"c|net central"
TRANSCRIPT
-EPISODE 34-

Original air date: 11/17/95

HOSTS: RICHARD HART and GINA ST. JOHN


RICHARD:  Computer animation provides startling new insight into 
the JFK assassination.

Uh-oh, is this keyboard toast?  Not at all.  A tip that could save you 
money.  Hi, I'm Richard Hart.  Those stories, plus c|net radio takes to 
the air online.  And some major announcements from the country's 
biggest computer show.  All when we return on "c|net central."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GINA:  Welcome to "c|net central."  I'm Gina St. John.  The 
assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, has been 
the subject of countless examinations.  But now, due to advancements 
in the digital world, we can look at that evidence in a whole new 
way.  Kate Kelly takes us from that fateful afternoon in Dallas to a 
present high-tech investigation.

KATE:  Friday, November 22, 1963.  At 11:40 a.m., President John 
Kennedy and First Lady Jackie landed in LUV Field just outside of 
Dallas.  This was a friendly Texas crowd, eager to catch a glimpse of 
the young, charismatic president.  On this warm day, no protective 
bubble covered the presidential limousine.  People came within 
yards of Kennedy's car.  At almost half past twelve, the motorcade 
approached Dealey Plaza.  At 12:29, the first car of the motorcade 
made the right-hand turn from Main Street onto Houston and 
proceeded toward the Texas State Book Depository.  In the second car 
were the president and first lady and Texas Governor John Connely 
and his wife, Nellie.  Two secret service agents were sitting in the 
front seat, and there were more secret service agents following 
behind.  Now, the motorcade made a left-hand turn right in front of 
the depository onto Elm Street.  They were moving at about 11 miles 
an hour, with the president waving to his admirers.  Moments later, 
several shots rang out.

ERNEST BRANDT (WITNESS):  As the limousine got right down there 
about 30 feet away from us, the first shot was fired.  The second shot 
came almost within two or three seconds, two and a half seconds 
after the first shot.

MARILYN WILLIS (WITNESS):  The second shot went off, and then 
the third one hit the president in his head.  His head went back this 
way, and it was like a red halo all over his head.

KATE:  The Kennedy assassination shocked the nation and confused 
even eyewitnesses.  Today, there is still disagreement about how 
many shots were fired and who fired them.  But now, with computer 
animation, investigators can analyze 30-year-old evidence and 
actually see it in new ways.

ROGER MCCARTHY (CEO, FAILURE ANALYSIS):  We had the benefit of 
the PC when we did our work.  Remember, all the previous 
investigations are prior to the personal computer.

KATE:  Roger McCarthy led a team of scientists in a high-tech 
investigation.

ROGER M.:  None of the other investigators had the freedom that I did 
to actually construct three-dimensional geometry--numerically, 
visually--in a computer, and then actually to sit there and go back in 
time with the power of animation and look at the site picture of the 
president coming toward Lee Harvey Oswald.

KATE:  McCarthy and his team analyzed a mountain of evidence, 
piece by piece.  And then with computer animation, they 
reconstructed in detail what happened.

ROGER M.:  What we've got is an aerial photograph of the Dealey 
Plaza.  And now we're going to do a fly-around briefly in the Plaza, 
and we're going to go over to the book depository.  There's the sixth-
floor window on the Texas Book Depository; we've left the window 
open so you can see it clearly.

KATE:  With this animation, we can now see exactly what Oswald saw 
moments before he fired the shots.

ROGER M.:  And we asked the computer to show us what we would 
have seen standing at this point.  All these shots with the vital 
organs of the president showing were given up.  The closest of these 
shots is 27 yards, which, with a high-powered rifle with a scope, is 
point blank.

KATE:  But instead of firing as the president approached, Oswald 
waited until after the car turned the corner.  This made the shots 
much more difficult.

ROGER M.:  To do the animation properly, we acquired this weapon.  
There is only a difference in 1,000 in the serial number between the 
weapon that Lee Harvey Oswald used and this one.  We had our 
scope fitted by the same gentleman who fitted Lee Harvey Oswald's 
scope.

KATE:  McCarthy even used ammunition from the same lot as 
Oswald's.  They tested the rifle for accuracy and to find out just how 
long it would take to fire off three shots.  And given this type of rifle, 
were you able to do three shots fairly accurately in eight seconds, or 
five seconds?

ROGER M.:  I never could shoot the sequence of shots that the Warren 
Commission would have demanded.  I also have seen Lee Harvey 
Oswald's military qualification shooting scores, and I know what my 
own shooting scores were in the military, and I'm a far better shot 
than Lee Harvey Oswald.

KATE:  According to the Warren Commission, Oswald fired off three 
shots in five and a half seconds.  But in 1973, the House Select 
Committee Investigation concluded he had up to eight seconds.

