The world is run by electronics. Given this fact, is it any
wonder so many things around the globe are a mess?
Electronics
enter our lives from many directions and aspects. Our printed
products like newspapers, magazines, books, dictionaries
and maps are quickly disappearing. We have to look to the
Internet for almost everything — even public notices.
U.S.
Post Office’s are losing the battle with the electronic
world: E-mail, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter iPads are all pulling
ahead of them. Sadly, the result is post offices around
the country are closing. Many small ones are being consolidated,
two or three locations becoming only one.
I have used the postal service to a great extent over the years.
I must admit though, with all the changes they have had to
adopt, plus the layoffs of large numbers of staff, the service
I was accustomed to is failing. I use two post offices: One
in Port Austin and the other in Key Largo, Fla. for my winter
correspondence. The few staff left in both locations are not
the cheerful people I used to meet each day when I picked up
my mail.
Losing the postal service we used to enjoy is not nearly as
bad as trying to make a cell call in the Port Austin-Grindstone
area. The company that brags about being in 97 percent of households
seems unaware of the large percentage of those households that
are unable to place calls. Although months have been spent
attempting to repair their cell sites in the Port Austin area,
currently the service only works about 10 percent of the time.
The
billing department seems to be functioning just fine, even
though customers cannot make calls, they
receive
their bills
in a timely manner. After many inquiries, and hours
spent asking for service (you may recall I ranted
on about
the problems
I had a few weeks ago), I reached a person who had
some compassion for my situation. He explained the
service
problems going
on and advised me to hook up a MicroCell receiver
booster. After
two days of attempted installation, it is up and
running and as long as we stay close to it — our phone
works!
The world of wireless systems in the form of satellite and
terrestrial technology is springing up everywhere and presenting
a whole new electronics problem. A fierce battle is being waged
to see what entity will control communications. The FCC has
licensed LightSquared, a company most people have never heard
of, to use frequencies that could interfere with GPS as well
as other existing satellite systems. They could even cause
disturbances and interruptions in aeronautical emergency communications
systems.
U.S.
Air Force Space Commander Gen. William Shelton recently referred
to prospective problems with
LightSquared’s
use of frequencies as “Unbelievable.” He urged
the FCC to reverse their action and pull the company’s
license. The FCC, however, granted the company
a waiver excluding them from any anticipated
problems. To research
the events
taking place, visit coalition to save our GPS.
To whom does the FCC answer? The following statement appeared
when I Googled FCC.
“ The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate for five-year
terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The President
designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairperson. Only
three Commissioners may be members of the same party. None of them
can have a financial interest in any Commission-related
business.”
Who guarantees that?
I totally agree with Gen. Shelton. It is unbelievable the FCC
can ignore the request of Gen. Shelton, who
is responsible for organizing, equipping, training and maintaining
mission-ready
space and cyberspace forces and capabilities
for North American Aerospace Defense Command. He leads 46,000 professionals,
assigned
to 88 locations worldwide. His education
list includes; BA and MA of Science in Astronautical Engineering,
MA of Science
National Security Strategy, National War
College.
As I see it: One has to believe the General
would have a broader knowledge of communications
than an appointed commission.
How did the FCC become so empowered they
can ignore a possible disturbance of our
GPS system relied upon by those who navigate
on land, sea and in the air including all
agencies who provide
emergency response?
Believe it: The world is run by electronics.
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