[LEAPSECS] Pentagon Papers

[Rob Seaman]

Richard B. Langley wrote:


> Quoting Rob Seaman <seaman at noao.edu>:

>

>> For those that dig back to the depths of the archives of this list  

>> and

>> prior discussions, I should mention that it was Levine who  

>> kickstarted

>> the interest of the astronomical software community in this issue.   

>> JL

>> contacted an astronomer in northern Arizona, who contacted the

>> National Observatory in southern Arizona.  It naturally wended its  

>> way

>> to my desk.  I believe this was the first public message:

>

> Depending on what "public" means. The article in my GPS World  

> Innovation column appeared

> in the November 1999 issue. ;-)


Actually, it depends what "message" means - I was referring to bloggy/ 
webby/usenet things.  I've often referenced the GPS World article as  
the normative reference, in particular when trying to make the point  
that there are more ways to address the issue than the ITU's  
monomaniacal focus on simply forgetting the whole requirement and  
ceasing leap seconds.

Hmmm.  It would be interesting to do some traffic analysis on  
publications, both online and print.  Obviously they align with leap  
seconds, but it's also seemed kind of interesting that GPS World  
kicked it off, but GPS itself seems to be spurned as a "serious"  
candidate.  Ignoring slice of life publications like Harpers, how have  
the print media been selected and who is doing the selection?

Obviously the issue must have been discussed for a long time in the  
hushed antechambers of Galifrey before the Timelords sought  
consultation through either paper or digital media.  Where is Daniel  
Ellsberg when you need him?

Rob