Visit our web page at http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r1/new_york/

May 2001 (VOL 48, NO. 9)

PERIODICAL TIME SENSITIVE MATERIAL

The IEEE New York Section Communications Society Chapter

Presents

"Building a High Volume Scalable Web Site"

Thursday May 17, 2001 9:00 AM - 4:45 PM

Consolidated Edison

4 Irving Place, New York, NY

The IEEE

MONITOR Postmaster: Send Address change and returns to the IEEE MONITOR, c/o Membership Services, IEEE Service Center, PO Box 1331, Piscataway, NJ 08855 (ISSN 0164-9205) Published monthly, except for June, July and August, by the New York Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 24 Chamber Lane, Englishtown, NJ 07726. Phone (212) 460-6363, Fax (212) 529-0463. IEEE Corporate Office, 3 Park Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016-5997 Annual subscription: $4.00 per member per year (included in annual dues) for each member of the New York Section: $10.00 per year for non-IEEE members All communications concerning The IEEE MONITOR should be addressed to: The IEEE MONITOR, 24 Chamber Lane, Englishtown, NJ 07726 or e-mail: monitor-editor@ieee.org. Responsibility for contents of articles, papers, abstracts, etc. published herein rests entirely with the authors, not the editor, Publication committee, IEEE or its members. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices.

Vol. XLVIII No. 9 May, 2001

OFFICERS SECTION CHAIRMAN - Jalal Gohari VICE CHAIRMAN, OPERATIONS - Ralph Tapino VICE CHAIRMAN, ACTIVITIES - Ralph Tapino TREASURER - Robert Pellegrino SECRETARY - Benjamin Schall AWARDS CHAIRMAN - Peter Mauzey P.A.C.E. CHAIRMAN -Peter J. Greco PUBLICATIONS CHAIRMAN - Frank E. Schink

STAFF

EDITOR - Harold Ruchelman ASSISTANT EDITOR - Leon Katz HISTORIAN - Vincent McDonough METSAC - Karl O. Sommer

Nominations for Officers of the IEEE Power Engineering & Industrial Applications Society Chapter 2002

The Nominations Committee of the IEEE Power Engineering Society & Industrial Applications Society local Chapter, chaired by Junior past Chairman, Bob Pellegrino, is soliciting nominations for the following Chapter office positions in the 2002 term:

Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary Treasurer Senior Member at Large Junior Member at Large

Nominations should be postmarked no later than October 15, 2001 and mailed to:

Robert M. Pellegrino Chairman, Nominations Committee C/o Con Edison Company 708 1 st Ave. New York, NY 10017 7 th Floor Electric Control Center 212-338-4004

Nominations for Officers of the New York Section 2002

The Nominations Committee of the New York Section of the IEEE, chaired by Junior past Chairman, Michael Miller, is soliciting nominations for the following positions in the 2002 term.

Chairman Vice Chairman - Chapter Operations Vice Chairman - Section Activities Secretary Treasurer All Standing Committee Chairs*

Nominations should be postmarked no later than October 15, 2001 and mailed to:

Michael Miller Chairman, Nominations Committee Con Edison 4 Irving Place Room 1214 New York, NY 10003 Telephone (W) (212) 460-4911 Fax (212) 533-8763

*Standing Committees: Awards and Appointments, Budget, Bylaws, Chapter Organization, Education, Historian, Long Range Planning, Membership Development, Nominating, Professional Activities, Publications, Publicity and Public Relations, Special Events, Student Activities, and Student Representative .

Professional Activities Information Page

This page dedicated to member professional activities information

New York Section PACE Calendar of Upcoming Events. The following are proposed Section activities. Dates and locations will be announced in future issues when they become available. Please plan to attend at a meeting or seminar.

