iron warrior: volume 6, issue 7

8/14/2019 Iron Warrior: Volume 6, Issue 7

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ENGSOC & BENTPRESENTTHEIRR PRESSIBLE

TUESDAY, OCTO ER 29thFED HALLT I K E T S ~ 5.00 FEDS

I 7.00 OTHERSAVAILABLE I.N THE ORIFICE

AOctober 985 A ORUM FOR ENGIN ERING CONCEPTS October 1985

The eat is On

Over 1 p articipants nl -p. eted in the First nnualRing Road Bike RaceClassic, Recap on page 12.


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2 IRON WARRIOR October 1985

EDITORS PAGEW Priorities: Research Above ll ElseTM priorities at Waterloo seem

warped. University of Waterloo is one ofCanada's leading univerities in terms ofhigh-tech research. This campus receivesmillions of dollars in research contractseach year from industry. Big Deal.I have to question the value ofthese facts, at least from an undergradpoint of view. Jack Cahill of tM TorontoStar called U of W "cold and businesslike" in his infamous and slanderousarticle about our campus. Perhaps, he

wasn't refering as much to the social lifeof tM undergmds, as to the administration of the University as a whole.Increasing industry involvementon campus has obviously been a highpriority of President Doug Wright andhis administration over the last decade,and the University has been reapingmany benefits from it.However, a university by definition is an educational institution; therefore, a high priority of the University,executive' should be quality of education. According to Dr E.L. Holmes,UW's Dean of Research, increasingresearch on campus does not directlybenefit the undergrads.It actually hinders the under-grad program. Faculty time, universityspace, and the University general fundare being taken up by research. Lastyear, it is estimated that thirty million

dollars in grants and contracts forresearch were received. According to Dr.Holmes, each time we receive a newresearch contract, the University mustspend a large amount to support thatcontract. He went on to say that theUniversity spends more than a dollar toeach dollar that comes in.Sure we Mar of all the state ofthe art equipment donated to the campusfrom tM industries. Very little of it isever used as undergraduate tools; ratMr,it is used in research and PhD programs.There is also a question onwhether the university considers anyresearch issues otMr than revenues. Iquestioned Dr. Holmes on the possibilityof Star Wars research being conductedon campus. The answer was simply thatU of W would participate if an opportunity arose. TM single criteria wouldbe that the work be non -confidential andpublishable.

Would the Universit i considerany of the moral issues involved of possible nuclear escalation as a result of theresearch? No. Would the Universityconsider the issue of whether such aproject has any hope of being successfulprior to commiting itself on the research?No . The campus would proceed with thegiven research as long a contract was inplace. Based on Prime Minister Mulroney's latest decision on private industry's

involvement, it could begin any day now .Many others would argue that ifthe University is getting a good reputation with industry, it will indirectly helpus with job prospects. True enough, but isWaterloo's research reputation in industry as good as we perceive?This was discussed with anindustry official who prefered to beanonymous. He works extensively withtM campus and its administration inresearch areas, and reported thatalthough the work was satisfactory, theadministration's 'arrogance' was at timesintolerable.He went on to say that whilemost other universities charge a fortypercent markup over the actual researchcosts University of Waterloo charges a

seventy-five percent mark-up. Othercomplaints dwelled on the amount oftime it took to close a deal, and the factthat other university administrationsseemed more human. This industryofficial believes that in the future, theirresearch will be conducted elsewhere.Doug Wright r u ~ this universityas a business, not as an educationalinstitution. If it wasn't for the co-opprogram, for which 1 have nothing butpraise, 1 would give second thoughts on istration claims, then graduating frompursuing an under graduate degree here. Wate rloo wi look good on a resumeBut of course, if the research and perhaps land me a job. So is thatconducted here is as good as the admin- . what education is all about? .

On Free Trade and CO Op

EDITORS:

WRITERS:

PHOTOGRAPHERSTYPING:

copy EDITORS:

Next to Canada's involvementin Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative(Star Wars), the hottest US.-Canadatopic these days seems to be the issue offree t rade with the Americans.Typically, whenever this issue sbrought up, great screams of consterna-tion rise from the crowd: Canada wilose its identity or "We' be swallowedup by the American machine". If students bothered to look beyond this initialreaction, tMy might come to r e a l i ~ e thatfreer trade between the US. and Can-ada could really benefit this University'sco-op program.As far as exports are concerned,Canada's greatest strength is in her natural resources. Canadian metallurgical,forestry and fishery industries are themainstays of our exports. Because ofsagging world markets, these sectors oftM American economy are suffering. sa result, the Canadian industries are

heavily tarriffed at the US. border (afterall, the Americans want to protect theirown). A free trade agreement would doaway with these tarrifs. Experts allagree that this would result in moreCanadian exports, resulting in more jobs.nd that's where co-op steps in.In the past, steel and miningcompanies such as SteLco Algoma Steel

and Noranda Mines hired manyWaterloo co-ops (and paid them welltoo . Then the recession hit and thecompanies cut back or altogetMr cancelled their participation in the program.If free trade boosts tMse industries, theco-op jobs would once again becomeavailable, much to the delight of manymechanical engineers who lost these jobsyears ago.

One of the US. industries thatstands t gain from freer trade is theelectronics industry. While this mighthurt some of Canada's smaller electron-

ics firms, many other companies willwelcome the removal of Canada's tarrifson US. electronics. Prices will be muchlower. nd more importantly, no onewill spend weeks, months or even entirework terms "waiting for parts".But not only the steel and electronics companies stand to benefit fromfree trade. With the removal of tradebarriers, Canadian companies will seetheir potential markets increase tenfold.Thousands of jobs could be created tokeep up with the necessary increases inproduction. If those overpaid coordinators at Needles Hall earn their $150 perterm co-op fee a portion of those jobsshould be co-op jobs.Granted, this is a somewhatselfish view of the free trade issue, butperhaps after having read it you'll hesitate before hitting the ceiling the nexttime someone around you says the words"free trade".

IRON WARRIOR STAFFNiraj BhargavaAndre RoyAlex McOowanChris OmimnskiLaurie LawsonJoe WisalesworthDamicn HanelTom RanserKen NeaveMichael SchatzSandra JeppesenRon lng D i ~ c t o r )Pavneet AroraBill Stcfanuk Director)Neil McP.hailAndy SakamotoRm FernandesQlthi MurphyB.O. Cbarania

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The IRON WARRIOR is a publication of th;Engineering Society of theUniversity of Waterloo. Its purpose is to promote professional awareness on can -pus. Typesettins services provided by Oraphic services at the University ofWaterloo. Printing by Fairway Press in Kitchener, Ontario. S u b m i a s i ~ welcomefrom all faculties and o r g a n i z a t i ~IRON WARRlORc/o EJl SOC BUniversity or WaterlooWatc,rloo, OntarioN2L 301


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October 1985 IRON W RRIOR 3

EngSoc Elections: What's It All About?by James Abraham

Well, it's finally here - whatyou've all been waiting for (dreading? ?) - ELECTIONS. There are fourpositions up for grabs - president, vicepresident, treasurer and secretary.There are blurbs about the amazingthings you can do in these positionsfollowing this brief note. Theseelections are important to all of us. Thepeople who are elected are important toall of us. The people who are elected tothese 'marvelous' positions will represent us to the university communityand the outside world. I f you 'd like tosee changes in Eng Soc or if you'd liketo help continue the great tradition ofEng Soc - get yourself nominated orcome on out and vote.

Important Election Dates:October 21, 8:30 a.m. to October 25,4:30 p.m. - NOMINATIONSNomination forms are available in theorificeOctober 28 to NovemberCAMPAIGN WEEKCandidates will be making visits toclasses.Tuesday November 5 - ELECTIONDAYDON'T FORGET TO VOTE

Vice-Presidentby .Laurie Lawson

Location: nowhere in particular- try AI's desk.Discipline: none required.Description: as vague as any c()-()p jobexpose. Generally considered to be the"social" position of the executive, thereare plenty of opportunities to c()-()rdinate special events, Bus Pushes, etc.With the increasing involvement withother societies, you will also minglewith other faculties; Arts, Math, Kin,Rec,... Life is tough On the moreserious side, as the Society'S responsibilities and services are expanding,there is definitely a growing need forthe Vice President to take on administra ive responsi bilities. Basically, thisposition is exactly what you make of it.The only fundamental qualification youneed is the ability to repeat "1 don'tKnow" or, better yet, "Go ask AL ".

