Rampant BSOD’s expected in a warmer future?
Guest essay by Eric Worrall
In a mind aching exercise in recursion, the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union has released a report based on computer projections of future climate change, to provide direction on how climate change will affect computers.
According to the report:
“That path forward must be low-carbon and high-resilience. We must move on curbing emissions to mitigate climate effects and we must move to adapt to the climate impacts we know are coming. Technology and ICT in particular is a powerful force that can put us squarely on the path to a climate resilient future.”
Computer infrastructure owners are advised to find ways to reduce emissions, and are warned they will have to prepare for greater climatic extremes – so where possible, cables should be buried underground, and short range radio links should be considered to improve resilience. The report also mentions the risk of supply chain disruption, and risks to support personnel forced to endure severe weather while travelling to perform their duties.
Some other interesting highlights:-
Plans to expand UN bureaucracy:-
“In the current setting, UNESCO is working towards the establishment of a Climate Change Consortium with the aim of supporting the professionalization of public and private decision-makers. Within the context of global development, the Consortium will implement a leadership training programme on best practices and comprehensive decision-making on scientific and managerial issues related to sustainable development, its economic and social aspects.”
Section 1.1.6 mentions changes in snow and ice
“The IPCC Fourth Assessment Synthesis Report does not specifically mention ice storms in the context of climate change but it is mentioned in Reference20 as “an extreme event with a large spatial scale (as in an ice storm or windstorm) which can have an exaggerated, disruptive impact due to the systemic societal dependence on electricity transmission and distribution networks”.
and in section 4.2.7:-
“No information could be found on the change of risk of ice storms and heavy snowfall due to climate change. However, it seems likely that extreme events are increasing as a consequence of climate change. A recent example of the consequences of ice storm is noted in the New York area. ”
So no “end of snow” prediction in this report, at least.
Section 5.1 contains a suggestion that the electricity grid may be less reliable in the future:-
“Decouple communication infrastructure from electric grid infrastructure to the extent possible, and make both more robust, resilient, and redundant. ”
Source:
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/climatechange/Documents/Publications/Resilient_Pathways-E.PDF
As I said, most of the report appears to be general advice to make computer and communication infrastructure more resilient – increasing backup power supply capacity and duration, making linkages between systems more robust, improving adaptability to outages, that kind of thing.
I can’t help feeling though, that the UN is missing the real risk to global IT and communications infrastructure, by focusing attention on the climate non-issue. The real risk being the very real possibility of another Carrington event, which, when it occurs, will destroy much of the world’s electronic infrastructure in just a few seconds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859
Pedant alert. effect/affect change?
The biggest threat to power supply comes not from climate change, but from the stupid power policies advocated by the UN.
[Fixed, thanks. ~mod]
There seems to be a 1930s-esque approach to this ‘climate change’ thing.
All the skeptics are behaving nicely, likely nice little Chamberlains.
Hitler snorted with derision in private and just got on with his business.
What is the Poland guarantee in Climate Change??
Climate change to affect computers — Great! Now computers will be created by climate! Oh, wait, that’s been happening for a while through grants.
Given the rise in global temperatures since the Little Ice Age, where is all this ‘climate change’ that should accompany it? Shouldn’t we be in the midst of climate change Hell by now? It stands to reason – doesn’t it? – so perhaps the authors of this study, and all like them, would take a minute to answer that basic question for a backwoods rube like me, before expecting me to venture further into the swamp with them.
“In the current setting, UNESCO is working towards the establishment of a Climate Change Consortium with the aim of supporting the professionalization of public and private decision-makers.”
Will this include formal training and (perhaps) an introduction to logical thinking for the decision-makers? If not, it will ALL be a huge waste of time, money and yet another misuse of assets.
‘Fear-based living’ is not living, it’s slavery, intellectual slavery where we are virtually being held against our will …
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“The real risk being the very real possibility of another Carrington event, which, when it occurs, will destroy much of the world’s electronic infrastructure in just a few seconds.”
To paraphrase Al Borland: “I don’t think so Tim.” It would seem the author of that line is not up to speed on present practice and training by the power/energy generation and transmission folk, and therefore is speaking beyond his competency.
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They forgot the obligatory “women and minorities affected most” meme.
I guess they think people really are as stupid as they are. Some are, thanks to Government indoctrination.