ROGER M.:  We have enough time under the House Select Committee 
version to aim that last shot, because it's the last shot that's going to 
kill the president.  So at least this is a plausible time, but you've got 
to accept that the tree indeed stopped the first bullet from really 
entering the vehicle or becoming evidence in the case.  This is 
contrary to what the Warren Commission found.

KATE:  But what is most remarkable about McCarthy's computer 
analysis is what they found when they traced the trajectory of the 
magic bullet.  According to this theory, the second bullet goes 
through the president and as it enters Governor Connely, it is 
deflected by a rib and enters his thigh.

ROGER M.:  We think that the magic bullet is a plausible theory.  Now, 
with the locations of these two bodies, we can project back where the 
bullet would have had to come from.  So, instead of being a "line-
back," it actually has to be a "cone-back" to reflect your uncertainty 
in the physical measurements.  And if you look, down here at the--

KATE:  There's the open window.

ROGER M.:  At the sixth floor of the repository.  Now you have a 
pretty good piece of evidence that that bullet would have had to 
come from this location.

GINA:  At c|net online this week, you'll find links to JFK-related Web 
sites, CD-ROMs, and a chance to share your views and opinions about 
the assassination with other members of the c|net online community.  
Richard?

RICHARD:  When "c|net central" continues, you've seen a home page, 
now see a smart home on the Net.  And, how to use the World Wide 
Web to land a job.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RICHARD:  The country's biggest computer show just wrapped up this 
week in Las Vegas--Comdex Fall '95--and c|net was there.  We 
discovered everything from smart homes to modems that talk.  
Conventions like Comdex are a strange combination of business--

FEMALE 1:  How easy it is to use...

RICHARD:  --technology, and entertainment.  It's a chance to check 
out what the best and the brightest of the industry have been up to.

MALE 1:  A real-time, computer-generated, three-dimensional, 
virtual character.

RICHARD:  It's a chance for industry sales reps to make their pitches.

FEMALE 2:  Ever try and get somebody's attention?

RICHARD:  And it's a party.  Sometimes strange...

MALE 2:  Don't you forget about it, Bill Gates.

RICHARD:  ...Sometimes silly.  But mostly, it's a celebration of 
technology.

LOU GERSTNER (CEO, IBM):  We'll be bombarded by extraordinary 
products and by promises--oh, yes--lots of promises.

RICHARD:  The conference begins with a big keynote speech that sets 
the tone.  This year, it was pervasive networking for both Microsoft's 
Bill Gates and IBM's Lou Gerstner.

LOU G.:  For 15 years the PC has been a wonderful device for 
individuals, but ironically, the personal computer has not been well 
suited for the most personal aspect of what people do--we 
communicate.

BILL GATES (CEO, MICROSOFT):  Our industry will be changing the 
way people do business, the way they learn, and even the way they 
entertain themselves.

LOU G.:  When you get past all the glitz, this event is really about two 
things.  It's about enthusiasm for our industry and a keen interest in 
its future.

RICHARD:  In entertainment, Fujitsu says the future is flat.  Sure, it 
looks like a great picture: wider than normal, maybe HDTV, but 
here's the best part--look behind it. It's only about three and a half 
inches wide.

MALE 3:  It's bloody long, they say.

RICHARD:  Goldstar says the future will fit in your pocket.  It's a cell 
phone, and it's a personal digital assistant.  You can write on it, and 
it's also possible to send what you just wrote because it's a fax 
machine.

VOICE-OVER MALE 4:  Here it goes.

RICHARD:  Novell says networks are not just for computers.  In the 
future, every appliance will be on the Internet.

DARL MCBRIDE (NOVELL):  Your washing machine, your VCR, your 
automobile, all kinds of places.  So now, the idea is, let's go connect 
all of those other processors that are out in the world, that are in our 
lives day to day, and connect them to this bigger network.

RICHARD:  Companies like Cardinal are betting on the new field of 
telephony--modems with voice capabilities are turning your PC into 
a telephone.

GINA:  Richard, I'm at Comdex, and I'm lost!

PHONE MESSAGE:  If you are satisfied with your message, press one.  
To listen to your message, press two.

RICHARD:  Obviously, we saw far more terrific stuff there than we 
could tell you in one story, so in the coming weeks on "c|net central," 
expect more of the highlights of Comdex, and of course you can log on 
anytime you want to find out details about Comdex at c|net online.  
Gina?

GINA:  Here's a quick look at events making news in the digital world 
this past week.  For adult entertainment vendors, the place to be this 
week was not Comdex.  A ban on X-rated software at the conference 
prompted about 50 adult vendors and a few porn stars to hold their 
own show in Las Vegas--AdultDex, featuring cybersex and 
censorship.  

