Re: GPS + Pulsars + an apology/rebuttal

Tomb,

Well I will publicly apologize for seeing what was not
there in your statements.  Maybe I am just getting
paranoid. <G>.

Thank you for the reply and once again I am glad to be
a member of this list where we can behave in a
civilized manner.

In mitigation I will say that this is during a LosCon
and I have been working on 3-4 hours of sleep for a
couple of days <G>.

Take Care,

Bob

Sorry to the rest of the list for leaving most of
Tom's post.  I cannot see a good place to cut it that
would maximize "face" for us both. <G>

--- Thomas Barclay <kaladorn@magma.ca> wrote:
> Apology/Rebuttal:
> 
> Bob, 
> 
> Normally I don't respond to allegations*[1] of 
> veiled US bashing, but in this case I must make 
> an exception. I am aware the US owns, built, 
> and (AFAIK) entirely paid for the GPS satellite 
> constellation. I am aware of the limits of the 
> accuracy and several techniques of getting 
> around (or attempting to) the inaccuracies that 
> can be introduced into the data feed. Anyone 
> who uses this system other than the Americans 
> (and maybe a Redcoat or two) are in the 
> 'buyer beware' (and given you paid nothing, 
> that's a capital B in beware!). 
> 
> You did not, in fairness, mention that the US can 
> also (you did build, and did pay for, and do 
> own - AFAIK - the constellation) turn off the 
> feeds from some satellites entirely or probably 
> even deactivate the whole shebang if it really 
> wants to black out an area. 
> 
> None of this is a statement of anything other 
> than the facts as I know them. I don't believe 
> there was any conclusion suggested herein.
> 
> FWIW, the 'veiled US bashing' was extremely 
> veiled, as I, the author of the comment, totally 
> failed to perceive it. I am not the type to take 
> veiled shots at anyone.... it is not in my nature. 
> I'll come out and say what I think in plain 
> language. I understand the desire to defend 
> ones country, although I'm a little offended that 
> you'd think I'd stoop to petty sniping at the 
> US.*[2]
> 
> However, perhaps it is the quintessential 
> Canadian lurking inside, but I will apologize for 
> causing any unintended harm and for phrasing 
> my factual comments in such a way as they 
> might seem to be US bashing if one was 
> apparently more sensitive than I was to that 
> possibility. My apologies. 
> 
> And my thanks to Brian for succinctly defending 
> me. <tips hat>
> 
> And let me conclude by saying that I'm very  
> glad to be on the same continent as the USA 
> (as opposed to any number of other options), I 
> expect to enjoy beating and being beaten by 
> Americans at ECC next weekend, also that I'm 
> very glad to have so many good American 
> friends (Bob among them), and I'm very proud 
> to be Canadian! These things are in no way 
> mutually exclusive!
> 
> Tomb
> 
> [1] Alleged because there was neither intention, 
> nor I believe with a dispassionate review, 
> evidence to support such an allegation wthout a 
> fair degree of speculation as to some (non-
> existent) context or agenda behind the 
> comments rather than from the meat of the 
> comments themselves. 
> 
> [2] Now, US Bashing was what went on when I 
> sent Jon Davis a jibe about our Women's 
> Hockey Team winning.... but that did include a 
> number of smileys! All in good fun and merely a 
> preamble to me beating Jon at Formula De in 
> Lancaster! *as Tomb utters famous last words*
> And US Bashing as it pertains to Hockey is NOT 
> petty sniping at the US. It's HOCKEY we're 
> talking about.....!!!!! ;) 
> ---------------------------------------------
> Thomas Barclay
> Co-Creator of http://www.stargrunt.ca 
> Stargrunt II and Dirtside II game site
> 
> Corruptisima republica plurimae leges. 
> [The more corrupt a republic, the more laws.]
> -- Tacitus
> ---------------------------------------------

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