Laurie Lawson - VP

Presidentby AI McGowan

I have been asked to write an"outline associated with the responsibilities" of the position of President ofthe Engineering Society. Well, now.

Of course, some of the jobinvolves being a figurehead. Thismeans that people will suddenly payattention to what you're saying or (forthat matter) not saying. It means thatyou take the responsibility for theactions of the Society, whether or notyou are directly involved in thoseactions. I t also means that, wheneveranyone not familiar with the Societycalls, chances are they will want tospeak with the President. This eats upa lot of time, and you have to knowhow to work a telephone (not recommended for the less clever).

I McGowan - PresidentSome of the job involves being

an administrator. This involves workingwith other elected executives to build acouncil of directors that are competent,responsible, and enthusiastic (notalways as easy as it sounds), and tokeep all of them working together efficiently - or as well as possible, whichever comes first. You (and the executive council) will be setting outpolicies for the Society to follow, whichmeans imparting a sense of purpose ordirection to its members.Finally, you are a representative of engineering undergrads. I f anyone wishes to appeal their marks ortheir academic decision (Required toRepeat Term, Must Withdraw fromEngineering, etc), you will represent. them on the Examinations & Promotions Committee. This is about as closeto being a lawyer as I'd care to get.You will work with other Societies oncampus, and with the Federation ofStudents, which I have always found tobe a Really Good Time.

Someone once told me thatEng Soc President was the most difficult student position on campusbecause one is still expected to handlea full engineering course load whilejuggling the largest student society oncampus. Well, I'm here to tell you thatit's a lot of work, but it's not Sisphean(look it up). This job is very challenging and can be enormously rewarding.It affords you the opportunity to learnabout management of time and organizations, and to learn about yourself, ashokey as that sounds. Oh, yeah - youget to be keeper of the TOOL, too.

Joe Wigglesworth - SecretarySecretary

by Joe WigglesworthThe position of secretary is

unique within the Engineering Society.The required duties of the secretaryare very few: recording the events ofcouncil and executive meetings anddistributing these minutes, and managing the incoming and out-going correspondence of the society. The other.duties are whatever the individualwishes to pursue. According to theConstitution, the secretary is responsihi for c()-()rdinating the academic andcultural events of the soCietY. Ian Wbtconstitute academic and cultural eventsis open to interpretation. They could bedebates, guest speaker nights. professional workshops , the atre outing, tripsto such places as Niagara-on-the-Lakeor Stratford. The individual i verymuch free to improvise.I would highly recommend theposition. mainly because of its flexibility. The secretary is within the pre ident's 'inner circle' and involved in thedetermination of Engineering Societypolicy, but at the same time has thefreedom to leave a personal stamp onthe position. If you have projects youwould like to organize from within thesociety, this position is for you .

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Treasurerby Damien HaneJ

When one thinks of the position of Treasurer (prostrate as I write),if one thinks of it at all, two thingsmost often come to mind: 1) easy, 2)boring. As the intrepid Buckaroo Banzai once said " ... yes on one, no ontwo".

The job is easy. I t requiresdiligence, but it i easy. Through mypredecessors' efforts working systemsare in place which are easily learned.The job essentially involves takingknown and projected incomes and dispersing the funds among the numerousclubs, charities, services and socialevents. that Engsoc supports. Nowclass, what is this process called?That 's right, a budget. Every studentshould be adept at setting up and following a budget. I am so accomplishedat it that in the six terms I've been oncampus I 've only had to negotiate anemergency loan five times . . Alas it isonly October.

The job is not boring. Thetreasurer will find himself/herselfinvolved in every aspect of the operation of Engsoc. The extent of thesociety's involvement would probablysurprise you.The society'S most scarceresource is willing volunteers . Moneyis in short supply as well - but is atleast manageable. I f we don't have the

people to help out no amount of moneyor money management will improve the" ~ ' 1 1 1 " ' ' ' ' . - ~ - ~ . ~ ~ut your hat in the ring.

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4 IRON W RRIOR

VIEWPOINTSThe Engineering Stereotypeb y AI McGowanThere are, I suppose, a good manypolitical types who regard all engineersas diehard, dyed-in-the-wool, right-wingconservatives. I expe ct that there aresuch people in engineering, as in anymicrocosm. However, I know quite afew prospective engineers, and theydon't lend much weight to the rightwing label. In fact, some of the peopleI know regard big business as a baddream, and you'd have to look hard tofind an engineer that actually likes theidea of nuclear proliferation.(An aside: anyone who thinksthat engineers are Neanderthal, regressive, and narrow-minded, should gettogether with those that call us Frankensteins who are advancing technologytoo quickly for our own good. f youguys can reach a consensus, call me,collect.) Personally, I was raised on thebelief that the most valuable instrument to a scientist ( or, in this case, anapplied sCientist) is an open mind; thatwe are only limited by the extent ofour imagination. But then again, that'sjust me.

I'm going to spend a few minutes trying to figure out what an engineer is. This may seem a little point-

less to some, and I'm sure I could findsometbing else to do, but it seems thatmost people have no concept of what"engineering" entails. Theref ore, in thename of Righting Wrongs, I shall pressonward.

Many of my acquaintances inthe Faculty of Arts seem to believethat engineering merely involvesassessing ' a situation, looking up theappropriate formula, and playing witha computer until the Correct Answerfalls out. This is obviously an uninformed opinion ( indeed, the prevailingimage of the "Artsie" held by engineersis at least as caricatured ) and isroughly equivalent to portraying anauthor as one who looks up the appropriate words and plays with the typewriter until the Great Novel falls out.Both views are oversimplified andinaccurate, and are caused, as usual, bylack of information. Other analogiesmay be drawn, and doubtless this onecould be extended, but you don't needme to do that for you. In any case, wecould make comparisons until way pastwhen, and still not be closer to a solution; or to the end of this column.Almost, everyone I everworked with in industry saw engineers

as a bunch of ignorant a s whothink they're God's gift to whatever.Well, I've seen engineering from bothsides and I'd have to say that this perception is about as accurate as any.Like most professionals, engineers havea tendency to think they know morethan they actually do. I'm not sure whythis is, unless it's a vestige of thedemigod image discussed in a previouscolumn. I believe I hinted that itwould be a blessing to lose our demigod status, if we could also throw outprofessional arrogance along with it. Ithink that it's safe to say that we'veaccomplished one of these goals.

In all fairness, I suppose thatthis attitude is intentionally instilled inengineers because we are supposed tobe authoritative and professional. Still,authority is earned, not taken, andarrogance is not conducive of a healthyworking environment, so I don't thinkthat this constitutes part of being anengineer.

f you haven't guessed, I'mhaving trouble defining an engineer.This is because "engineering" does notdescribe a specific type of person.Rather, it is a way of thinking, oflearning how to assess a situation, of

October 1985

looking up the appropriate... I mean,how to solve problems and apply thatability toward managing often limitedresources to provide the greatest benefit to society.

f we are to be effective engineers, according to this definition, wehave to become familiar with problemsolving techniques. Moreover, we haveto know about properties and availability of the resources we use, and aboutthe best ways to manage thoseresources. Finally, we should know asmuch as possible about the society weare benefitting - that's why there arenon-technical electives (although thereshould be more of these .. but that'sanother article).

OK - you've read through thiscolumn and it still seems like an exercise in filling paper. The point is thatyou should be thinking about what anengineer is. J'm not talking about thetextbook definition, either. I'm talkingabout what being an engineer means toyou. It's important to have that clearin your mind in order to figure outwhat to do with your degree when youget one, or, for that matter, whatyou're doing here in the first place.

Words from the End of the Tunnelby Ric Dunda and Chris Omieclnski{t l I \ I

Dancio' 1 the DarkI get up in the eveningAnd I ain't got nothing to sayI come on home in the morningI go to bed feeling the same wayI ain't nothing but tiredMan, I'm just tired and bored ofmyselfHey there baby, I could use just a little sparkBruce Springsteen, Dancin in the DarkBorn n the USA, 1984

Back again, sweetening yourlife with the altruistic words of theBoss. We've heard some disturbingrumours that there are some people outthere (somewhere) that don't see thereality in Bruce's lyrics. To thoseunfortunate individuals we extend oursincerest sympathies and truly hopethat one day they will arrive at "ThePromised Land".Many of you out there willrecognize the above lyrics as beingfrom the breakthrough song of the84-85 Born in the U.S.A. tour. Welike to think that these lyrics accurately reflect, life in Engineering, inmore ways. that one. First of all, wewould like to flog once again a topicclose to the hearts of our male readers;the all too one-sided male to femaleratio in Engineering.