I think there are a number of UN employees who have a lot of time on their hands and have no legitimate work to do.
usJim says:
April 29, 2014 at 5:04 am
“I don’t think so Tim.” It would seem the author of that line is not up to speed on present practice and training by the power/energy generation and transmission folk, and therefore is speaking beyond his competency.
____________________
Hey, usJim, I’ve been encountering conflicting opinions on this question. Do you have a link to a discussion of preparations for an EMP?
TIA
Jim
“I can’t help feeling though, that the UN is missing the real risk to global IT and communications infrastructure, by focusing attention on the climate non-issue. The real risk being the very real possibility of another Carrington event, which, when it occurs, will destroy much of the world’s electronic infrastructure in just a few seconds.”
Perhaps a lot of the proposed measures about resiliance a really aimed at that. But so as not to miss an oppertunity to spin AGW again they dress it up “climate disruption”.
usJim
“The real risk being the very real possibility of another Carrington event, which, when it occurs, will destroy much of the world’s electronic infrastructure in just a few seconds.”
To paraphrase Al Borland: “I don’t think so Tim.” It would seem the author of that line is not up to speed on present practice and training by the power/energy generation and transmission folk, and therefore is speaking beyond his competency.
My understanding is a Carrington event scale solar storm is similar to the effect of a high altitude nuclear explosion, but on a global scale.
According to Wikipedia, a 300Kt high altitude Soviet nuclear test fused 570km of overhead telephone line, with a measured amperage of 2500 amps, started a fire that burned down the Karaganda power plant, and shut down 1,000-km of shallow-buried power cables between Aqmola and Almaty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-altitude_nuclear_explosion
Scaling this kind of damage to the entire planet, it seems reasonable to assume that a Carrington scale solar flare would do tremendous damage to the world’s electrical infrastructure.
And it wouldn’t just be large structures, silicon chips are very sensitive to voltage spikes, as anyone who has ever bought as surge protector knows – as an amateur electronics enthusiast, I’m well aware of how easy they are to damage.
A Carrington style event would generate damaging voltage spikes, even in equipment which wasn’t plugged in.
Put the morons of the UN in control of the Internat and you can be sure something will happen to your computer, climate change or not.
The assertion that CO2 is always linked to “everything climate” clouds the importance of these observed solar events and continues to assure that the IPCC remains in a state of disrepute.
“Plans to expand UN bureaucracy:-
“In the current setting, UNESCO is working towards the establishment of a Climate Change Consortium with the aim of supporting the professionalization of public and private decision-makers.””
This is quite something. The useless offspring of the current UN lardasses, supplied with new offices and taxpayer money, is supposed to teach private sector decision makers professionalism. All that they could teach is how to become a parasite by having a UN parasite parent.
“In the current setting, UNESCO is working towards the establishment of a Climate Change Consortium with the aim of supporting the professionalization of public and private decision-makers.”
I think they meant “with the aim of supporting the INDOCTRINATION of public private decision-makers”…
Why is it that everything the UN and the EU come up with costs us money, drives up prices, ruins the business environment, and trashes the environment in general?
Probably need to shut down those supercomputers being wasted on broken models, or, better yet,
use them for good, maybe medical research – who knows how many people that would actually
help (OK, we need researchers too…).
Plans to expand UN bureaucracy:
“In the current setting, UNESCO is working towards the establishment of a Climate Change Consortium with the aim of supporting the professionalization of public and private decision-makers. Within the context of global development, the Consortium will implement a leadership training programme on best practices and comprehensive decision-making on scientific and managerial issues related to sustainable development, its economic and social aspects.”
The United Nations Charter can be found here:
https://treaties.un.org/doc/publication/ctc/uncharter.pdf
Article 2
7. Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in
matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.
The UN’s role is to make recommendations to member States. I can’t find anything in the Charter which authorizes the UN to Impose sustainable development on Member States nor require members to be “educated” to embrace solutions which are not in the best interest of a Member State.
Am I missing something?
