    





    NO. 23
    
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    NOVEMBER 73 ~
    
                  rECHNOLOGICALAMERICAN     PARJY
    
    r: ;~
    
    Ihe Er~eray Crisis was finally spoLlighted this month by
    the Pres to the American Public. It was "sug~ested" to the
    people that cutting down highway speeds, shorteniny school
    hours (good news in some respects>, turning off your home __
    and office lights wLen unneeded, and lowering the thermo-
    stat w~ld ~i\re us a savings of considerable magr.itude n
    fuel _onsumption. The seccnd part of pro~ect Independence
    would be to develop v~ithin this co~ntry a source of energy
    ~vhich would free us from "reliance ~n a foriegn enemy...
    er, ener~y"...
    
    ~t seems tbat this country can only be moved ahead in
    times of crisis, so instead of preventative structurinq of
    our life systems ~re get problematic solutions. Ihat ~s to
    ssy we do not really rid curselN;es of the disease, ne ~nly _]
    change its name and place and again wait for a crisis.
    
    Take for instance Gas consumption. A better way tc take 1_~1
    the same amount of fuel and stretch its potenti=1 use would
    be to expend scientifie skills in the de~relopement of a gas-
    oline engine with better mileage. Almost all the American
    car manufacturers have reduced amounts of miles per gal-
    lon this year in their cars. And why not? Along wlth the
    oil interests they stznd only to win.
    
    The Pres also said cars usually only have one person in
    them. Anyone who's stood out on the raad'for hours, free-
    zing their ass off could have told us that Us hitch-hikers
    are probably ~oing to be blamed for the high speeGs that
    frightened motorists travel at (the same mentality tbat
    blames phone phreaks for rising phone rates}. We know
    tbat the American People are be ing fed advertisements
    tbat rnake us CONSUME. But you didn't really expact Pres
    to get up there and adwit that our entire economy (that
    means his friends' profits) depends upon a continuous inc-
    rease in CONSUh~IPIlON, which is what caused the wh;ole
    mess. Buy, 3uy, Buy, Throw Away, Throw Away, Oo~s,
    better conserve, we'll raise our prices so don't worry!
    
    Ihe same could be said for all gas appliances, and ever
    manulacturers of electric lights. Couldn't a low consamp-
    tion high-brightness bulb be immediately prodoced? You
    bet your blue box' But the most recent trend among the
    Science communities is to use their abilities in developing
    either vFeapons of destruction, or useless niceities like
    better iloor wax, instant cheese dip or pocket calculators
    (for adding up all your purchases). Let's pray tbat before
    we start unrestricted strip mining and oth~r rapings we
    can get maximum output from already existing fuels and
    decrease our consumption by using decent mass transit &
    sharinq with others. Three color TV's~ per family I Nov;
    is the time for Bell Labs to come forward and tell us what
    the fuck theylve been puttering around with that would help
    us instead of lowering AT&Ts construction costs and boost-
    ~ng profits.
    
    The Electric and Gas companies are huge monopolies
    who have the nerve to sell us the Sunls energy. Ihey have
    free reign over the rate-s they charge, the quality of the
    smoke we're forced tc breathe and the occans and lakos
    they conveniently dump their wastes into. And don't for~et
    that they plan to risk all our lives by installing uncafe
    noclear power plants in the midst of population centers.
    Welll probably find out sooner or later of the corruption &
    payoUs that allow the Atomic Energy Commission to igrore
    ~ Continned)

    





    
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    BELL LABS:
    Just what the hell have they
    been doing since 1953?
    (Nat. GeoaraDhic Photo)
    
           \~4 ~ Ilel 4.~- .~ l.~. 1   ~.,~ I,. I 1:. .    1"r  ~I.
    
    Bell S`?lar B:~tery L~e~ Silicr~n t`, Turn Suali~hl into Eleclrici',
    
    Dear 'rA P,
    I am enclosing ~is little thought; though I am sure that no
    one would ever use it for i~egal purposes, it is an inter-
    esting theory. In many of the older electric co. installat-
    ions I am told that the wheel they used was of a fertous
    alIoy, and I have heard of people who, at paak electrical
    periods (in evenings) atfached a small but powerfal magnet
    to either the top or the sides of the electrical ~r.eter and
    ac+~nlly slowed the ~leter clown so tbat ~ey were in effect
    recieving free electricity. IJnfortunately the newer meters
    have aluminum wLeels, however the motors which turn
    them must still be affected by ma~netism (and could poss-
    ibly be slowed?~.
    
    Dear TAP,
    The part in your artiele that reads "W~men are especially
    urged to take the course as they usnally have a fear of ele-
    ctrical concepts. . . '' should read something like ''as they
    usually have been strongly discouraged from learnin~ ele-
    ctrical concepts.'' The problem is not women's timidiLJ,
    but sex-role stersotyp~ng. But it's good you mentioned
    women in particular.
    
      -S., D.C.-
    Note: We sheald also mention that people of both sexes are
    strongly dis~ouraged ~rom learningelectronics so as to
    keep us technologically naive and sell us more expensive
    garha~e. Also, of course, to prevent us from ta.'npering
    with the system. And to keep people on different levels.
    Course B, Alternating Current is ready. The correspon-
    dence courses are 50½ per course (free if you can't afford
    it). We think that after reading 6 of the courses you should
    be able to bulld any project that we've published. We're
    trying to make it a simple and fast w-ay to learn to bulld
    electronics. rEhe first ccarse is Easic Electricity Caurse
    A.
    
    