With all the hoopla about

male-ferna'le equality in our society, wecan arrive at only two conclusions.The first is that Engineering .lags embarrassingly behind currenttrends in society. Whether this is dueto chauvinistic attitudes that have farout-lived their era or some other reasonis not for us to say. We are, after all,engineering students and not philosophers.The other conclusion (that wewouldn't want to think) is that a fewhigh-principled feminists with nobleintentions (?) shun hardcover texts forthose with soft covers. Now beforethose on campus concerned with

feminist issues go into a frenzy overthat last statement, we would like topoint out that the most unrealisticallyvocal women seem to be everywherebut in Engineering. Maybe the womenwho have crossed traditional lines andentered engineering are the ones doingsomething effective with respect to theissue of equality (and disproportionatemale-fem ale ratios). Surel y thosewomen who are now engineers havegained the respect of their professionalcolleagues (predominantly male)respect based on talent and ability, noton sex. In the meantime , however,until the male-female ratio equalizes(as it will in time), lonely male engineers are likely to remain "Danein' inthe Dark".Now let's get to the real cruxof this article - the academic side ofEngineering. Surely, many of you feelexactly like the Boss after a long nightof cranking out an assignment or studying for an exam. There you sit atyour desk, speechless, wading your waythrough reams of material crammeddown your throat over the past 12weeks. "Hey there Baby", bet yourjust looking for that "Iittle spark" thatwill mean the difference between 2Band 2B prime. Adding insult to injury,the texts are often totally useless (Oh,"The Price you Pay"), the material has

gone over your head so many times youhave a permanent part in your hair,and your notes seem to be baseduniquely on the Greek alphabet. Feellike you are "dancin in the dark" yet?Just open your eyes bucko, you areAnother facet of engineeringlife that bares mentioning is that ofprofessors. In our 2 plus (combined)terms in Engineering, we have accumulated the following lists of commonprofessor "types" and various "fauxpas" committed by professors:1. THE MUMBLERS - lecturedirectly to the blackboard . This typeare often only recognizable by thebacks of their heads.2. THE "I WAS ONCE A KEENERTYPES - lecture directly to the frontrow and forget the rest of the class.This type is often only recognizable bythe top of their heads.3. THE CHALK BODIES" - oftenappear to use chalk as a staple of theirdiet. Genera lly only recognizable bythe cloud of dust that follows themaround.4. THE STORY TELLERS - compassionately share their bad jokes, andbad stories with the class. These guysare often accompanied by questionablebody odour (Thank God for the BackRow ).5. THE DANGEROUSINTELLECTUALS - hung up on personal notation and nomenclature.Often oblivious to any standards set fortextbooks . Authors are often noted forthis fault as well.6. THE CONSIDERATES - don'tcare, don't know, don't listen and don'twant to be bothered. This type isnoted for covering a blackboard ortwenty with complex formulas and thentaking pleasure in the glazed looks ofthe students.

As an important note we mustmention, however, that there are someprofessors out there that not only knowtheir stuff, but can also get it across to

students. For these professors, "Dancin' in the Dark" is a song and not areality. Finally, just to let you knowthat we consider no part of this university above reproach, we now turnour cutting pen tip to the Departmentof Co-ordination and Placement. Notethat we are the first to say that thisdepartment does, on the whole, do anadmirable job. There are, however, afew little flaws that we'd like to mention. Why does Co-ordination insiston herding us like cattle into one narrow hallway to .ead interview postings?Pretty soon you'll have to take a number to get "viewing time". Also, wecan't be sure, but once we think wesaw John Westlake running aroundwith a branding iron (UW RANCH).Or how about co-ordinators who,through some miracle of computertechnology, are left unaware of somestudents working in their area? One ofthe authors of this article cites personalexperience in this particular "boo-boo".And another thing - we're sure that bynow you all have fond memories ofsweating it out in the bullpen, awaitingthe incomprehensible call of your name(Chriss Omi *&ski, pLease come to thepaging desk). That's your clue fell a,it's your turn - go get'em, knock 'emdead. And last but not least, there'sthe computer dating game that tellsyou who you are going out with for thenext four months. Ya picks yournumber and ya takes your chances.Need we say more?In closing, a final note to ourfellow 4A students now engulfed by thegrad placem ent procedures. BetweenUCPA forms, resumes, smiling, handshaking and selling yourself, we remindyou that that faint glow is indeed, lightat the end of the tunnel. You won't beDancin' in the Dark much longer.


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October 985 IRON W RRIOR 5Microwave Landing System:Bringing Down the Jumbos

by Mike Carter The MLS does that and muchmore. To a pilot, the MLS appears totransmit an infinite number of theseEver wonder how a plane finds beams. The MLS makes availablethe runway in dense fog? Or when you courses up to 50 degrees off to eachare coming into Toronto's Pearson side of centre-line (called azimuthInternati onal on a night flight, what angles) and- from 0 degrees to 20stops a 737 from setting down on the degrees up from the ground (called401? Are the jets reaUy just following elevation). The infinite number ofthe sun, moon and stars until its time MLS beams create a wedge-shapedto drop out of the sky to the airport volume at the end of the runway inbelow? These are concerns that would which the pilot can selec t a landingbe justified if it were not for the world course. This volume is called the pro-of navigational aids (Nav Aids). portional guidance volume because theA big jet travelling across aircraft's relative location in the vol-Canada is under the control of Trans- ume tells the pilot if he is on course.port Canada from take-off until land- With MLS, potentially anying. There are a wide variety of Nav combination of azimuth and elevationAids to keep him on course such as could be used to provide guidance.various radars and beacons. But when With the existing ILS, there is only aall the en-route navigation has been single course available to the pilot, thatdone, its time for landing aids to take along the narrow beam.over. The main landing aid currently While flying an MLSused by large aircraft is the Instrument approach, it would be up to the pilotLanding System (ILS). The new and air traffic control to select one oftechnology that is designed to replace the Transport Canada - approvedILS is the Microwave Landing System approaches. At present, airports in(MLS). Canada permit only the standard 0

ILS transmits a narrow beam degree, 3 degree approach to the run-of radio waves from the runway into way provided by ILS. However. withthe sky. The plane receives this beam the introduction of MLS, Transportand follows it to the ground. This Canada may approve other approachesbeam is stationary in space and is to accommodate different types of air-directed down the runway centre-line craft and local terrains.while another beam is directed up from Beyond the volume of propor-the ground at 3 degrees. By following tionaI guidance, there is a transmittedthese two separate beams, a plane will signal called the Out-of-Coverage Indi-

AU lIut h AZ)El evation (EL)Precision OKE (OME/P)Back AZimuth BAZ)

ELEvAltON

,It-

OpII()f\6l-onty eboul 2 011. 01 \he '-'IlSloSlailatl()l'lS III the rIlll la/ FAAprOCurement WIn have Bac A/.myth

Layout of MLS transmitters

tion of approach). The elevationtransmitter is located along-side therunway about 300 metres from theapproach end, and the Back Azimuthtransmitter is located at the approach.end and transmits towards the far end.During the early developmentof MLS, there were several proposalsas how to best achieve a large proportional guidance volume. The International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) adopted the m e ~ h o d of TimeReference Scanning Beam (TRSB) forits member countries.Under the TRSB format, therefly on a course directed down the ceo- cation (OCI). OCI notifies the pilot

~ t ~ r : e - ~ h ~ n : e ~ o ~ f ~ t ~ h ~ e ~ r u ~ n ~ w : a ~ y ~ w h ~ i l : e ~ d ~ e ~ s ~ c e ~ n ~ d ~ i n ~ g ~ ~ t ~ h ~ a ~ t ~ b ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ R ~ ~ore any S anc n estray MLS signals he may receive. other for angle information (Az, EL,Other MLS functions are Back BAz). For distance measurements , theAzimuth (BAz) and distance measure- pJane sends out a pulse to the groundments provided by Precision Distance where the DME/P receives it. ThisMeasuring Equipment (PDME or causes the DME/P to send a signal