Section 5.1 contains a suggestion that the electricity grid may be less reliable in the future:-
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if you only plug in your computer while the wind is blowing or the sun is shining your should be OK. Otherwise might as well take the day off, there won’t be any electricity if the EPA has anything to say about it.
re: James Strom says April 29, 2014 at 5:34 am
Addressing EMP (and ‘Carrington’ class events as well) Mario Rabinowitz of Electric Power Research Institute has this to say: http://arxiv.org/ftp/physics/papers/0307/0307127.pdf
A couple more places for further info:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/02/18/largest-space-weather-storm-in-at-least-four-years/#comment-602214
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/02/18/largest-space-weather-storm-in-at-least-four-years/#comment-602234
EMP field strengths of 5kV/m are often cited. A practical conductor is often measured in AWG. 36 AWG is 0.005 inch diameter, the ‘circuit’ length of an isolated conductor. You do the arithmetic.
There are lots of numbers and references cited here
http://glasstone.blogspot.com/2006/03/emp-radiation-from-nuclear-space.html
Believe nothing heard or read without verifying it oneself unless it Weltanschauung congruent.
re: Eric Worrall says April 29, 2014 at 5:40 am
…
“My understanding is a Carrington event scale solar storm is similar to the effect of a high altitude nuclear explosion, but on a global scale.”
From: http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/02/18/largest-space-weather-storm-in-at-least-four-years/#comment-602324
This report from STANLEY J. JAKUBIAK, DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE COMMAND CENTER’S DIVISION, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF regarding experience with COTS (Commercial, off the shelf) equipment (equipment not designed to be hardened to EMP) and its survivability to EMP, and by extension ‘Carrington’ class events, from testimony here: http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/security/has280010.000/has280010_0.HTM
For those more inclined to review an audio-visual review of GIC (Ground Induced Currents due to magnetic storm) related subjects:
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‘ general advice to make computer and communication infrastructure more resilient – increasing backup power supply capacity and duration, making linkages between systems more robust, improving adaptability to outages, that kind of thing.’
In other words shoving a ton of cash toward the industry , which the industry thinks is a good idea . Cannot blame them , after all many have feed off the particular well filled ‘guilt bucket’ already.
Reading material about GIC effects (terrestrial, in-the-atmosphere) and the effect on power grids – here’s a fairly good return by google on the subject; skip the ‘pop’ websites and pick a few of the pdf sources from industry or edu sites, like these two:
1) “Hydro One GMD Preparedness Plan for Cycle 24″
http://www.nerc.com/docs/pc/gmdtf/Hydro%20One%20GMD%20Preparedness%20Plan%20for%20Cycle%2024.pdf
2) “Effects of Geomagnetically Induced Currents on Power Transformers and
Power Systems”
http://www05.abb.com/global/scot/scot252.nsf/veritydisplay/cbd31097f5bd26bfc1257b16002e30f1/$file/A2_304_Cigre2012_1LAB000513_Effects%20of%20geomagnetically%20induced%20currents%20on%20power%20transformers%20and%20power%20systems.pdf
More papers on GIC effects:
https://www.google.com/search?q=gic+currents+effects+power+transformers&oq=GIC+currents&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0.5014j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#es_sm=93&espv=210&q=gic+currents+effects+power+transformers&start=20
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re: Eric Worrall says April 29, 2014 at 5:40 am
… According to Wikipedia, a 300Kt high altitude Soviet nuclear test fused 570km of overhead telephone line, with a measured amperage of 2500 amps, started a fire that burned down the Karaganda power plant, and shut down 1,000-km of shallow-buried power cables between Aqmola and Almaty.
One telephone line that ‘fused’ at 2500A (at that rate it might should have simply vaporized) and the detonation also caused a power plant to burn down? Other factors may have been at play, I would venture to say (I would need to see a serious white paper on this to lend it much credence.)
I think we have a little better ‘handle’ of what happens with EMP when Starfish Prime was lit off and it was claimed that some infrastructure was affected in Hawaii … unfortunately, little was actually documented on what was actually affected, leaving me to think the accounts were anecdotal and no serious investigations launched at the time as little actual damage occurred. There was some investigation of a street light outage in Hawaii, as detailed below, however.
It should be noted that the effect was purported to be on a series-string street of lamps which used dated (’30s) techniques to minimize the lay-out of wire and fed the design therefore required the use of a specialized constant-current transformers and each light had an individual over-voltage (burned-out bulb bypass) ‘shorting’ discs that bypass an open filament (much like a series-string Christmas tree light set) so as to keep current flowing through the entire set.
Did High Altitude EMP Cause the Hawaiian Streetlight Incident?
http://www.ece.unm.edu/summa/notes/SDAN/0031.pdf
(The above link was slow to respond a few minutes ago; maybe check back a little later after IT has rectified any website issues …)
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As I suffer thru another -25F anomaly today….
