What's New Robert L. Park June 11, 2010

WHAT=92S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 11 June 2010   Washington, DC

1.  FAKE BOMB DETECTOR: THE HIGH COST OF IGNORANCE.
According to a story in The Independent (UK) on Tuesday, the investigatio=
n=20
into the sale of fake bomb detectors has been expanded to a number of fir=
ms=20
in the UK. It seemed comical fourteen years ago when we learned that=20
golfers were buying fraudulent golf-ball finders (WN 12 Jan 96).  The=20
Quadro Tracker was nothing but an antenna mounted on a pistol-grip with a=
=20
swivel that was free to rotate 360=B0.  An almost imperceptible deviation=
 of=20
the swivel from horizontal would cause the antenna to rotate to its lowes=
t=20
point under the force of gravity. To a credulous observer it might seem t=
o=20
be controlled by some mysterious external force.    Quadro soon began=20
marketing them to law enforcement agencies and the Department of Defense=20
for $995 each to search for drugs and weapons.  After it failed a simple=20
test, Sandia National Labs dissected one and found it contained no intern=
al=20
parts.  The FBI shut Quadro down and arrested its officers (WN 26 Jan 96)=
. =20
However, the device soon reappeared in the UK as the ADE 651, sold by ATS=
C=20
for prices as high as $48,000.  As WN reported (WN 29 Jan 2010), at least=
=20
1,500 were sold to the government of Iraq as bomb detectors at a cost of=20
millions of dollars.  Reliance on the fake bomb detectors reportedly=20
contributed to hundreds of bomb deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, including=
=20
British and American troops.

2.  MAGICAL THINKING: DOWSING IS NOT ILLEGAL IN THE US OR THE UK.
In spite of the heinous nature of the ATSC crime, it may be difficult to=20
obtain a conviction. The defense of those charged with selling fake bomb=20
detectors will be that they believe the devices work. The defense can poi=
nt=20
to the hundreds or thousands of people who openly market their services t=
o=20
dowse for water or other substances.  Sometimes called water-witching,=20
dowsing is said to rely on supernatural influence over the muscles of the=
=20
person holding a willow fork or an ADE 651.  Dowsing doesn't always work,=
=20
but what does?  The prosecution will find itself hip deep in arguments ov=
er=20
how  dowsing we teach our differs from prayer.  Magical thinking will be=20
with us until we teach our children that observable effects result only=20
from physical causes.  It must be taught when they are learning their fir=
st=20
language.   =20

3.  CONSTELLATION: PULLING THE PLUG ON THE LIFE=96SUPPORT SYSTEM.
Although NASA  spent about $10 billion on the Constellation program since=
=20
2005, the program is currently in a costly vegetative state from which it=
=20
won=92t revive.  However, Congress won=92t agreed to cancel Constellation=
.  At=20
issue is a clause in contracts of the prime contractors, including Lockhe=
ed=20
Martin and Alliant Techsystems, which says the contractors are responsibl=
e=20
for cancellation costs.  That seems to be a standard clause in federal=20
contracts, but these contractors are major political contributors.

4.  LIES: THE ANIMAL THAT TALKS OFTEN TELLS LIES. =20
This week in a Tennessee court, the defendant sought to use new fMRI=20
results to demonstrate his veracity.  Polygraph results are not admissibl=
e=20
in court for the simple reason that the polygraph doesn't work.  However,=
=20
WN pointed out four years ago that fMRI can, to a limited extent, tell wh=
at=20
a person is thinking about  (WN 23 Jun 2006).  This might have some value=
=20
in interrogation, however we would oppose its use in court.   The only=20
thing worse than a lie detector that doesn't work, would be one that does=
.=20
It would be the ultimate invasion of privacy. =20

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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