DME/P). Back Azimuth provides angle back to the plane. The distanceguidance to an airplane that has missed receiver on the plane measures theits approach. f a plane cannot land time between sending its pul e andfor some reason and is forced to fly receiving the answer pulse. This timeover the runway, the back azimuth is used to calculate the plane's distanceprovides guidance as it flies up and from the runway.away. DME/P is used in the propor- The angle information istional coverage volume to tell the plane encoded in a different manner. In thehow far it is from the runway. case of azimuth, there is a very narrowThe MLS system uses 4 beam of microwave energy that weepstransmitters located at various positions back and forth + /- 50 degrees fromILS and MLS coverage around the runway. The DME/P and the centre-line of the run..yay. If theAzimuth transmitters are located at the plane is in the coverage volume, it willfar end of the runway (from the direc- receive a message that the azimuth

transmitter is about to begin its scan.When this scanning beam reaches theplane, the receiver starts a clock running. The beam scans past the planeand on to the far side of the coveragevolume. The beam then begins itsreturn scan. When the beam hits theplane again, the receiver stops theclock. This time is used to determinethe azimuth angle in the coverage volume. For example, if the time is veryshort then the plane will be on one sideof the coverage volume and if the timeis long, the plane will be on the otherside of the volume. The elevationworks in a similar way, except thebeam scans up and down; a large timedelay between the two-and-fro sweepscorresponds to a low angle of elevationand a small time corresponds to a highangle. The MLS only transmits one ofAz. EL, or BAz at a time. The anglereceiver on the plane, which processesall three angles, will work out only oneangle at a time.In Canada, there are currentlytwo MLS's operating. At Jasper Hinton in Alberta, a system has been certified by Transport Canada, while atOttawa International Airport, an MLShas been installed for experimental useonly. Everything about these systemsis monitored including the number offailed circuit boards, scanning beampower and whether the cabinet doorsare open. This information is relayedvia telephone lines to a mainframecompu er at Transport Canada Labs.MlS ha * numbeft of advantages over ILS. I t is physically smallerand therefore easier to install andalign . Also, since the plnnc can po:;i tion itself preCisely in t h proportionalcontrol volume, il is possible 10 have anairborne computer determine Ihe necessary succession of beams to follow fora curved approach. This makes it po -sible to alter air truffic patterns awayfrom residelltial areas and schools. InCanada, the Sleeper approaches allowedby MLS could be used by Short Takeoff and Landing (STOt) planes whichare being increasingly used for shorthaul commuter service; I LS limitthese planes to a normal 3 degreeapproach.

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6

y Katie WeberIn the past few yea rs, South

Africa 's apartheid policies designed toencourage separate development of theraces have been increasingly underattack . The issues surrounding whetherto support sanctions against SouthAfrica as a means to promote the dismantling of apartheid are var ied andcomplex. A number of these issues aredealt with below in an effort to p rovokefu rt her thought about this timely matter. It is in no way meant to beexh a ustive.

As a starting point, the fu ndamental question of whether sanctionsar e effective in imposing economicha rdship needs to be answered. Historic a l evidence provides proof for bothth e effectiveness and ineffectiveness ofsa n c tions. U.s. sanctions against Italyin 193 5 after Italy's invasion of Ethiopia and the 1980 sanction s agai nst theSovie t Union for invading Afghanis tanare both examples of sanctions fa iling.However, in both cases the ineffectiveness of sanctions can be attributed toot h e r factors; the embargo against Italydid not include oi l and steel and U.S.fa rm ers pressured Washington to liftthe boycott against the U.S.S.R. Conversely, U.S. sanctions against Ugandahelped speed the overthrow of dictatorIdi Amin and also facilitated therelease of American diplomats heldhostage in Iran.The case of Rhodesia, however,provides perhaps the most interestinghistorical example of sanctions at work.Si nce history is largely interpretive, theeffectiveness of sanctions against Rhodesia is not clear. According to IanSmith , the former Prime Minister ofRhodesia, Sanctions were the besttonic our country ever had . Hemaintains that Rhodesia's downfall wa snot due to sanctions, but rather wasdue to 7 years of guerrilla warfare.Given that Rhodesia withstood sanctions for 13 years, his interpretationdeserves some merit. Smith arguesthat sanctions are ineffective sincesanction-busting is workable, countries

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IRON W RRIOR October 985

South AfricaPOINT

COUNTERPOINT

ne room dwellings are the norm for South African black familiesviolate sanctions, trade is merelydiverted elsewhere, and they tend towork like trade barriers stimulatingi mport-substi tu tion ,Sanction-busting can be facilitated by the use of middlemen, dummycompanies and third nation bankaccounts. Acording to Smith, sixtycountries including China, Czechosloyakia and the USSR-which were arming the guerrillas- also bought Rhodesia's chrome, copper, cotton, tobaccoand tea. Smith also says that tradewith France, Japan and Hollandincreased to replace British and U .S.trade links. Import-substitution, it isargued, led to the diversification andgrowth of the Rhodesian economy.Hence, Smith viewed sanctions as atonic. However, many people arguethat Rhodesia could survive 13 years ofsanctions only because of South African support. When its support waswithdrawn (in return for U.s . andBritish promises to veto calls for sanctions against Pretoria in the U.N.), theRhodesian Government fell. Irrespective of which view of Rhodesia 's capitulation is adopted, both interpretationslikely hold some truths which should beconsidered.In the present-day context,proponents of sanctions against SouthAfrica are quick to point out thatmoderate businessmen (women) in$outh Africa have been demandingrapid reform of apartheid. The meeting in early September in Zambiabetween prominent white South African businessmen(women) and editorswith African National Congress (ANC)officials is but one example of thistrend. However, the question ofwhether sanctions or merely the threatof sanctions is responsible for thismovement remains unanswered. It

could be argued that the threat ofsanctions is more effective than implemented sanctions. For example, thearms embargo against South Africawas actively avoided by South Africabut today they are actually exportingarms. The reality of the embargo wasnot as detrimental as was anticipated.South Africa found that it couldindeed cope. Whether South Africacould successfully endure a universalembargo, however, is something quitedifferent. Yet, through sanction-busting, it may at least mitigate the consequences. Since the 1960's some Africancountries (such as Kenya in 1964) haveimposed sanctions against South Africabut still trade illicitly with it . In spiteof this, the meeting in Zambia deservesrecognition. Given the timing of themeeting with increased internationalpressure for sanctions, it is likely thecombination of threat and partialimplementation of sanctions that haveheightened the business community'sdemands.

f at this point, the conclusionis drawn that sanctions are ineffective,other forms of pressure obviously needto be considered . But, on the presumption that sanctions do affect economic hardship, the desirability ofeconomic hardship as a catalyst forchange should be studied.Perhaps the most outspokenblack opponent of sanctions and divestiture is Zulu Chief Gatsha Buthelezi,the leader of Inkatha. He argues thatthe costs of such strategies would beborne primarily by blacks. Withdivestment, employment is reduced andthe black labour force will be the firstand hardest hit. Oliver Tambo, thepresident of the ANC counters Buthelezi with the argument that they arewilling to suffer the consequences of

sanc tions. Tambo on ce said, If ourpeople are prepared to die and go tojail to end apartheid, do you reallythink they will worry that sanctionswh ich they know hurt the regime willcause them a little more hunger andlose some of them the miserable . jobsthey are now allowed to have?Whether this view is shared by themajority of blacks is difficult to ascertain. The violent protests and overwhelming support for the ANC amongblacks support Tambo's assertion but itis interesting to note that black union leaders have not come out in full suppor:t of sanctions.South African President PieterW. Botha has clearly stated in the pastthat the repercussions of sanctions willbe passed on to South Africa's neighbouring countries such as Lesotho,Swaziland, Botswana and Mozambiquein addition to the South Africanblacks. The economies of theseneighbouring countries are all dependent on South Africa to varyingdegrees with Lesotho being the mostvulnerable. In Lestho's case, all trainsgo to South Africa, all electricitycomes from South Africa, the currencyis virtually identical and half of itsGNP is based on remittances fromBasotho (citizens of Lesotho) workingin South African mines. Consequently,Lesotho and Swaziland (with a similardegree of dependence) have taken noposition on international sanctions.However, the front-line states whichinclude Botswana and Mozambiquehave openly supported sanctions inspite of the resulting hardship that theywill accrue.Julius Nyerere, the Presidentof Tanzania, proposed a package during his recent visit to Canada thatwould put ressure on the South Afri-