So we must prepare for what has always happened in the past….um, on then. Do I owe the un some cash for telling me this? 😈😈😈
At least, not solar storm threatens, because activity drops significantly.
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/rt_plots/SatEnv.gif
The alarmist claims keep getting crazier and crazier the longer there is no global warming. They realize time is running out. Already 80% of Americans don’t consider global warming a threat and in a couple of years it will be a complete joke.
re: Eric Worrall says April 29, 2014 at 5:40 am
… “And it wouldn’t just be large structures, silicon chips are very sensitive to voltage spikes, as anyone who has ever bought as surge protector knows – as an amateur electronics enthusiast, I’m well aware of how easy they are to damage.”
Unawares of the designed-in intrinsic immunity to ESD of basic devices? Designers are also supplied guidance by chip designers/manufacturers for designing systems with the capability to handle higher levels of ESD and EMI, for instance see this design guide by TI: “System-Level ESD/EMI Protection Guide”: http://www.ti.com/lit/sg/sszb130b/sszb130b.pdf
Things have improved markedly in the last decade and a half in regards to consumer device ESD (and by extension EMP) survivability.
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I guess the keywords here are “global development” and the programming “of public and private decision-makers.” The debate was settled years ago, we’ve been told.
Shouldn’t the IPCC be investigated for dragging this dead dog around the halls of the UN? I guess it comes under diplomatic immunity.
Paul
““No information could be found on the change of risk of ice storms and heavy snowfall due to climate change. However, it seems likely that extreme events are increasing as a consequence of climate change.”
IOW: data to the contrary notwithstanding….we ‘think’ otherwise.
” professionalization of public and private decision-makers.”
Eric, you missed the most sinister part of all. Professionalization means you have to become expert in a body of “knowledge” on sustainability, pass exams and become accredited to practice public and PRIVATE decision making. Even when the anti-free enterprise guerilla Maurice Strong dies, he has left a legacy and chain of clones that will be harassing us for generations. Imagine, when the sheeple go for this “reasonable” idea, we would have to be “qualified” to even run our own businesses. The devil is always in these kinds of details of the motherhood-seeming Agenda 21
This is not climate “craziness” but propaganda in a deliberate attempt to foster misinformation and alarmism. Here is the reason why skeptics need to organize, the better to resist such attempts by the UN and other official orgs and ogres.
UN Climate Expert Certification Test (300 questions)
1) Is human-caused global warming destroying the planet and all life as we know it?
.
.
.
300) …
Computer test checking code:
10: if Answer(1) == true
20: print “Pass”
30: else
40: print “Fail”
0: end
_Jim
EMI is a radio frequency (RF) (800 MHz to 2 GHz) disturbance that affects an electrical circuit due to electromagnetic conduction from an external source . EMI can be avoided by using EMI filters that eliminate RF noise and maintain signal integrity
EMI is low energy voltage ripples from say the local radio station, or a bit of leakage from your microwave oven. A Carrington scale event is a series of spikes of hundreds, even thousands of volts, occurring repeatedly for minutes or hours, appearing across even a few metres of conductor, including the copper tracks in circuit boards.
A bit of ferrite and some tinfoil on the case is not going to stop that kind of abuse. Remember, for equipment to fail, just one component has to break. It might be repairable – but where do you start? Whatever happens, there will be a lot of cleanup.
@ John McClure April 29, 2014 at 6:05 am
I refer you to the thorough disregard to our constitution as exhibit A of how paper barriers are completely ineffective at keeping the State (and their bureaucratic offspring) in check. The only way to do so is to eliminate them. Then we will be free.
The only “climate change” that affects computers is when idiots try to run them against the wall under a desk.
Eric Worrall says April 29, 2014 at 8:16 am
… “EMI is low energy voltage ripples from …”
But, ESD is not … pls read more of the references supplies, esp the TI design guide linked above …
Also note the testimony from STANLEY J. JAKUBIAK about commercial COTS equipment. I think you are failing to comprehend just how robust consumer equipment really is (for instance: TV sets and CRT monitors operated routinely with voltages of between 15 and 25 KV! Even LCD monitors and many laptops to this point require an ‘inductively’ induced ‘striking’ voltage of several KV to ‘start’ a CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp) tube used as the backligh for Liquid Crystal Displays in many monitors and laptops.