May 9: General Meeting June 15: General Meeting

If you have suggestions on areas of professional activities that interest you please contact me. Peter Greco PACE Chairman Tel.: 212-614-3357 Fax: 212-529 5237 email: p.j.greco@ieee.org

IEEE-USA’s Jobs Listing Service: This highly rated job listing service in service for six years has been replaced by a new internet based job site The site is sponsored by IEEE-USA and IEEE Spectrum. The site allows the active and passive job seeker more control over the recruiting process. For more details go to www.ieee.org/jobs . Entry-Level Employment Assistance Site: If you are an engineering graduate, recent graduate, of IEEE Student Member looking for the first job this is one of the best places to begin your career. Special entry-level employment services include job listings, links

to company sites and job-search tips and techniques: <www.ieeeusa.org/EMPLOYMENT/ entry.html> IEE-USA’s New Resume Referral Service: Put your resume for maximum exposure! IEEE-USA in cooperation with Resume- Link has established a members-only Resume Referral Service which IEEE members may register, FREE of charge via web registration or by hard copy. Your resume will stay on file for six months (with an option to renew the listing up to a year). Make sure you check out this great new service to promote your credentials! For hard copy registration forms, contact Resume-Link at 614-923-0600 or <socmember@resume-link.com>.

The Engineers Guide to Lifelong Employability This is a practical complete resource book on locating and obtaining good jobs throughout your career. Features over 200 pages of in-depth text that will allow you to master the engineering job search. IEEE Members: $19.95 Engineering Careers into the 21st Century Offers strategies and insights for engineers working in today’s dynamic professional environment IEEE Members: $20.00

IEEE – USA’s EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE WEB SITE: <www.ieeeusa.org>

EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER ENHANCEMENT PUBLICATIONS

Nominations for IEEE Region 1 Awards Due June 15, 2001

The purpose of the Region 1 Awards Program is to publicly recognize professional and technical excellence and major accomplishments and

contributions made by Region 1 IEEE members.

There are six award categories: 1A. New Technical Concepts in Electrical Engineering. For significant patents, for discoveries of new devices or applications, and for significant reductions in components or processes. 1B. Electrical Engineering Professionalism. For personal, high level leadership in research and design performance in support of all phases of the Electrical Engineering Profession. 1C. Promotion of Self-Development for Practicing Electrical Engineers. For arranging courses, seminars, and tutorials to enhance the educational level and the competence of practicing electrical engineers. 1D. Enhancement of IEEE in Industry and Community Service. For outstanding service to the IEEE at the Chapter, Section, Region and national level; and for major contributions to the industry and to the community. 1E. Electrical Engineering Management. For managerial excellence in organization, leadership, design and development. 1F. Electrical Engineering Support for Student Activities. For improving communications between the IEEE and a Student Branch or Student Group; for support and service to a Student Branch or Student Group; and for service and leadership to the student community. • Any IEEE Region 1 member, Chapter, Subsection, Section, or Council may sponsor a

nomination for a Region 1 Award. • To nominate a candidate, fill out the nomination form and get three signed letters

of endorsement. Try http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r1/new_york/form.doc for the form. The filled-in form and endorsement letters can be sent to the Region 1 Awards and Recognition Chairman, Michael S. Chester, 71 Oaks Road, Framingham, MA 01702.

• To be effective, endorsement letters must support the nominee for the one specific

award category selected by the nominator. • Nominations are reviewed by the Region 1 Awards and Recognition Committee, which

submits its recommendations to the Region Executive Committee, which approves Region 1 members who will receive awards.

New York Section Distinguished Service Award

Nominations Due October 31, 2001

The IEEE gives many awards, some to people, some to organizations. For many awards, section people support other people who make the final decision.

However, the New York Section has a Special Awards Committee that selects, every year, without needing approval from others, the person who receives the Section’s Distinguished Service Award.

IEEE members – you? – submit information to the Committee about candidates you nominate.

The physical token of the Award is a plaque, typically presented at the Section’s annual Awards Dinner, at which the recipient and a friend are guests of the Section.

Purpose and Qualifications The purpose of the Award is to honor a Section member who has made contributions of exceptional distinction. The contributions may include “service to the Section, industry, profession, or community” and must be “visible, definable, significant, and sustained.”

Any IEEE New York Section member of Member Grade or above is eligible to receive the Award.

Recipients 2001 William N. Coyne 2000 George E. Gilmore 1999 Jalal Gohari 1998 Frank P. Farinella 1997 Frank E. Shink 1996 Roger K. Sullivan 1995 Amos E. Joel 1994 Philip M. Paterno 1993 William Terry 1992 Robert W. Gillette 1991 Anthony B. Giordano 1990 Jack L. Jatlow

Nominations

Nomination forms for 2002 are due on Wednesday, October 31, 2001.