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8/12

I8 IRON W RRIOR

HUMOUR ICloning: a Sacred Tradition

by Peter Stubley and Mark DriedgerWriting up labs is part of anancient tradition at the University ofWaterloo. An interesting pattern hascome to my attention, however. Whenever students do a lab report, they relyon a copy of the report from a previousterm. The wording is, of course,changed to protect the guilty, but thereis very little creativity. For all intents

and purposes, the same lab report ishanded in over and over again, termafter term.Digging a little deeper, I foundthat this wasn't just students in myown class, but that students in theentire Engineering Faculty, and even inthe entire University all practice thecloning of lab reports. Everywhere 1looked, it was the same: a studentdoing lab courses clones the reports.But if this is the case, then who wrotethe first lab report? Somewhere,sometime, somebody must have writtenthe original lab report that has beencloned uncounted times ever since.But who could it be? How farback do we have to go? The first stepis the lab TA's who mark the reports .But lab reports are usually markedfrom a solution set provided either bythe lab technologist or the professor for. he course, so they can hardly be considered to be the original writers. It isalso safe to assume that when the labTA's were students, they also clonedGra

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lab reports. The source must be far- the practice on religious-like grounds:ther back in history. "Cloning lab reports is a sacred tradi-Well, how about the lab tech- tion. If God had meant for students tonologists? Not surprisingly, they often write their own reports, He wouldn' tput labs together based on the way have let us invent photocopiers," saidthey were taught when they were stu- one highly placed source.dents. But when they were students, Not to be daunted by seem-they cloned their lab reports, so it can't ingly infinite regression, your intrepidbe them either. The next step back is Iron Warrior reporter realized it wasthe professors, but for the same rea- time for some hard-hitting investigativesons, they also cannot be credited as journali sm. Donning my intrepid Ironthe source. No matter who I inter- Warrior outfit (trenchcoat , darkviewed, I could not find anyone who glasses, and fedora), 1 met my confi-could truthfully say that they wrote dentia l source in a dark corner of Fedtheir OWIl ltW ~ ~ _ U l J i l _ ~ ; 4 a t t \ ~ : . t i l a 4 ~ P l M n I e t t i t l i ' e ' 1 ~ m - e

0108 he ar r jved , and pcopJc ke p t o ,...,.,;ne 1Jr-to me and asking if I had seen Larry.Finally, my source arrived, demandingto be referred to only as "ExperimentalError", or "EE" for short..All for $34.98 You Get1 - 8xlO2 - 5x78 - 2x3

EE brought with him clearlydocumented proof of the first labreport ever written. [t was a lab byMichael Faraday, and it bore a startling resemblance to a lab I cloned lastweek, even though it had been written170 years before. I was a tounded, butdemanded more proof from EE thatthis was in fact the first lab report.

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"Before Faraday, nobody knewanything useful, anyway. It has to bethe fir t report," was his only comment.EE didn't want any copies to be made,but by cleverly spilling a pitcher ofbeer into his face , your intrepid IronWarrior reporter managed to photograph several pages of the report.When ne t you write a labreport, remember that you are propagating a sacred tradition apparentlybegun by Michael Faraday, 170 yearsago, which is as far back as it can betraced. Who know, maybe it goesback even further.

HERE. THE. SOl..\.} \IDNTo -n-t E:. 1 E < D ~ W ; : M 1}IATot-u-:-{ THRE.e.. OF tal...)GoT oN "(1-l.f: E ' k A ~ .

October 1985

BOOKSby Francis ChowHeretics of Dune by Frank Herbert(G.P. Putnam's Sons 1984), and Chap-terhouse Dune by Frank Herbert (G.P.Putnam's Sons 1985).

Heretics of Dune and Chap-terhouse Dune are books five and six ofHerbert's magnificent Dune series. AsDune fans will know, Paul Atreides(the main character of the first book)was once tested by a Reverend Motherof the Bene Gesserit, and proved hishumanity by enduring numbing pain.The test was quick and decisive, butonly a cartoon of the much grealer .tests of history, which are no less d e c i ~sive, even if they are not always asquick.

The Dune series is the tale ofthis larger lest: history's segregation ofall humanity into those who are trulyhuman and those wbo only seem to beThe :Atreides and Fremen of Paul's era,were hUman (see Dune, Dune Mes iah,Cltil rell of DUlle ), and so was theTyrant Leto 1I (see God Emperor ofDUlle). Heretics is set 1,500 years afterLeto's fall, and 5,000 years after Paul'sreign. The universe is populated bythe Atreides descendants of Leto'seugenics program, and its true humansmust surely be among the Bene Gesserit. History's test? Returningdescendants from the Great Scattering" which peopled the far galaxies.The most dangerous among these aretthe Whores, powerful women who knowjust how to use their total command ofpbysical seduction. The Bene Gesseritare women too, and their power, interestin Iy, is based on e se uctiQ l of

~ f > " l w > .. t'" w.rjt; 'O' 'fhllpterliouse DUile' IS a COD-t 6r Hneth:s o/l>IIM, but thetwo books still fail to complete thispart of the Dune story. Expect a n o t ~ e rbook from Herbert soon.The Zoo Quest Expeditions by DavidAttenborough


9/12

October 1985 RON W RRIOR 9

Artificial Intelligence: Today s Technologyby Mjchael Scbatz

With the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at hand, discussion about its shortcomings andbenefits has been initiated.Being on the brink of a secondcomputer age, we must be prepared toadapt to the lifestyle this new technology presents and simultaneously forceit to recognize that as humans, we donot change as rapidly.Artificial Intelligence is aproperty of a machine such thatthrough logical reasoning and dependence on a large database, decisionsare made. These decisions are normallyassociated with human intelligence.

With AI, the computer willbecome extremely "user friendly". EvenMr. T could operate one. The introduction of the computer was taken assomething of an evil by the layman. AImay be accepted with open arms.

In the workspace, this newtechnology will undoubtedly replacejobs. Machines are usually more reliable, more efficient and hence offerimproved productivity and quality control. These gains will be at the expenseof labour. This loss is misleading, andonly for the short term.Inevitably, the work week willbecome shorter. f this increased leisure time is spent productively, theindividual will be able to utilize this

by Sandra Jeppesen

Bioengineering is a field thathas expanded enormously in the pasttwenty years. t encompasses a varietyof specific types of engineering appliedto people. Some examples are geneticengineering, biomedical engineering,biomechanics, and orthopaedic bioengineering.

Genetic engineering deals primarily with recombinant DNA, and is .actually more of a discipline of sciencethan engineering. Biomedical engineering is engineering and technologyapplied to medicine, or the design ofmedical equipmen t. Biomechanics isconcerned with internal muscle forces,joint reaction forces, EMG (electromyography), movement analysis, andprosthetics. Orthopaedic bioengineering involves prosthetics as well as implants to' replace bones or joints that are

technology for self-improvement andself-services. Even today home computers are offering self-education courses. Individual contentment , familyrelations and the public education levelwill increase .

With the Industrial Revolutionmuch of the agrarian population wasunemployed. However, they adapted,found employment and generallyreached a higher standard of living.

Large corporations will benefitthe most from AI. Apart fromincreased productivity, the problem ofemployee turnover can be reduced .When an expert leaves the firm, hisexpertise can be retained by the computer. Furthermore, AI may be appliedto improve existing technology such asCAD/CAM and micr'ochip manufacturing.

The education system will haveto be modified to accept the obsolescence of trades such as drafting andthe development of new skills.Both government and industryhave an interest in this technology. By1990 the industry will be worth over$2.5 billion. Its growth is hindered byhigh initial cost and potential investorsbeing unaware of its potentials.Voice recognition is anotherobstacle. For high speed data transfer,a listening and speaking computer isnecessary. However, the literal-mindedness of computers is a downfall.Consider the simple rhyme, "Mary had

a little lamb . Of the 28 possibleinterpreta tions did Mary own, eat orgive birth to the lamb?

The Americans are barelyahead of the Japanese in the development race, with Canada well behind.Currently, in Canada , only 130 peoplework in the field, and they 're mostly inuniversities. BNR, Mitel and SparAerospace Ltd . are starting to invest,and the Defence Department plans tospend $100 million annually over thenext decade on AI research. JohnHewer of the Computer Post says that"Canada is the equivalent of a scatterbrain" in the international Al field.However, Canada's participation on aworld level is still a possibility.

The American-Japanese racefor the first AI computer is producinghealthy results. The competition tobuild super intelligent computers hasalready pushed the technology to newlevels. At stake is control of the worldcomputer market into the 21st Century.