Please also view the video above by Dr. Girgis of ABB. A LOT has been learned from the event in 1989 … given your response it does not appear you viewed the video with the attendant graphs and charts detailing the event over time as it occurred in 1989 …
I’m going to make the assumption you’re not a EE, never worked in an EMI or EMI susceptibility lab, hence the appearance that aa lot of this info seems ‘new’. I routinely operate transmitting radio equipment that will cause properly positioned, unconnected 4′ fluorescent lamps to light due to the high E-field environment (operating AM or SSB phone near legal limit RF power on 80 meters under one leg of a 1/2 Lambda dipole) and have yet to have any equipment ‘fry’ or quit on account of the exposure to the strong RF field! Do the PC speakers ‘bark’ from the RF? Yes, they do … and that is about the only effect beside the CRT monitor changing brilliance at a the ‘voice’ or speaking rate!
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When you can’t find peer reviewed scientific evidence this is what you say.
mpainter says:
April 29, 2014 at 7:36 am
This is not climate “craziness” but propaganda in a deliberate attempt to foster misinformation and alarmism. Here is the reason why skeptics need to organize, the better to resist such attempts by the UN and other official orgs and ogres.
========
mpainter,
Its not the UN, our USA leadership is at fault for allowing these types of programs to invade the US without proper due-diligence. In many cases, federal government actually encourages the programs. Its our fault for electing them to office and allowing them to enact legislation which is counter to US interests and individual rights.
If you want to prevent these programs, start with your own town and work your way up to State government. States control Congress, not Washington politicians and NGOs.
To governor Brown’s credit, Redevelopment Corporations have been banned in California.
John McClure says:
April 29, 2014 at 6:05 am
“Am I missing something?”
Proper mind set. There is a room in the basement of the NYC UN building where it is wet and dark, and the fellows there know how to make adjustments.
Yes, John McClure,
But elected officials are more mindful of organizations than individuals. Organize now.
Any estimation of what levels of voltage and current will be generated in the thousands of miles of assorted wire and cable if a Carrington level CME strikes?
““No information could be found on the change of risk of ice storms and heavy snowfall due to climate change. However, it seems likely that extreme events are increasing as a consequence of climate change.”
Come again? Aren’t these two sentences an example of a classic non-sequitur?
Why does it ‘seem likely’? Do they have any evidence to show that extreme events are increasing? Because it just ‘feels’ like it should be that way? It seems to me that, based on no evidence one way or the other it is equally true to assert that, “However, it seems likely that extreme events are decreasing as a consequence of climate change.”
A circuit is required to to generate a current.
However, it seems likely that hemorrhoids are increasing as a consequence of climate change.
Does UNESCO run SCIgen or did they subcontract the execution to Ike Antkare?
Jim, check out the following video, from Future Weapons. It includes an actual demonstration of a what an EMP pulse can do to a car – they use a test facility to generate a small scale EMP pulse and drive a car through it.
The electric windows survive, the fragile electronics do not.
Some systems will survive. But a lot wont.
Sorry and here’s the video 🙂
LOL not far away the Wikipedia is being castigated, while Myth Busters is touted technology truth.
Doug Huffman
LOL not far away the Wikipedia is being castigated, while Myth Busters is touted technology truth.
I’m inclined to believe the demonstration – I have fried plenty of delicate electronic components by applying the wrong voltage to the wrong pin.
Modern ICs have over voltage protection, but they are still very easy to damage. Electronic assembly plants have their workers use anti-static wrist straps, to prevent damage from ESD when assembling delicate components.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antistatic_wrist_strap
Eric;
You are correct, a large EMP weapon, or solar flare will reek havoc. Just a question of how big the pulse is and how much havoc. There are historic records of telegraph systems being fried (with no semiconductor components used back then) from solar flares.
“I’m inclined to believe the demonstration – I have fried plenty of delicate electronic components by applying the wrong voltage to the wrong pin.”
Back in the old days there was a device known as the EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). By applying the correct sequence of voltages (with an EPROM programmer circuit) you could “trap” electrons in the memory cells. These electrons “turned” ON/OFF little switches that “replayed” whatever you programmed into them.
These electrons where actually “trapped” (for a couple of thousand years or so) not like “trapping” heat with a gas.
