King Rat (gkr) wrote,
King Rat
gkr

November 2003 I.E.E.E. Spectrum

Really cool article, The Dawn of the E-Bomb, on microwave weapons. This is the sort of weapon used fictionally in the Ocean's Eleven remake a couple years ago. Basically, turn it on and destroy all computer equipment within about 400 or 500 meters of the detonation. What happens is the microwave heats up metallic conductors, frying the gates embedded within circuit boards and chips. It's actually pretty easy to build such a weapon, though getting a power source large enough to detonate it isn't. It's also pretty easy to defend against it if you think in advance. Basically, all it takes is Faraday cage surrounding your electronics devices and there's little danger (it's a little more complicated, but essentially that).

Another article, All in the Game, describes the trials and tribulations of the company that puts the yello 1st down line on football fields for televised games.

Also, a report alerting members to a ruling by the U.S. Treasury Dept. that basically prevented U.S. publications from publishing anything written by citizens of Iran, Cuba, or North Korea. You could publish, but if you edited what was submitted at all, you ran afoul of economic sanctions the U.S. has placed on those countries. I believe the ruling has since been rescinded or clarified.

Subscribe

  • Last post

    I don't plan to delete my LJ (I paid for permanent status, dammit), but this will be the last post. I don't plan to read it anymore, either…

  • The Fighting Lady

    The first image is a screenshot from The Fighting Lady at 6:55. The subject at that moment is the maintenance and operation of the ship's…

  • Operation Hailstorm

    Last summer my aunt requested the military file for my grandfather. It finally came through last month. I scanned all 600+ pages a couple weeks ago…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

  • 0 comments