TO THE EDITOR
wants to express our deep concerns about the
continued destabilization in the Middle East,
particularly in Iraq and Israel/Palestine. We
decry the inhumane treatment of prisoners of
war in Iraq, as well as the daily loss of life on
all sides. The strategic preferences of leaders to
use violence and force, rather than numerous
alternative means to de-escalate conflict
and rebuild societies, has contributed to grow-
ing anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim, and anti-
American sentiments across the world.
As members of this global community,
we call for world leadership to respond, to
cease participating in cycles of retaliation,
and to present alternatives based in nonvio-
lence and reconciliation. We are all con-
nected to these conflicts. These are our fami-
lies and friends. Our actions as U.S. citizens
and U.S. residents make a difference. We are
a group of Muslims, Jews, Christians, and
others who do not always agree, but have
found ways to coexist. We know that groups
tend to remember and identify with their
own sufferings, but may not recognize the
violence they have done to others. We all
need to take responsibility. We call on our
national and world leaders to step up and
do the truly difficult work of reconcilia-
tion.
Mark Eichinger-Wiese, et al
Eugene
CLEARER SIGNALS
As the popularity of the Global
Positioning System continues to grow, so
does the number of stories about it in the
media — most of them replete with errors.
Eric Hendricksen’s “High-Tech Hunt” (Out
There 4/29) contains many.
GPS has never been “used exclusively in
the military.” On the contrary, civilian appli-
cations began as soon as the first few satel-
lites became operational. President Clinton’s
decision to zero out Selective Availability —
the intentional degradation of the civilian
signal — made cheap civilian receivers
about five times more accurate overnight,
thus enabling such applications as car navi-
gation systems.
It’s nonsense to say that “at any given lo-
cation four or more satellites are within
range.” The question is whether the user has
a clear view of the sky. If you are standing in
the middle of a Kansas wheat field or the
Sahara desert, up to half of the satellites
(there are currently about 30, not 24) will be
in view; if you are in an “urban canyon,”
such as New York’s Fifth Avenue, or a natu-
ral canyon, only two or three satellites might
be in view; if you are under even the thinnest
of roofs you will not receive any signals at
all.
GPS does not work on the basis of trian-
gulation, but of trilateration. Different
geometry, different math.
Actually, Hendricksen’s lead paragraph
reveals his inexperience: he recalls “wonder-
ing which way was north.” All GPS re-
ceivers will tell you in which direction you
are moving and, anyway, an experienced
hiker carries a compass.
Matteo Luccio
Editor and Publisher,
GPS User Magazine
UNJUST INVESTIGATION
A second grand jury has convened to in-
vestigate the 2001 Romania arson. Having
served on a grand jury, I’m curious why the
U.S. attorney’s office was unable to get any
indictments in the first grand jury convened
three years ago. Only one side of these bi-
ased “investigations” are presented, by the
prosecutor. No one is able to cross examine
the witness, and no information is presented
indicating that there might be another side to
the story. There is no requirement for the
prosecutor to present conclusive evidence,
and the person being questioned does not
even get an attorney. The only person new
jurors can get instructions from is the prose-
cutor (a.k.a. their new friend). If they have
questions about how to be a juror, the prose-
cutor is the only one there to help. If that isn’t
crooked enough, the prosecutor only needs
to get a simple majority of the jurors to vote
for an indictment. And you wouldn’t vote
against your friend, right?
The secrecy with which grand juries op-
erate contradicts the open system of justice
our government is based upon. Secrecy
breeds abuses and does not provide for ac-
countability of those with the power to put
people on trial.
So, the prosecutor has a closed room full
of people who do not know what their rights
are as jurors (except what the nice prosecu-
tor told them), the prosecutor does not have
to present credible evidence, and the prose-
cute only needs just over half of the jurors to
vote for the indictment. Doesn’t sound very
hard to me. As New York Judge Sol
Wachtler said, a grand jury could indict a
ham sandwich.
Can we get some justice with that sand-
wich?
Jim Flynn
Eugene
MAY 20, 2004 5