Instructions and a form to fill out are available at http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r1/new_york/ to help you nominate a candidate.

A completed form, or a request for instructions and a form, can be sent by surface mail or, preferably, by email to:

Mr. Peter Mauzey Lucent Technologies, Room 2L-519 101 Crawfords Corner Road Holmdel, NJ 07733-3030 p.mauzey@ieee.org

—————————————————————————————————————————————— IEEE THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS, INC.

NY Section

Rail Communications Innovations Forum

October 30, 2001, 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Host: Nortel Networks

320 Park Avenue, (50th ST) NYC

The IEEE NY Section Vehicular Technology and Communication Society

Chapters will co-sponsor a technology-sharing forum on Fiber Optic

Communication networks for Rail Vehicle control. Panelists will describe and

answer questions on the Broadband Communication system being implemented

by MTA- New York City Transit.

Lead panelists are Morris Schwartz, P.E., PhD. and Edward J. Willner. Mr. Schwartz

is a Senior IEEE Member, and Chief Communications Engineer with MTA-NYC Transit.

Mr. Willner is President of E.A. Technologies Inc. Transit Communications Systems.

Engineers, suppliers, installers, and operators are invited to raise questions and share

insights.

Future IEEE NY Section, Vehicular and Communication Society Technology Sharing forums are being planned for:

• Automatic Bus Location and Control Systems, and

• Wayside and Railcar PA and Customer Information Systems

There is a $35.00 charge for the forum and refreshments, commencing 5:30 PM. Advance registration is required for admission. IEEE Members and non-members may register for the October 30, 2001 forum by sending $35.00 checks payable to IEEE NY Section to Brad Craig, Louis T. Klauder and Associates, 317 Madison Avenue, Suite 1621, New York, New York 10017. If you are an IEEE member, please provide your membership number and indicate your interest in participating in one or more of the planned forums. Additional information regarding program specifics may be obtained by contacting Mr. David Horn of Fluor Daniel Infrastructure, at (212) 947-7110, or by e-mail at david.horn@fluor.com

Calendar of Upcoming Events May 15, 2001 (Tuesday) 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM The IEEE NYC Section Computer Society Chapter "Software Development and the Capability Maturity Model" New York City Transit, 130 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY. For additional information contact: Mr. Wilson Milian at (718) 694-5798 or e-mail wimilia@nyct.com

May 16, 2001 (Wednesday) 5:45 PM Refreshments at 5:15 PM IEEE PES and IAS Joint Meeting with Edison Engineering Society "Online Testing of 4 kV and Above Equipment" Con Edison, 19th

Floor Executive Dining Room, 4 Irving Place, Manhattan, NY For more information contact: Alan Osborne @ 212 460-6690 or Michael A. Miller @ 212 460-4911

May 17, 2001 (Thursday) 9:00 AM - 4:45 PM The IEEE NYC Section Communications Society Chapter "Building a High Volume Scalable Web Site" Con Edison, 19th

Floor Auditorium, 4 Irving Place, Manhattan, NY

The following New York Section members have been elevated to Senior Member Grade

Congratulations to

Thomas K. Li Morris Schwartz

Ponani S Gopalakrishnan Arun Hampapur

Marina Krol Isidore Rigoutsos

Christopher Ward

New York Section Computer Society

Presents

"Software Development and the Capability Maturity Model"

Featured Speaker: Mr. Gary L. McIrvin, Sr. Associate, Abacus Technology Corporation.

Date: Tuesday, May 15 Time: 6PM to 7 PM. Location: New York City Transit, 130 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY.

For registration or additional information contact: Mr. Wilson Milian at (718) 694-5798 or by email at wimilia@nyct.com

For this and other NY IEEE please visit our website at:

http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r1/new_york/.

CALL FOR PAPERS

MTAC 2001 - Multimedia Technology and Applications Conference Multidisciplinary Digital-Media Conference

November 7 - 9, 2001 University of California at Irvine.

CALL FOR PAPERS - to both Scientists and Artists

500-word Abstract of proposed conference presentation by April 30th, 2001. Full Paper by August 1st, 2001.

Details http://www.mtac.uci.edu

See "Titles" page for examples of last year's papers.

This year we are moving the conference sharply towards Artists - so as to establish an exciting Art - Science mix. Artists are particularly invited to present innovative demonstrations using or concerning Digital Media.

