Ideas for ubiquitous broadband and tales of security and progress In December I summarized thoughts relating to conversion of these United States from analog to digital with broadband capability to all. None objected. There was some comment that perhaps new FCC commissioners should be knowledgeable to force the change. After consideration I concluded that this is a non-workable idea. I mean the Commissioners can't talk to each other about such advanced thoughts. More so if there is a Docket pending. And there is. A practical solution would be for Chairman Powell to create a new Broadband Bureau and appoint a dollar-a-year chief with a complete staff. That bureau would have the task of calling industry meetings with the goal being to convince the industry, Congress and the states to hammer out a compromise. Then present it to be enacted and ordered. The task should not be much harder (but would take longer) than Ankara (for oil) knocking off the Baghdad terrorist who hammers the Kurds big time. Who should be tapped? I don't know. I know some who have the vision. But for grits, bug your telco organizations. They ought to have suggestions. Could it be done in a year? Maybe. Part of the international work is. The ITU recommends using IP numbering directed to the destination telephone by reversal of the number. Very elegant. Airline security On reading Chuck's suggestions to install a taser over every seat, Mark Connelly related the unique opportunity of flying between Denver and Green Bay, Wis., during the NFL playoffs. Since they broke up three fist fights during that rowdy flight, he was inclined to think that adding 130 tasers to the equation would have made things interesting! From the driver's seat: Former Delta captain Mel says there is a switch on the overhead that locks oxygen masks from falling. Give the pilots a sealed door and separate air conditioning. Then if needed they could depressurize the passenger area to 18,000 feet and folks would go to sleep in a few minutes or so. No portable oxygen allowed in the cabin. I recall the 1955 Jet speed Russian turboprop "Bear" bomber. It has a pressure door for the pilot cabin which door was carried over to the passenger version - the 1958 monster 180/220 seat Tu-114. It holds speed records (well over 500 mph) never since exceeded by a propeller airplane. Taqua This new generation DCO is doing well. Would it be immodest to point out that Chuck had to teach Taqua how to build a switch that would work in the "real world"? They have been responsive. By the time you read this, their RUS approval should be in hand. The company had some now-resolved money problems in December. I've ordered a second switch. Olympics Because Utah is hosting the Winter Olympics, a boat load of money has been laid out for new six-lane freeways, fiber and cellular. I even got a letter from Qwest asking for us to increase trunk capacity. OK. In the name of the games we got Qwest to retire 5 miles of 150 pair toll cable. This let us use fiber to connect to their fiber. Plowed four miles. Then filed a separate project to go the last mile Highway right of way, but (gulp) owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Oh Lord … we got a cultural. Nothing found. Gave that to the State Historical Office. No objection. One more week got us a State right of way. If BLM had been involved the permit would be granted in 2003. Maybe. Security at the Olympics will result in a lock-down on all aircraft within 45 miles of Salt Lake City. State aero bosses thought it a good idea for us to stash our plane three miles outside the war emergency no-fly zone at a dirt airstrip owned by BLM, next to our Vernon CO. State Highway said they would move the snow if needed. Highway then called BLM to see if they would object. They did.   Copyright 2002 by A. W. Brothers and Americas Network magazine. All rights reserved.   © Beehive Telephone Co.