is a 4,500-pound
payload that will search for heavy anti-nuclei (anti-silicon to
anti-iron), and will be flown on a 28.4 million cubic foot
balloon. The observed anti-nuclei are expected to provide
evidence for the existence of galaxies made completely of
antimatter. Scientist believe this discovery could prove to be
extremely useful for understanding the annihilation process
between matter and antimatter in the creation of galaxies.

Binns’ payload, called the scintillating optic fiber
experiment is a 1,200-pound cosmic ray isotope experiment that
will utilize newly-developed range and trajectory-defining
detectors based on scintillating fiber optics. It also will be
carried aloft by a 28.4 million-cubic-foot balloon.

Schindler’s 2,700-pound payload, to be carried on a 23.3
million-cubic-foot balloon, is the high energy isotope
spectrometer telescope. This experiment employs a combination of
scintillators and counters to form a cosmic ray isotope
spectrometer capable of measuring the isotopic composition of
cosmic rays from helium to nickle.

The mission is part of the overall NASA Balloon Program,
managed at Wallops. The program provides 40-45 balloon flights a
year from locations around the world.

====END OF DOCUMENT====
{*via FTL-BBS/NASA-Huntsville Link*}

0

Gweed Is Annoted How People Zip Up Collections Of Textfiles

Isn’t it annoying when boards add these damn files to the zips? Well, don’t
worry. This is Guido Sanchez, from the BLaH file you are about to delete, and
I was just pointing that out. Some boards, like Gramcracker in 708/312, make
entire fucking DIRECTORIES in the zipfile. Annoying ones with lotsa alt-255s.
And that fucking annoying ş. Is that the size of their asshole or their brain?
Well, in either case, I’d like to find out so I can skewer them using the
proper utensils. I mean, it would be a shame to want to give someone an iron
colonic, and you find out their asshole is bigger than you thought. And me
without my spoon.
Gweed.

Oh yah, and call Nun-Beaters Anonymous, 708,251,5094.

0

Category: Other Nonsense & Spam

Blackjack: Card Counting For The Complete Klutz, From Steven Jacobs

Black Holes In Space, From The NASA SpaceLink BBS (November 16, 1988)

Black Holes In Space, From The NASA SpaceLink BBS (November 16, 1988)

What Does A Black Belt Mean? By Reverend Kensho Furyua

The Bill Of Rights “Lite” By John Perry Barlow

Project For Building A Bike Light

Charlie Lear’s Adventerous Day In Biking

Are Your A Bikaholic? By Dick Sorensen (June 25, 1992)

NiCAD Batteries: Facts And Fallacies, From Radio Communication, May 1988 (Posted On November, 1992)

Glenn Sahlin’s Introduction To Batteries

G Saintiny Writes About The Glories Of The Bathroom, From The Winter Solstace 1990 EV Will And Word

A Guy Takes His Fine Oldsmobile Out For A Ride And To The Mechanics Of The Country

Buying Your Massachusetts Automobile Insurance

Suggestions For Auto Mar

Attila The Hun And The Battle Of Chalons By Arther Ferrill

Requirements For Becoming An Astronaut: Announcement No. 3ACS-83 For Mission Specialist And Pilot Astronaut Candidates

Background On The Astronaut Program, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

Alphabetical List Of Astronauts, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

Astronaut Birthplaces By State, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

Short Biographical Sketches Of Deceased Astronauts, From The Astronaut Fact Book (February, 1992)

Ruby’s Pearls: Promotional Blurb

Introduction To Ruby’s Pearls

The Art Of Writing Textfiles. What You Needed To Know.

Jane’s Fighting Ships 1990-1991 (Specifications Of Warships)

Learn Esperanto!

Crimefighters Membership Application

How To Connect Anything To Anything, By Jason!

Balloon Campaign Will Seek Evidence Of Antimatter Galaxy

Gweed Is Annoted How People Zip Up Collections Of Textfiles

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