Principle Contact:

Dr. John Tabor tabor@uci.edu 949 824 2818

IEEE-USA NEWS FY 2002 BUDGET PROPOSAL PUTS BRAKES ON R&D GROWTH

President Bush submitted the "blueprint" of his $2 trillion FY 2002 budget proposal to Congress in February. Consistent with the President's pledge to slow federal spending, the proposal would significantly reduce federal support of research and development, especially for non-defense engineering and health-related programs. The cuts are proposed in favor of increased spending on education and defense, and to ease the passage of Bush's proposed broad tax cut.

Among the notable reductions proposed under the Bush plan, the $190 million Advanced Technology Program would be cut from the Commerce Department budget, and initiatives to bridge the "digital divide," by providing computers and Internet access to underprivileged families and schools, would be reduced by 65 percent. In contrast, the NIH budget would receive an increase of 15 percent, or $2.8 billion. And funding for e-government initiative, FirstGov, would be ramped up from $10 million to $100 million over three years. The FirstGov portal (www.firstgov.gov) was established by the Clinton Administration to act as a gateway for accessing the Federal Government's numerous agencies online. A big improvement in education would be the expansion of the Education Savings Accounts from $500 to $5000, and expansion of tax exemption to all prepaid college tuition plans, not just those at public schools.

Congress now has until September to reach a compromise with the Bush Administration on the proposal. Check out the latest on the budget at: <http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/text/index.html>.

IEEE-USA supports increases in federal R&D funding -- especially for support of applied research, engineering and the physical sciences in both the civilian and defense agencies. IEEE-USA urges concerned individuals and groups to contact Congress in support of the R&D budget. Find out how at the IEEE-USA Legislative Action Center:

<http://congress.nw.dc.us/ieee/>.

IEEE-USA 2002 PRESIDENT-ELECT CANDIDATES GO ON-LINE James Leonard and Joseph Lillie, candidates for IEEE-USA President-Elect, have launched websites to

highlight their platforms and qualifications for office. Be sure to visit their sites before you vote in September: James Leonard <http://www.stlieee.org/leonard/> Joseph Lillie < http://www.solutionsmall.com/lillie/> For more information on IEEE-USA's annual elections, visit the IEEE-USA Election Center at:

<http://www.ieeeusa.org/election/>.

IEEE-USA ENDORSES ENERGY RELIABILITY LEGISLATION IEEE-USA sent a letter, dated 6 March, to the House and Senate Energy Committees expressing support for

"prompt passage of legislation to promote and ensure the continued reliability of the electric grid in the United States and throughout North America." The IEEE-USA Energy Policy Committee (EPC) is monitoring closely several key pieces of legislation being considered by the 107th Congress that would address the three basic concerns it sees with the present state of the country's power grid:

- The ongoing decline in the quality and reliability of electric power will seriously impact the nation's economy - No individual state is large enough to simultaneously assure the economic efficiency and reliable operation of

the electric power infrastructure - Reliability and economic efficiency can only be achieved at the regional and national level Read the full letter on-line at:

<http://www.ieeeusa.org/forum/POLICY/01march06.html> For more information on the EPC and IEEE-USA's policy activities, visit:

<http://www.ieeeusa.org/forum>.

BOEHLERT NAMES COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE VICE CHAIRS House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.) announced the following appointments of

committee and subcommittee vice chairs last week:

Full Committee - Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) Energy Subcommittee - Rep. Melissa A. Hart (R-Pa.) Environment Subcommittee - Rep. Felix J. Grucci (R-N.Y.) Research Subcommittee - Rep. Timothy V. Johnson (R-Ill.) Space Subcommittee - Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) Boehlert said he is looking forward to an active two years. In a press release announcing the appointments, he

said: "We have a very able team on both sides of the aisle and I expect the 107th Congress to be very productive for the Science Committee. I am particularly impressed with the abilities reflected in our vice chairs."

IEEE-USA OFFERS BUSH ADMINISTRATION ADVICE, ASSISTANCE

In a letter dated 22 February, IEEE-USA President Ned R. Sauthoff offered to advise/assist the Bush Administration on matters of science and technology through the auspices of IEEE-USA. Sauthoff believes engineers can play an important role in "helping policy-makers grapple with the technical implications of complex issues" by identifying qualified candidates for federal appointments; providing experts to serve on federal advisory committees; organizing workshops and symposia to focus attention on key S&T topics of concern to the new Administration, and providing briefings and background information. Read the letter online at: <http://www.ieeeusa.org/forum/POLICY/01feb22.html>.

