[ih] SpaceX Starlink in Ukraine and RELCOM during the Soviet coup attempt

[John Lowry]

As a Starlink user who lives a mere 40 miles from Portland Maine, I can say that Starlink is a blessing.  There are many other testimonials.  Most everyone I know points out that Starlink is not for the privileged and the privileged don’t seem interested in it.  My children live near Boston and get 3 to 4 times the bandwidth for 60% of the cost from cable Internet. Their attitude is a slightly condescending “We’re glad for you Dad, but no thanks.”

My only choice other than Starlink is 768/128 Kbps.  I keep that capability as emergency backup.

As to the carbon footprint of rocket launches that I think was referred to, the calculation reported in the linked story has been repeated and reported independently elsewhere.

Environmentally, in terms of atmospheric,  debris, and visual environments, Spacex seems to be well thought out and not  a significant threat or burden. I would rather see private jets and personal space travel eliminated.

https://www.treehugger.com/spacex-launch-puts-out-much-co-flying-people-across-atlantic-4857958

Sent from my high-carbon iPad via Starlink

> On Mar 15, 2022, at 7:18 PM, Steffen Nurpmeso via Internet-history <internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
> 
> Larry Press wrote in
> <BYAPR03MB386372092B843CF2D1C9688BC2109 at BYAPR03MB3863.namprd03.prod.outl\
> ook.com>:
> |The limited, but significant role of SpaceX Starlink in Ukraine:
> |https://circleid.com/posts/20220308-spacex-starlink-in-ukraine-a-week-later
> 
> Especially on the day where Germany announced to buy F-35 jet
> fighters (and more then hopefully functioning Eurofighters, which
> i would personally have _very much_ preferred) with i think highly
> sophisticated electronic warfare it would be interesting whether
> military forces who really desire to would be able to completely
> "turn off the heaven".
> 
> I personally totally oppose this massive satellitisation which
> requires hundreds of rocket starts.  May the French friend who is
> also on this list defend the (very much smaller) French series of
> satellites which was/is being brought up to space for the very
> same purpose or not.
> 
> I mean even in the scientists in the antarctic have internet, may
> it be slow, it seems sufficient to do science there.  For such
> purposes, yes, i go with that.  Military of all sorts i cannot
> prevent as much as their friendly fire.  But private households?
> Maybe somewhere in a desert or what, but for us in Europe?  For
> the American west or east coast, for -- what do i know of that --
> Texas, Arizona?  Thousands of satellites?  Is that better than
> directional radion here and there or some cables along railways?
> Really??  In my opinion: no.
> 
> |Reminds me of the role of RELCOM during the Soviet coup attempt of 1991:
> |https://cis471.blogspot.com/2011/01/before-twitter-revolutions-there-was\
> |.html
> 
> You know.  I think it is a philosophical issue, if you really do
> not want to name it a religious one.  I could show you many people
> in my personal neighbourhood who somehow have the desire for
> freedom, for expression, but they do not feel free.  This is not
> about the two million children who need "additional food care", or
> the ten million Germans who in the meantime work in the low wages
> sector, this is not about our disrespectful dealing with one
> another, with other animals, with nature.  Or maybe the latter
> three things a bit.  This is not about "you get what you deserve."
> So these two administrators had a "success!", that is great.  You
> like the western world regardless of the mentioned, and i did not
> talk about all the addictions at all, and not only meaning drugs
> like alcohol or whatever, or consumption as such, that is also
> great.  But different cultures have different values, and
> i personally am totally fine with that.  Then again people are
> a bit the same everywhere, and you will find in America people who
> would possibly fit better into a society like Russia, or Germany,
> or Italy, as well as you find quite some Russians who would die
> for having the all-american experience.  You know.  What i mean
> is, i think, that the Christians live in parables, and Israel and
> the Temple Mount are possibly just a state of mind, and that is
> the real freedom people should be endorsed in and guided to, and
> which society should jointly strive for, and one should look for
> the three fingers that point back rather than always target with
> the one pointing somewhere else.  And if you desire sovereignity
> for yourself, and somehow gain it, then you should not prohibit
> others the same conditions, but have the splendor to live in peace
> and mutual respect.  I guess that is a bit John Lennon and Imagine
> though.
> 
> And though all off-topic, i also dislike battery powered cars.
> We all need hydrogen and fuel-cell technology, and graceful
> sustainability.  And it was the Club of Rome who said that 50
> years ago, and it was in the word "technology" that Al Gore said
> in the TV duel for the presidentship.  But mind you, i did not
> believe that will work out almost a decade earlier.  You know,
> even earlier, i read in a book of a wonderful journalist i think
> (such things _did_ exist when i was young) the words of a black
> Bishop of somewhere in Africa (i do not know whether i would find
> the thing) saying "in the year 2700 the white man will have
> destroyed life on earth, and then the time of the africans begin",
> and .. i overwhelmingly believed him that this is the truth.
> 
> Have a nice evening.
> 
> --steffen
> |
> |Der Kragenbaer,                The moon bear,
> |der holt sich munter           he cheerfully and one by one
> |einen nach dem anderen runter  wa.ks himself off
> |(By Robert Gernhardt)
> -- 
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