[rescue] SGI Challenge L systems available in Denver

Nathan Raymond nate at portents.com
Fri Sep 17 11:26:52 CDT 2004


On Fri, 17 Sep 2004, Patrick Giagnocavo wrote:

> The problem with DC is its perceived danger, and that you need thicker
> wires for running large loads.

"perceived danger" of DC?  That's a historical turn of events if there 
ever was one.

http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/collection/event.php?id=3456872&lid=1

"Edison was less than thrilled with the emergence of Westinghouses 
technology, which threatened his own dominance in a field he virtually 
created. He also had genuine concerns about the safety of AC. The two men 
engaged in a public relations battle to determine which system would 
become the dominant technology. In an attempt to discredit AC power Edison 
stooped to some low tricks. He paid schoolboys a quarter for each dog or 
cat they delivered to him and then he electrocuted the animals in 
deliberately gruesome public experiments. In another desperate attempt to 
sway public opinion against AC, Edison recommended that the state of New 
York use electrocution by means of AC power as its method of capital 
punishment. He even suggested calling the electric chair the Westinghouse 
Chair and recommended that the verb Westinghoused be used to describe 
electrocution."

- Nathan



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