CCIP POSITION STATEMENTS BOOKLET AVAILABLE FROM IEEE-USA

The IEEE-USA Committee on Communications & Information Policy has combined its position statements into one 76-page booklet. The issues range from Computer Crime to Information Security in Electric Power. For your copy, contact IEEE-USA's Debbie Rudolph at mailto:d.rudolph@ieee.org.

MARCH 2001 'IEEE-USA POLICY PERSPECTIVES' IS LIVE

The March 2001 edition of 'IEEE-USA POLICY PERSPECTIVES' is available now on the Web. POLICY PERSPECTIVES is IEEE-USA's monthly, policy oriented webzine, offering articles and commentary on the topics that are shaping legislation, the technology workplace, and the engineering world. Check it out at:

<http://www.todaysengineer.org/policyperspectives/index.html> ORDER YOUR 2001 IEEE-USA SALARY & FRINGE BENEFITS SURVEY NOW

The IEEE-USA Salary & Fringe Benefits Survey, 2001-2002 Edition, can be ordered now at the special IEEE member pre-publication price of $64.95. The definitive salary and reference guide for technical professionals, the survey is being conducted on-line this year for the first time. The number of members being surveyed has more than doubled to 80,000, which promises to yield more useful data for the report. Scheduled to be shipped in May, the regular member price of $74.95 will take effect ($149.95 for non-members) at that time. To order, call 1-800-678-IEEE (4333), and ask for UH-2990.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2001 IEEE-USA CONSULTANTS DATABASE

Get your consulting practice off to the right start this year by registering for the 2001 IEEE-USA Database of Electrotechnology and Information-Technology Consultants. Last year, more than 30,000 visitors searched the consultants database on the Web -- a 100 percent increase over 1999. Register now at www.ieeeusa-consultants.org to establish or renew your listing in the database for one year. Cost remains only $65 for IEEE members ($90 for non-members). As a bonus, registrants who enroll by 1 May will receive two copies of the database on CD-ROM, at no extra charge -- a great tool for using the database while traveling, and the perfect "give-away" to a prospective client.

MARCH 2001 'IEEE-USA TODAY'S ENGINEER' IS LIVE

The March 2001 edition of 'IEEE-USA TODAY'S ENGINEER' is available now on the Web. TODAY'S ENGINEER is IEEE-USA's monthly, career-oriented webzine, offering feature articles and short blurbs with career guidance, tips, strategies and solutions for all sectors of the profession. Check it out at:

<http://www.todaysengineer.org/careerfocus/index.html>

IEEE-USA SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR 2002-2003 OFFICES IEEE-USA's Nominations and Appointments (N&A) Committee has issued a Call for Nominations for the

following IEEE-USA elected positions: President-Elect (2003) Member-at-Large (2003-2004) Secretary-Treasurer (2002) Vice President, Career Activities (2002) Vice President, Member Activities (2002) Vice President, Professional Activities (2002) Vice President, Technology Policy Activities (2002) These officers help direct the day-to-day operations of IEEE-USA -- providing leadership for programs and

volunteer committees, overseeing IEEE-USA's financial performance, and promoting new member services and activities. Nominees must be IEEE Senior Member grade or higher, and reside in IEEE Regions 1-6. The N&A Committee is especially interested in nominations of Senior members who are also Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD).

The formal nomination deadline is 15 May 2001, although the N&A Committee welcomes recommendations for qualified candidates year-round. Nomination forms and detailed position descriptions are available on-line at http://www.ieeeusa.org/election/nominations.html or can be obtained from Michell Scott at m.scott@ieee.org or by contacted the IEEE-USA Washington office.

IEEE FOUNDATION COMMITS FUNDING FOR SECOND 2001 S&E MASS MEDIA FELLOW

At its March meeting, the IEEE Foundation's Board of Directors allocated an additional $78K to fund projects addressing a number of goals, including "improving the public's understanding and appreciation of engineering." Responding to that initiative, the Foundation awarded an $8K grant to IEEE-USA. The grant allows the IEEE-USA Communication Committee to sponsor two students in the AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellows Program in 2001.