Mankind has long been enchanted and frightened by the prospectof creating machines that think. "Idon't see any limitations to artificialintelligence" says Nobel Laureate Herbert A. Simon, professor of computerscience and psychology at CarnegieMellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa."All the mechanisms for human intelligence are present, in a limited sense".But whole areas of the human thoughtprocess - volition, emotion, common

. ~ ~ ~ ~ = ~ ~nglneerl g ano longer functional, whether they aremissing, diseased, or have sustained aserious IOJury. All of these areas cangenerally be referred to as bioengineering. Jobs in bioengineering of anytype are scarce, very demanding, andpay poorly, especially in comparison toother engineering jobs. This is notbeing said to discourage anyone frompursuing a career in this field, but tomake you more aware of what you willbe up against.The University of Waterloo,besides having the best pub on anyuniversity campus anywhere, is also anexcellent school for biomechanics andorthopaedic bioengineering. I has theadvantage over most engineeringschools of having an excellent Department of Kinesiology that offers goodcourses at the undergraduate level tocomplement the ones you take in yourown Department of Engineering.Many of them have prerequisites, but alittle rule-bending and a few importantsignatures on the appropriate dottedlines will get just about anybody into acourse, if they are sufficiently interested.

The following is a list of someof the better electives you might wantto investigate if you are interested intbis option. It is an incomplete Jist,but it will at least give you a place tostart.BIOL 233 - Human Physiology - nervous, muscular, circulatory, respiratory,digestive, endocrine, and reproductivesystems are covered with an emphasis

KIN 200 - Functional Anatomy of theLimbs and Trunk - a great ourse tointroduce you to the bones, IllU 'cies,nerves, veins and arteries of the arm,leg, and trunk; al 0 how they worktogether.KIN 201 - Human Anatomy of theBrain, Head and Neck - a continuationof KIN 200- a similar lab and m a r k i n ~ scheme.KIN 300 - Physiology of PhysicalActivity - effects of physical activity onthe muscular, cardiovascular andrespiratory systems; adaptive mechanisms of the body.KIN 321 - Biomechanics of HumanMovement - introduction to musclemechanics, EMG, applied mechanics,biostatics and dynamics (here you willhave an advantage), joint reactionforces, and methods of observing anddescribing human movement.KIN 340 - Introduction to SportsMedicine - what to do when someone isinjured, including short term and longterm treatment; basically quite anextensive first aid course.- an interesting course but not necessary for biomechanics.KIN 425 - Biomechanics II - quantllative and qualitative analysis of humanmovement using computer programs,kinetics. kinematics. energetics, andEMG. Basically KIN 321 continued.KIN 426 - Biophysical Control Systems- covers basic E&M material; RC circuits, filters, Bode plots, transfer functions and control systems to be used formodelling the human body.

r;::::"......,.."L':d on the first three. CIVE 460 - Orthopaedic Bioengineering - not a KIN course.BIOL 330 - Molecular Biology - introduction to DNA and RNA, chromosome replication and translation,- engineering contributions to orthopaedic (bones & joints) health care,biomechanics. biomaterials, spine,

Robotics: a prominent facet of lsense - still lie well outside a computer 's capability. Any able-minded personcan utilize these factors to master andprevent his replacement by a ma< hine.A computer with its huge databasemay have an objective edge, but ahuman's subjective ability will alwaystriumph. After all, who won in HTheTerminator"?

You will definitely not be ableto take ull of th's courses nnd youprobably wouldn ' t want to nnywa y.Probobly the best thing til do if you (l feinterested in any of these courses. or inthis field in gencml. IS to talk to lheKIN department directly. t is important to make sure you know in whichterm these courses are offered.All of this leads up to animportant queslion what kind of jobsare available in this field? A problemyou might encounter is that you maybe expected to have a Masters' degree,since bioengineering as a program isnot offered at the undergrad level.The work you might get would likelyinvolve research and design of prosth.etics or biomedical equipment, forexample. Hospitals, universities, andbiomedical suppty companies would bethe main sources of employment forbioengineers. t is definitely a lot ofwork, but 1 think it will be worth it inthe end.

II S OUI< l-ATESr 'DE:St6f\J -I r ~ c.A/..I-E. ) AN ORGANtc..

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10/12

1 RON WARRIOR October 1985

Man vs Wildlife

Monkey, armadillo and tapir meat for saleby Francis Chow

The most serious problem facing the world today is not the threat oflife's obliteration by nuclear war, butthe ongoing, systematic destruction oflife by something far more efficientcollective human stupidity. Since theyear 1600 alone, when an accuraterecording of known plants and animalsbegan in earnest, the number of livingspecies which mankind has broughtirretrievably to extinction numbs themind.The Survival Service Commission of the International Union for theConservation of Nature and NaturalResources summarizes the situationwith this simple statement: " ..a hundredth of our higher animals havebecome extinct since 1600 and nearly afortieth are now in danger." Alarming

as that statement is, it doesn't exposethe full scale of the problem. Hundreds of known species of plants andinsects could be added to the list ofextinct forms, as well as unknownhundreds, perhaps thousands, of species

Dear Mr. Mrs. Editor:All right, now I'm MAD. 1finally found out what we got for our1 bucks... a good stiff kick in thebutt. You wanna know what we got?We got cut off from the Laser PrintersLast term, when our CMS accountswere free, we had unlimited access.Now that we've paid $100, those buggers (I'm REALLY mad) make us pay10 cents per page on the laser printer.For those of you who are unaware, youcan do your resume on CMS (usingscript) and to print it out (with varioustype sizes and boldfacing and almostletter quality paper) you need at least a

which have been brought to extinctionby men before their discovery y scientists. Among the known alone, 36species of mammals and 94 species ofbirds have become extinct since 1600,and another 120 species of mammalsand 187 species of birds will ~ o o bejoining them.Mankind can accurately say,with words from the Bhagavad Gita, "Ihave become Death, a destroyer ofworlds."To be fair, species becameextinct long before we appeared on thescene. The fossil record proves that asmost of the species in it have no livingdescendants. In the past though, thisloss of species was always balanced bythe evolution of new species of comparable or increased complexity. Thealarming thing about today's extinctions is that this may no longer be thecase. The process by which theextinctions are taking place, and theirscale, raise the disturbing possibility

that our own species will have to live

laser printer.Actually, I'm wasting my time.

I thing the computer said it best -wNO REAL $ IN ACCOUNT. W

So here I am responding to myown article. Hey Dean - WE WANTLASER PRINTER ACCESS FOROUR $100. We also want photo typesetter access. We also want $5 photocopied software manuals for free, not

7 or $8.Tom Fulton A MEP.S. while I have your attention Dean, nice job on the first floor of

the lecture hall, but can we have somereal chairs in the central lounge?

The Faculty of Engineering expresses its thanks to allstudents involved in the lumni Phonathon. It was asuccessful event and set several fund raising recordsYour efforts on our behalf are greatly appreciated.

w e LennoxDean of Engineering.

Who Will Win?ut its future in a biological void of itsown creation.We took the path to this precipice, it seems, a long time ago.Descended from unspecialized treedwelling primates, our early hominoid

ancestors became roving, grounddwelling opportunists. 1.6 million yearsago, after nearly 3 million years ofsteady improvement, their adaptabilitypermitted their wide dispersal overmost of Africa and Eurasia. Theycontinued to improve, and abandonedforaging and scavenging lifestyles forone of organized hunting.About 250,000 years ago, clearevidence appears of their hand in theextinction of other animals. In what isnow Europe, the forest elephant, hippopotamus, giant vulture, and forestrhino were among the first victims.Later came the woolly mammoths andwoolly rhinos of the Eurasian tundras;the scale of their slaughter was suchthat excavated- sites in the U.S.S.R.contain huge dwellings composedentirely of mammoth bones.

About 40,000 years ago, ourancestors, by then fully modern,crossed the Alaskan land bridge andentered North America. There, theirimpact was equally devastating. At theRancho la Brea tarpits, where animalfossils are associated with the bonesand weapons of early man, twenty-fourof the fifty-four represented species ofmammals, and twenty-two of the 113represented species of birds are nowextinct. Among the lost mammalswere the saber-toothed cat, the giantlion, the super-llama, the Columbianmammoth, and the la Brea ground- .sloth. Among the lost birds was oneTeratornis incredibilis, the largestsoaring bird of prey yet known to havelived; it had a wingspan of seventeenfeet. Not yet satiated, man crossedthe Pacific by raft, and quickly eliminated about 50 species of birds on thePacific Islands and New Zealand alone.On the continent of Australia, he wasno less destructive, bringing to extinction over a hundred types of animal.Over many thousands of years,pre-industrial men brought these species to extinction by hunting them forfood. They could afford to do thisbecause they were adaptable enough toshift food sources when any particularprey species started becoming scarce.Other predators, like lions and wolvesfor example, do not hunt their prey toextinction, because when their preypopulations start to dwindle, the predators themselves start to starve and die.When man appeared, the rates ofextinction increased because he foundhimself able to circumvent thisrestraining balance.About 5,000 years ago, thesituation changed again for the worse.Men began to abandon hunting for thecultivation of plants and animals alongriver deltas. The process has beenlabelled the agricultural revolution, andbecause of it mass extinctions haveincreased many fold.