To erase them you hit them with UV light through a little quartz (transparent in the UV) window. This energized the gate structure and the electrons “escaped”. Then you could “trap” a new program into the EPROM.
Boy, if you plugged them in backwards in the programmer they gave off a beautiful crimson glow, for a few seconds, ha ha ha. I sent a few EPROMs to the great electronic graveyard in my day, yes I did.
“Modern ICs have over voltage protection” (usually only on the input/output pins), “but they are still very easy to damage. Electronic assembly plants have their workers use anti-static wrist straps, to prevent damage from ESD when assembling delicate components.”
Yes, and air ionizers (reduces the charging ability of air), conductive plastic packaging (carbon filled plastic), grounded workstations and conductive tools (mostly metal or conductive filled plastics). ESD is especially problematic since the damage may only be “partial” and the component works fine for a while then fails totally months later.
EMP and solar flares are a real threat to electronics.
Satellite designers worry a great deal about shielding on-orbit electronics so they can survive. It is one of the reasons satellite electronics are usually redundant and very expensive. Many satellites have a “highly” shielded side, and there is a satellite out there between the Earth and the Sun that gives a few minutes warming of a “incoming” solar flare. This gives you a chance to turn the highly shielded side towards the Sun.
A few satellites have been lost from high energy particles and fields.
Cheers, Kevin (BSEE, MSEE 1980’s).
It’s absolutely crazy that governments around the world are not building the necessary electrical-grid infrastructure to avert the devastating effects of an EMP event like Carrington.
I read somewhere that the cost to modify US transformers to deal with Carrington Event would only cost about $5 billion….
Hell, the US government spends over $10 billion per day, so just 1/2 a day’s spending would be enough to avert $trillions in economic damages an EMP event will cause and it is a 100.00% certainty that a natural EMP event will occur some time in the future….
$5 billion is probably about what US government hacks spend annually on hookers in the DC area alone…
$5 billion on hookers! Gee, they must be sexual athletes. LOL
@bushbunny – Or expensive hookers
bushbunny says:
April 29, 2014 at 7:57 pm
$5 billion on hookers! Gee, they must be sexual athletes. LOL
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Here is a great photo op of a Gold Medal winning DC sexual athlete with some $1,000/night pros:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2570912/Bill-Clinton-poses-PROSTITUTES-charity-event.html
Political hacks do two things very well: 1) spending other people’s money and 2) well…, I think we know what that is…
We had a case here Craig Thomson an ex union secretary turned Fed.MP. He thought it was ok to spend union money on escorts and other personal items, and he was found guilty. He lied to parliament crying on how he was so wrongly blamed etc., had the cheek to stand again but got few votes. He was committed to trail in two states and found guilty in NSW, and smarmy had his appeal put back to November. We haven’t heard anything from Victoria who are waiting to try him too.
Rules for one and rules for another.
I agree that electronic devices handle ESD/EMI/EMP exposure better these days, but they are not immune IMO. That is why these devices are assembled in static electricity free evironments where the workers wear anti-static straps, work on anti-static workbenches, stand on anti-static mats etc. I’ve seen what ESD can do to semi-conductors through a microscope and it looks like a battle field bombed in WWI from the air.
Presstitutes, prostitutes….
and here I thought the politicians were just screw–g us….
As the saying goes, follow the money….
“Patrick says:
April 30, 2014 at 12:38 am”
Good points….carpets are not our friends with regard to ESD…was in a hotel in Holland in the middle of a FRIGID and dry winter…went to my room to open the door and got a shock that almost knocked me down…never expected that…sometimes static charges come from unexpected sources….my bank just installed little static-discharge pads next to its automatic teller machines on the drive-through lanes so that you can touch the pad and not get zapped when you put your card in the reader….saves irritation and unintentionally wiped cash (or credit) cards…kinda cool that they thought of that…
Anymore I just touch my keys to the metal surface (doorknob, etc.) to avoid the “shocking, positively shocking” effect….
Good idea to have a small set of ESD tools, a wrist strap, and a little mat for when you’re working on your PC or whatever…it only takes once….
“Jeff says:
April 30, 2014 at 2:46 pm”
I recently had to ask at work to borrow an ESD strap from the guys that install and build PC’s all day to install some RAM in a new test PC for our team. My action was questioned but I knew what I was doing.
With ESD, be careful in petrol stations when filling up. Most fires are started with a static discharge.