The program's goal is to strengthen the connection between science and the media, and to enhance coverage of science-related issues in the media in order to improve the public understanding and appreciation of science and technology. For a ten-week period each summer, the program places advanced science and engineering students in media outlets throughout the country to work as reporters, researchers and production assistants. IEEE-USA's first Media Fellow, Elan Ruskin, spent last summer working as a cub reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, covering a vast array of sci/tech issues. For more information on the Media Fellows Program, visit:

<http://ehrweb.aaas.org/ehr/MassMedia0719.html>

ENGINEERING A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE: AD CAMPAIGN Throughout the month of February, the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) will place a

series of seven ads in newspapers throughout the country. One of the key objectives of the ad campaign is to improve public perception of engineers of all disciplines by highlighting engineering contributions to the quality of life. The ads emphasize the role engineers play in enhancing health care, improving the environment, and making our homes and workplaces safer and more comfortable.

As a member society of AAES and the AAES Engineering Alliance, IEEE-USA is pleased to have been able to participate in the planning and funding of this important public awareness effort. To find out more, visit:

<http://www.aaes.org/content.cfm?L1=3&L2=1>.

INVENTION DIMENSION: SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP The Lemelson-MIT Program is an MIT-administered program launched in 1994 by the late Jerome H.

Lemelson and his wife, Dorothy. According to the program's website, called Invention Dimension, the program's mission is "to inspire a new generation of American scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs by celebrating, through awards and educational activities, living role models in these fields." Invention Dimension serves as a clearinghouse for information about inventors and inventing, and can be found at:

<http://web.mit.edu/invent>.

IEEE Accelerated Stress Testing Tutorial Accelerated Stress Testing, an IEEE Educational Activities joint CD-ROM tutorial production with the IEEE Reliability Society is now available. Learn how to get started with AST, from reducing cycle time to deciding on stress levels. Accelerated Stress Testing, AST, has become mandatory in order to meet time-to-market and product quality needs. AST has been shown to ferret out problems that would otherwise plague the customer in the field. One study demonstrated that AST was able to reduce Printed Wiring Board failures by almost two orders of magnitude compared to a control sample. AST uncovers problems before they are shipped to the customer, thereby rapidly maturing the product and demonstrating diligence protecting the customer. Today's market place demands and rewards such diligence. This tutorial provides fundamentals for reliability and test engineers and is supported by case studies from four expert practitioners and a panel discussion about practical implementation issues. Dr. Samuel Keene, a recognized international resource in the R &QA field, introduces presenters who are well qualified and broadly known in their fields. The learner is able to access the following sections: H. Anthony Chan, AT & T Labs, covers stress testing at the design, component and test levels as well as problems at the customer level. Charles Felkins, Storage Techniques, describes the components of highly accelerated life test and highly accelerated stress screening. Paul Parker, Lucent Technologies, Texas, covers test equipment for power monitoring, thermal/vibration equipment and environmental analysis accessories. Anthony Oates, Lucent Technologies, Florida, includes discussions of circuit reliability models, early failure rate characterizations, IC wearout failure mode and package/assembly failure model. Panel discussion will cover the most frequently asked questions, including comments on professional development and customer relations. The single CD-ROM, gives full access to the four power point presentations and the panel discussion. It uses functions from the Internet tool bar as well as built in features such as jump, search, and scroll capabilities, navigation, full audio, and an MPEG player video component with full complimentary transcript. The transcript provides extra support for users with non-English as their primary language. Software Requirements: Windows 95, 98, NT or 2000; Internet Explorer 4.0 (or higher), or Netscape Navigator 4.0 (or higher); Windows Media Player 6.1 (or higher), or RealPlayer G2, version 6.0.5.27 (or higher) Hardware Requirements: Pentium 200 MHz processor; 32 MB RAM; Windows compatible sound card; 4x CD-ROM drive (for CD-ROM delivery) EC 133:1 CD ROM, PC compatible only, $700 member; $875 non-member. HV 7061: 3 videotapes & presentation notes; same price, NTSC only. The CD-ROM and video set can be ordered from:

IEEE Customer Service Department 445 Hoes Lane PO Box 1331 Piscataway, NJ 08855-1331 by e-mail: customer-service@ieee.org by phone: 800 678-4333; on the Web at: http://shop.ieee.org/store/

For further information on Education Activities check out our Website:

http://www.ieee.org/organizations/eab/index.htm.