The reason for this is quitedifferent from the "overkill" hunting of

our early ancestors. The agriculturalrevolution has made it advantageousfor us to kill the many plants and animals found in a given area and replacethem by one or two domesticated andhighly specialized species of our ownchoosing. After the recent industrialrevolution, we have obtained the powerto apply this technique to every part ofthe earth, and have been doing so withzeal. t is this that has brought ourspecies to the edge of the precipice.

In the long run, nothing couldbe more counter to our advantage thanthe replacement of diverse living systems by simple ones containing onlyone or two domesticated plants andanimals. Simple systems may be efficient; they are certainly fragile. Largeareas of central North America and theU.S.S.R, which until recently werediverse grassland ecosystems supportingmany thousands of plants and animals,today support a single specializedspecies of domesticated grass - wheat.This plant is so specialized (at ourbehest), it can no longer reproducewithout human intervention.

In Asia they have come to thesame predicament: near total dependence on a single hybrid of domesticated rice. Today . the rice paddies ofAsia stretch monotonously over whatwere once great forests full of tigers,deer, songbirds, pandas and many otherliving things which have now all butdisappeared.Fundamentally, our problemhas become one of outlook and priorities. We are trading short term gainsagainst a loss of the natural world andthe near certainty of a long term disaster. The advantages of monocultureshave placed us in a truly precariousposition. In North America, forexample, our plant breeders must create a new strain of wheat every threeyears, for that is about how long ittakes wheat rusts and other parasites toevolve mechanisms for exploiting thecrops. Should the breeders ever fail,just once, millions of people will die.We must overcome this collective stupidity and say "No" to monocultures, with all their dangers. Thismeans we must seriously face the population pressures for which monocultures are the easy solution. Just as anobese person should ask whether continued gluttony and the addition ofmore fat cells benefits life or jeopardizes it, humanity should ask whetheradditions to the 5 billion men alreadyon earth will benefit our survival orendanger it-particularly when everynew addition will be at the expense ofan already ravaged natural world.

f any alternative to thedestruction of non-human life can befound, then it must incorporate a longterm focus. The natural world produced us; we are a part of it, and wehave every right to use it, provided wedo so wisely. We need to'learn to workwith existing diversity, instead ofdestroying it. We need to learn topreserve priceless areas instead ofneedlessly laying waste to them. Mostof all we need to learn to manage ourselves.

Monoculture: combines harvestin winter wheat


11/12

October 985 IRON W RRIOR 11

Mountain Climbing o Wheelsby Greg PrunerHave you ever had a work erm thatdidnt turn out the way you thought itwould? Have you ever wanted to getaway and travel the world? Then youmight consider touring the Rockies ona bicycle.Low-cost accommodationsalong the route are many. You canchoose between 17 campgrounds or 8hostels conveniently located for cycling.Prices are very reasonable at $4-$6 /night. I chose hosteling because Ididn/t want to carry a tent, or worryabout the cold or animals. It should benoted that the alpine hostels ar closedfrom 9-5 during the day, and some areclosed one day a week, so you will haveto plan your tour with this in mind.Before heading out be surethat you have enough food supplies for tages. You ll be guaranteed strongyour journey. There are very few food headwinds if you travel north, however,stores along the way and what you can the climbs to Sunwapta pass and Bowbuy you pay a premium for. Pass are more gradual in this direction.

Although I used a modified 10 I chose to start out from Jasper.speed, I would recommend the use of The first day was a relativelyan 18 speed tOl.lring bike with a low easy 87 km to Beauty Creek on High-gear of 25 inches for those who are way 93, the lcefields Parkway. On thistechnica lly minded. Local bike shops day there was very little elevationwill provide rentals for approximately change even though the road was hilly.$80 / week. A large deposit is Although 18 wheelers are banned from\ required and you must arrange for the the Parkway, July and August bring anreturn of , the bike. There are good amazing armada of R Vs, trailers, cars,bicycle shops in Banff and Jasper, so and Japanese tour buses. The road has.be sure everything is in order before a very wide shoulder , but beware ofheading out, and carry enough parts for slow-moving vehicles that frequentlyfor unexpected breakdowns. pull off.The weather in the mountains The Beauty Creek hostel isis very unpredictable. For example, it located just beside the highway, andsnowed one day and I struggled consists of two dormitories and athrough freezing rain the next, so plan kitchen cabin. It/s facilities, like mostaccordingly. of the hostels along the route, are very

t doesn t matter whether you limited: no running water , outhouses,start for Banff or Jasper. Both direc- propane cooki sto e nd wood~ w s . - l I W l . i D o o o o - ~ o - i J t t M l l - t - . - 1t8f tS for tbe cabi .s.

The second day was a shortday in terms of distance travelled ( 56km ), however, this was the day that Iascended Sunwapta Pass. It was a 20km climb that had to be seen to bebelieved. At the top of the climb liesthe Columbia Icefields and the Athabasca Glacier. You should take thetime to walk up to the toe of the glacier or even take the commerciallyoperated bus tour. A restaurant and aradio-phone are also at your disposal.Later that day I cycled past Parker sRidge, a wind swept alpine zone fromwhich, after a short hike I saw thelargest glacier in the system, the Saskatchewan Glacier. From here, theroad provided a steep and thrillingdescent for some three miles until itlevelled out. Another short peddle andI arrived at the Rampart Creek hostel.Rampart Creek, like the rest of thehostels, was well marked from the' particular hiwood-heated sauna adjacent to a 81a-

cier fed stream; the only way to end aday of cycling.

The next day, a 90 km cycle toLake Louise involved the ascent toHowse Pass and Bow Pass , but by then1 was in shape and prepared. Aheadlay Bow Lake, its turquoise watersrenecting glaciers and lime tone cliffs.This sight itself made the whole tripworthwhile. Every 100 metres or sothere was another postcard ' picture,creating a sen e of solitude, awe, and agreat feeling for the land. South ofBow Lake, the tour was, for the mostpart. downhill. Just north of LakeLouise, highway 93 merges with theTrans-Canada Highway. The CorralCreek hostel is located 6 km further onhighway lAo 1 recommend t.hat youspend the day at Lake Louise. Cycleup to Chateau Lake Louise and horseback ride to the Plain of Six GlaCIers;or hike up to the Agnes Lake teahouse; or cycle to Moraine Lake, andthen end the day at Dick Turpin 'sTavern.

The last day was an easy 57km cycle into Banff. I would recommend using the lA highway. Althoughit is narrower, there wa.s virtually notraffic and the scenery was spectacular.When you arrive in Banff, you mightwant to soothe your body in the 42 Cwater of the Sulphur Mountain hotspring, or treat yourself to a beer andsome Alberta beef at Bumper's. Eitherway, you/ll find lots to see and do nBanff. The Banff International Hostelis located on Tunnel Mountain Roadand it provides laundry facilities, hotshowers and full cafeteria service. t isy r m mode Lel Utada.Ergonomics in the Office

by Arnold RubinoffErgonomic considerations tendto be neglected when a company rushesto automate its officesAs the proportion of today sworkforce which finds itself employedin offices increases, the issue of pro

ductivity in the office becomesincreasingly important. Between 1970and 1980, the productivity of factoryworkers increased by 90 per cent whileoffice worker productivity increased byonly 4 per cent. In order to increasethe productivity of their office workers,companies are now investing in officeautomation to provide needed technicalsupport. However, an office that hasinadequate lighting, excessive noiselevels, bad workstation design, poorlyconstructed job procedures, or an inefficient office layout will hinder workerproductivity; perhaps more than automation can improve it.Ergonomics is the study of theinteraction between a worker's physicaland mental capabilities and the tools,processes, and environment that theworker encounters. It includes elementsof psychology, physiology, anthropometry, biomechanics, optometry, sociology, and industrial engineering. Itsobjective is to improve work characteristics so that people can work morecomfortably, safely, effectively, andefficiently. t attempts to fit the task tothe person and to adapt work to humancapabilities. .In the automated office, or anyoffice for that matter, ergonomics concerns itself chiefly with the tools of thejob, the work process, and the environment.

