Comments on: Perils of SETI http://www.juliansanchez.com/2008/05/08/perils-of-seti/ Just another geek in the geek kingdom Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:38:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: mtc http://www.juliansanchez.com/2008/05/08/perils-of-seti/comment-page-1/#comment-4498 mtc Sat, 10 May 2008 06:50:57 +0000 http://www.juliansanchez.com/?p=2385#comment-4498 I've always wondered if blasting EM radiation off into to depths of space might be a bad idea. Reminds of a story my grandfather once told me from his WWII service: Some idiot in the next foxhole over got on the radio when he wasn't supposed to, and sure enough German shells were soon raining down. The problem with communicating in the EM spectrum as we do is that anybody can hear it (excepting lasers/focused transmissions), and even if they can't understand what you're saying, they can figure out where you are. I’ve always wondered if blasting EM radiation off into to depths of space might be a bad idea.

Reminds of a story my grandfather once told me from his WWII service: Some idiot in the next foxhole over got on the radio when he wasn’t supposed to, and sure enough German shells were soon raining down. The problem with communicating in the EM spectrum as we do is that anybody can hear it (excepting lasers/focused transmissions), and even if they can’t understand what you’re saying, they can figure out where you are.

]]> By: Erstwhile http://www.juliansanchez.com/2008/05/08/perils-of-seti/comment-page-1/#comment-4495 Erstwhile Fri, 09 May 2008 16:48:09 +0000 http://www.juliansanchez.com/?p=2385#comment-4495 I find it somewhat jarring to be reminded that, once upon a time, a thinker as brilliant as Nozick could write for <i>Commentary</i>. That magazine, which I used to borrow eagerly, has long since degenerated into a chamber pot of Belligerent and Tendentious. I had thought that maybe I just got smart and the rag-azine had always been dumb. But the presence of Nozick unearthed in its catacombs betrays that lie. Try to imagine, if RN were still around, how debonairly he would demolish the inane and deadly errors of neoconservatism. I find it somewhat jarring to be reminded that, once upon a time, a thinker as brilliant as Nozick could write for Commentary. That magazine, which I used to borrow eagerly, has long since degenerated into a chamber pot of Belligerent and Tendentious.

I had thought that maybe I just got smart and the rag-azine had always been dumb. But the presence of Nozick unearthed in its catacombs betrays that lie.

Try to imagine, if RN were still around, how debonairly he would demolish the inane and deadly errors of neoconservatism.

]]> By: Robin Lionheart http://www.juliansanchez.com/2008/05/08/perils-of-seti/comment-page-1/#comment-4494 Robin Lionheart Fri, 09 May 2008 13:50:00 +0000 http://www.juliansanchez.com/?p=2385#comment-4494 That short story moved me. Thank you for telling me about it. That short story moved me. Thank you for telling me about it.

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