PUBLISHER'S STATEMENT The IEEE MONITOR is the official news publication of the New York Section of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. The New York Section is comprised of the five boroughs of New York City (Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island) plus Rockland and Westchester Counties. The publication reports on events and activities of interest to the general membership composed of electrical and electronics engineers and computer scientists, presents topical feature material relevant to the engineering profession, and carries the monthly IEEE society chapter calendar of events as a service to its readers. CIRCULATION The IEEE MONITOR is distributed to all IEEE members in the New York Section plus additional subscribers. Monthly circulation as of December, 1999 is 6,200. ISSUE AND CLOSING DATES The IEEE MONITOR is published monthly except June, July and August. Advertising order deadline is the first of the month preceding issue date. Camera ready material is due on the 5th of the month preceding issue date. MAILING INSTRUCTIONS Address all correspondence concerning advertising to: IEEE Monitor 24 Chamber Lane Englishtown, N. J. 07726 DISPLAY ADVERTISING RATES Display advertising space is available in full and fractional page sizes. To qualify for frequency discounts, advertiser must furnish publisher with a schedule of insertion dates. Schedule may be changed by notifying publisher prior to regular deadline date. 1X 3X 5X 9X Full Page $630 $599 $567 $536 2/3 Page 490 470 441 417 1/2 Page 395 375 356 336 1/3 Page 280 266 252 238 1/4 Page 225 214 203 191 1/6 Page 165 157 149 140 Bus. Card 85 81 77 72 Col. Inch 35 33 32 30 Covers Back 755 717 680 642 Inside Back 695 660 626 591 Preprinted Inserts Four pages: $1,070, no frequency discount.

COMMISSIONS 15% commission allowed to all recognized ad agencies providing payment is received by due date. All ads invoiced on publication closing date. Full payment due 10 days after issue date. Rendering invoice to ad agency does not relieve advertiser in case agency default. MECHANICAL SPECIFICATIONS Size Publication trim size 81/2" x 11" Image size is 7 1/2" x 10" Publication is black and white 3 column format. Each column is 14 picas wide. Color is NOT available at this time. Full Page 7 - 1/2" x 10" 2/3 Page 4 - 3/4" x 10" 1/2 Page (horizontal) 7 - 1/2" x 5" 1/2 Page (vertical) 4 - 3/4" x 7 - 1/2" 1/3 Page (square) 4 - 3/4" x 5" 1/3 Page (vertical) 2 - 1/4" x 10" 1/4 Page 4 - 3/4" x 3 - 3/4" 1/6 Page 2 - 3/4" x 5" Bus. Card 2" x 3 - 1/2" Col. Inch 1" x 2 - 1/3" Materials Preferred material for black and white ads is right-reading emulsion side down negative. Halftone screen is 100 lines. Veloxes, other reproducible proofs and laser printed materials are acceptable. Photocopied material is not accepted. Original artwork accepted at advertiser's risk. Composition and assembly to advertiser's layout available at nominal charge. Submit copy and layout for quote. ADVERTISING POLICY All advertising is subject to the publisher's approval. Advertisers and their advertising agencies assume all liability for all content including text, illustrations, sketches, labels, trademarks, etc., of all advertising submitted for publishing, and also assume responsibility for any claims arising therefrom made against the publisher.

TIME FOR TRUTH

O.S. Guinness teaches how to live free in a world of lies, hype, and spin in his latest book entitled, “ Time For Truth”. In any book review the first thing the reader should be advised of is whether to read the book. Read the book!

As an Engineer I always felt that the Engineering profession is the last bastion of hope in the professional world to come to know the truth. Our products are not lies; planes fly, cars go, and computers do what we want them to, no more and no less. And when our products fail, in that they don’t function, as we want them to, we have failed.

If there is one thing an Engineer must understand is that the world is not just composed of only our products, but of people who many times are not as honest as the things we design. In a real sense these people don’t function the way they were designed. Guiness describes how people view the truth using three categories: objective, modern, and postmodern. The best way to describe these views is to use the author’s words.