The worker's tools are anyobjects used to perform the task athand including such things as theworkstation (chair, working surface,storage space, etc.) and office machines(computers, telephones, etc.). The keysin designing or laying out worker's toolsare to make them adjustable so thatmore of the population can use themcomfortably, and to keep human physical limitations in mind.As an example of ergonomicdesign concerns, consider a computerterminal. The display screen should beadjustable so that the worker can position it comfortably. t should providesome means of preventing glare as wellas adjusting brightness and contrast toavoid operator eye strain. The actualinfotmation presented on the screenshould be easy to understand, and presented in a standardized way acrossdisplays. The keyboard should be asthin as possible and separate from thescreen. The usage environment for theterminal must also be considered. Thedesk should have adjustable surfaceheights and ample work space; the

chair should have good lumbar supportand be easily adjustable in height andtilt.The processes that the workermust perform in doing his job is

another aspect of ergonomics, to ensurethat the operator is capable of successfully completing the required tasks.The office layout is important, settingit up so that information flow is facilitated, and so that the workplace components in some logical fashion , eitherby function, frequency of use, Orsequence of use . The worker must alsobe provided with necessary techniques,resources, and support. An appropriatework-rest schedule must be considereddetermining the proportion of worktime to rest time for tbe worker.Worker selection and training procedures can be used to ensure that eachworker has the skills required of him todo his job. Finally, the orltanintionalstructure 01 lne workplace as a wholemust be analyzed, especially whenchanges due to office automation areconsidered.The environment is anothermajor area of concern when consideringthe worker in the office. A good workenvironment is one in which officeworkers are comfortable and able toconcentrate on the task at hand without being distracted. Such factors aslighting, noise levels, temperature control, air quality, colours of the surroundings, and vibration can all affectthe worker's productivity if not properly controlled.As an example of an environmental problem, consider noise. Loudnoises should be eliminated as they

may cau c hearing damage; suddenunusual noises can dist urb concenll'ation even if they lIfC not very lou 'good ergonomic solution for noise control in the office IS to provide a soundcontrol system: either sound.absorbingmaterials throughout tbe office, or asound masking sy:>tem (a constantsource of background noise) to makesudden sounds less noticeable.High-quality, efficient wor k isencouraged when the workplace i lIlPports the worker's human needs. Goodworkjng conditions reduce stress by )IOtstraining the worker's phy ical Or mental capacities, especially when usmgoffice automation technologies. Highermotivation may also result when ; heworkers realize that there arc no stu 10-bling blocks in their way to achievingsuccess in their job tasks and i hatmanagement is, in fact, considermgtheir needs in the workplace.

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12/12

12 IRON WARRIORNEWS BRIEFSCSMEIASME/SAE student cbapteractivities, Fall '85

This fall, there have been sev-eral things happening at theCSME/ASME/SAE student chapter.

and her school terms in Germany.Chris painted a wonderful picture ofher time in Germany, and also gaveadvice on avoiding many of thebureaucratic problems she encounteredin trying to work in another country.Note: if you work in Germany, go toBerlin. I hear the parties are far bet-ter.

PUGWASHThe new Waterloo chapter ofCanadian Student Pugwash is startinga series of lectures, debates, and informal discussions. Pugwash looks intosocial and ethical issues arising fromscience and its applications.The current executive for the Canadian Student Pugwash issociety has set a few goals for itself an outgrowth of International Pugwash,this term. First, we wish to encourage sparked in 1955 when Bertrand Russell

October 1985

UW SKI CLUBSPECIAL MEETINGn DOOR PRIZES *Thursday Oct. 24, 6:30 PMCampus Centre room 113-O.W. Sports ski tune-up demo-Reps from equipment manufacturers-Short Warren Miller ski film-Information about tripsEVERYONE WELCOME

So far, we have had two quitesuccessful presentations. The first wasa short film, followed by a speech byStephen Lambert, about the ShellFue1athon. Stephen was a member ofthe UW Fuelathon team for threeyears, and his presentation to tbe crowdin the graphics lab was very interestingand informative. The UW Fuelathonteam this year is setting a goal for thisyear of 3000 mpg from their entry, andI'm confident they can do it:

greate r association between students and Albert Einstein called upon scien- t f

The second speaker, ChrisBogdanow, has spent some of her work

and industry through guest lecturers. tists of the world to meet and discussWe are presenting technical films (such the threat of nuclear weapons.as the Shell Fuelathon) for interest and Because Waterloo is so tech-education. A strengthening of ties nologically oriented, the student organbetweel1 the student chapte r and the isors feel it is important to allow stuparent societies will help students dents to discuss the implications ofobtain literature, loans, .. etc. for edu- their work. "It is an issue rarelycational purposes. addressed in courses, and we hope toRing Road Race Recap All ev(mts held by the stud ent provide a place for discussion", theyI chapter are open to all interested par- said.

The Ring Road Bicycle Classic ties: just watch for the posters, and if Since the first conference inwas held under ideal conditions on you see ' something you like, come on Pugwash, Nova Scotia, the movementSunday, September 29th. An impres- out. has expanded rapidly. Its interests

St.Jerome's Charity RunFrom Nov. 1 to Nov.3, St.lerome's-Notre Dame Residences onthe University Campus are participating in the 10th annual Charity Run.The money raised will be donated toR.A.I.S.E - a home support service forelderly shut-jns. The Provincial Government will match all funds raised by

this Ch.arity Run. Over the past 10years, over $40,000 has been raised forvarious charities in the K-W area.sive field of 103 cyclists representing a 1 1 have been broadened to include the t twide variety of abilities lined up for Bird Dancing Banned social responsibility of scientists andthe 9 AM start. Men's winners were: the sources of international tension.Andy Lubczynski, 1st; Steve Cornell, Bird dancing you say? Not on Because Pugwash is concerned2nd; and Ziggy Matuleski, 3rd. Friday October 25th No siree In with far-reaching questions, it has traWomen's winners were: Brenda Reive, line with tradition, the frosh are pre- ditionidly attracted students in engi-1st and Astrid 'Becker, 2nd. First engi- senting the. NO Bird Dance Pub at neering, science and the arts.neer was Hoa Tran of 2A Mech. South Campus Hall this Friday to raise The first lecture will featureThe race organizers would like money for the Grad. Committee. It'll Dr. Larry Hayworth, director of theto thank Campus Security, Grounds be a D l affair and tickets will be a Society, Technology and Values pro-'Maintenance, and all those who volun- mere $2.00. There will be prizes for gram at U. of W. "The Mango Thesis.tee red as marshalls for their generous ' the first fifty people and door prizes Is Science Neutral?", will be held insupport. Based on this year's over- later on. So put away those obnoxious the Campus Centre room 135 at 1 30whelming success, it is hoped that the lederhosen and the silly hats and dance p.m. on Tuesday October 29th. PugRing Road Bicycle Classic will become the night away to the hottest anti- wash events will continue on everyan annual event. 'Oompa music around See you there. second Tuesday.

The Sandford Fleming FoundationWaterloo Chapter

The ~ a t e r l o o Campus Awards Committee is pleased to announcethe wIn,ners of the Teaching Assistantship Awards for the 1984/85academiC year, They are:Stanley Snopek - Chemical Engineerinf/

Rob Surtees - Civil EngineeringIan Nadas - First Year Engineering

A Sankaranarayanan - Electrical EngineeringKevin J'legus - Mechanial Engineering

Mitali De - Systems.Design Engineering

Wanted: Students on FilmWould you like the chance tohave your picture on the cover of anationally renowned magazine? Well,here is your opportunity loin in thefun as Campus recreation preparestheir Winter brochure. We'd like totake a mass photo of the universitycommunity to be our brochure coverand w need your help /

Date: Wednesday, October 30, 1985TIME: noonPLACE: Columbia IcefieldWEAR: Winter coats, hats, scarves

There were 19 nominations received over the three terms F /84;W an d 8/85, We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of theE n g m e e ~ I n g 8 o c ~ e t y in distributing the Teaching AssistantshipAwards InformatIOn (description and nomination forms) each termwith the course critiques,

X COMP TIBLE

or more information about the Foundationor any of Its programmes. please contact:The Sandford Fleming FoundationRODm4332Carl Pollock Hall888-4008 or 885-2011 Ext. 400ftRegisteredCharItable Organization no.0482275-21-15)

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iron warrior: volume 6, issue 7

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