COMMENT ⊗   VALID 00002 PAGES
C REC  PAGE   DESCRIPTION
C00001 00001
C00002 00002	.require "memo.pub[let,jmc]" source
C00007 ENDMK
C⊗;
.require "memo.pub[let,jmc]" source;
.cb ACTIVITIES FOR THE ACADEMIC ADVISORY BOARD OF THE NLCPI


	I feel strongly that a relatively small effort which we
are in a position to initiate could contribute a great deal
to achieving more balanced national policies.  Here are some
ideas:

.item←0
	#. A study of the long term prospects for technological
civilization.  There is a common view that the world is running
out of resources.  I think a serious study would show that that
view is wrong.  The Earth has 10%512%1 tons of matter per
inhabitant.  Nuclear energy is good for at least a billion years
given a breeder based on present technology.  The only major
unknown is our ability to use lower grade ores for the major
minerals, and I think some theoretical chemical engineering
could show that the prospects for this are excellent.

	#. A study of the biases of %2Science%1 magazine.  The
magazine should be criticized into separating the %2News and 
Comment%1 section into separate sections of news and comment.
At present the writers exhibit their biases by combining the
two.

	#. There needs to be a new magazine, call it
%2American Technologist%1 that is future oriented with
regard to technology, rigorous in setting a high standard
of argument (e.g. avoiding ad hominem remarks), and combining
political and social discussion with the technological and
without a left bias.

	#. The popular technology magazines, radio, camera, car,
hi-fi, etc. might publish some articles defending technology
against the anti-technologists.

	#. While the nuclear initiatives have been soundly
defeated, their proponents are sure the public can't decide
for itself and will try other means to protect the public
from its folly.  Their next big hope is Carter.  Meanwhile,
their has been no new nuclear development program.  Surely
with the energy crisis we should be working on five lines
in parallel as during World War II.
A dramatically written history of the World War II industrial
effort would be helpful.  How come the Hanford Works, with
the energy flow of the biggest modern plants was operating
two years after the first chain reaction while it takes
ten years to build a plant now?  We need to try to make
people admire that spirit and strive to emulate it.

	One of the major problems with our side is that
we are involved with our work and hate taking time out
for controversy.  Perhaps if we had some money for
research assistants, we could do more.  I certainly would
like to try employing a research assistant for a couple of
years in this area.