“ A simple way to illustrate (these views) lies in the story of the three baseball umpires debating their different philosophies of umpiring. “There’s balls and there’s strikes,” and I call them the way they are. ”

“No” exclaims the second umpires. “That’s arrogant. There’s balls and there’s strikes and I call them the way I see it.”

“That’s no better,” says the third. “Why beat around the bush? Why not be realistic about what we do? There’s balls and there’s strikes and they ain’t nothing till I call them.”

The first umpire represents the traditional view of truth—objective, independent of the mind of the knower, there to be discovered. The second umpire speaks for moderate relativism–-truth (modern view) “ as each person sees it ” according to his or her perspective and interpretation. And the third umpire bluntly expresses the radically relativist, or postmodern, position—“truth” is not there to be discovered; it is for each of us to create for ourselves.”

After defining the three views of truth, Guinnes discusses the failings of the modern and postmodern views. He also renders causes for these views. And finally he personifies the postmodern view in the country’s highest executive office where the cleverest use of words was an attempt to

lead you to the wrong conclusion. But in the end the truth was known to all.

Since Engineers must always be immersed in objectivity to be effective, there is no slick way for us to achieve status. Unfortunately our greatest strength causes us the most pain when dealing with others who wear their modern and postmodern cloaks as a sign of honor as a Cardinal wears a red miter. The benefit of reading Guinnes is to know the words and ideas that describe the drama that is being staged by and for the benefit of these prevaricators.

The author believes that the modern view of truth has caused a crisis. He ties the truth with living free. Without the traditional or objective view we are tethered to evil in that our goals are no longer associated with achieving the common good of all in our society. If truth is subjective, then our words and actions are only directed towards those individuals with something to gain.

The problem we are having today is that we have accepted lying as a way of life. About 10 years ago I remember catching my son who was then 12 years old in an out right lie. Of course I through a fit. He calmly looked at me and said, “Why are you getting so excited, everybody lies.” It was the first time I realized there is a generation gap when it comes to the ideal that honesty is the best policy. I grew up in a family that lived through the era of the great depression whose credo was, we were poor but we were honest. They never realized they were poor because they were honest. An honest man is hard to find, to find an honest rich man is nearly impossible. Wealth is usually acquired at the expense of someone else.

One of the reasons the author believes the world has turned to deception as a way of life is due to the writings of people like Voltaire and Nietzsche. In addition, he claims that the social sciences had a part in this deception. He states, “Many claim that the discipline of the sociology of knowledge is not only relative but socially constructed and nothing more. That is, what we know is so shaped by our social context that any claim to be true or false, right or wrong, is patently absurd. Truth is only a matter of human convention or social construction.”

The book challenges us all, regardless of our level in society, to be a people of truth. There is just no other way for us to be free. As the author states in closing his book, “The choice is ours. So also will be the consequences.”

Romano's Forum by Mario Romano

ONLINE TESTING OF 4KV AND ABOVE EQUIPMENT

Using Partial Discharge Monitoring for Predictive Maintenance

Joint Meeting with Edison Engineering Society

The May Speaker will be Gabe Paoletti, a registered Professional Engineer in the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware, who is the Production Line Manager for Predictive Diagnostics for Cutler-Hammer. He received his BSEE degree from Drexel University, and has over 23 years engineering service experience with Westinghouse, ABB, and Cutler-Hammer. His electrical distribution experience includes field-testing, predictive and preventive maintenance, applications engineering, failure analysis, and power systems studies. Gabe’s presentation will cover discharge technology, along with the various implementation and measurement techniques that have evolved in the industry today. He will also discuss corona damage, surface tracking, partial discharge data interpretation, and corrective actions for electrical distribution equipment. Advances in partial discharge monitoring technology are making it an effective online predictive tool for medium voltage equipment such as motors, generators, switchgear, transformers, and power cables; resulting in reduced unscheduled downtime. At the conclusion of his presentation, Gabe will be happy to answer your questions.

Wednesday, May 16, 2001

Refreshments: 5.15pm Program: Starting at 5.45pm Location: Con Edison 19th Fl. (use Exec. Elev.) 4 Irving Place, NY 10003 Nearest Subway: Union Square

Reservation to: Alan Osborne @ 212 460 6690 or

Mike Miller @ 212 460 4911