America Online and Intuit announced this week a strategic alliance to 
provide electronic banking to AOL subscribers starting in the first 
half of next year.  AOL members will be able to check balances, 
transfer funds, and pay bills electronically with participating banks.  
And CompuServe has announced this week that it will offer free 
accounts to all 1996 state and national election candidates.  It's part 
of a new service called The Election Connection 96, which 
CompuServe hopes to launch by the end of the year.

RICHARD:  You're probably used to logging on to c|net online for the 
latest digital news and information and tuning in to "c|net" television.  
But we've just launched something brand-new--c|net radio.  And it 
ain't no ordinary radio show.  Because it's on the World Wide Web, 
it's interactive.  This is a whole new medium.

Radio the old way:

BRIAN COOLEY (PROGRAM DIRECTOR, C|NET RADIO):  This is c|net 
radio.  I'm Brian Cooley.

RICHARD:  Radio the new way:

BRIAN C.:  This is the first magazine--audio magazine--on the Web 
that is all about the Web; that is for c|net users; that focuses on hip, 
cool technology, and brings it to you in an interesting, compelling 
digest.

RICHARD:  Brian Cooley, a longtime radio personality and technology 
reporter, is program director and the voice of c|net radio.

BRIAN C.:  c|net radio is laid out into clear departments, and they 
start off with the news.

VOICE-OVER BRIAN C.:  Netscape is about to release their beta of 
Navigator 2.0...

BRIAN C.:  "audio.file" is where we put our features everyday.  And 
of course, the c|net columnists, the c|net stars, people like Gina St. 
John, Richard Hart, John Dvorak, Dave Ross, all of them will be 
featured here from time to time.

VOICE-OVER FEMALE 3:  Oh no, I don't think they can put that one on 
the radio.

RICHARD:  Oh, yes you can.  With the Internet's first ever audio 
postings.

BRIAN C.:  Pull off the "stream of thoughts," the pulse of what's going 
on with c|net users.

RICHARD:  c|net radio will be refreshed every weekday at noon 
Pacific time, and each Webcast will be about 8 to 10 minutes in 
length. Cooley says the show's style will be as familiar to c|net 
audiences as FM radio.

BRIAN C.:  There's pacing, there's flavor, there's a rhythm, and the 
tempo changes up and down, and most of all, it doesn't waste your 
time.

RICHARD:  To download c|net radio just go to c|net online.  The 
program and the RealAudio Player are just a click away.  There's a 
fresh c|net radio Webcast every weekday afternoon.  The new edition 
goes up at 3 p.m. Eastern time.  And just as everything else at c|net 
online, c|net radio is free.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RICHARD:  Now, here's a computer tip that should save you lots of 
money. (SPILLS SOMETHING ON KEYBOARD.) Oops. I happen to know 
lots of people who have done this to their computers and said, "I can 
either tediously pull off each key one at a time; pay somebody $50 
an hour to do it for me; or just give up, say it's not worth it, and buy 
a new keyboard."  But there's a much simpler solution.  Try giving it 
a good soaking in the shower.  As a matter of fact, you can hose it 
down the next time you're washing the car in the driveway.  No 
harm done as long as you thoroughly rinse it and dry it out.  A blow 
dryer will work just fine.  You could save yourself a bundle.

GINA:  Until now, searching for a job involved the Sunday 
newspaper, employment agencies, and lots of phone calls.  Well, now, 
thanks to the Internet, times are a-changing.  And employers and job 
seekers alike are discovering a whole new meaning to the word 
"networking."

STEVE BROXTON (JOB SEEKER):  When I'm looking for work, I will get 
onto the computer and I start mining, looking for jobs out there.  I'd 
be willing to look at any job just about any place.

GINA:  Steve Broxton is just one of thousands of people pounding the 
virtual pavement.  What makes this a better tool than perhaps going 
through the papers and relying on the contacts and the other 
business associates that most people do when they're looking for 
employment?

STEVE B.:  Well, I do go through the papers, but I do it online.  I can 
actually get the ad as it appears, sometimes before the paper is 
actually printed.  A lot of the jobs that are advertised in the paper 
are just maybe a small part of the total jobs that are out there.  A lot 
of companies have their own Web page and they post their own job 
bulletins out there.  Those jobs don't always get to the newspapers.

GINA:  Searching for jobs by state or keyword is just the tip of the 
hard drive for online job seekers.  There are hundreds of free 
Internet sites that offer everything from resume-writing tips and 
career advice, to online recruiting.  Margaret Riley is Webmaster at 
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, and author of the 
largest online guide to finding a job on the Internet.  Originally 
created for students at WPI, "The Riley Guide" now boasts over 1,000 
links to career-related sites and services.

MARGARET RILEY (CREATOR, RILEY GUIDE):  Start with the large 
databases, the Online Career Center, America's Job Bank.  Get 
involved in Usenet newsgroups, and mailing lists.  I think the ability 
to research an employer, find an organization, get connected to other 
people who work in your industry or your field is probably really 
the best reason to go online.  On the Internet, it's not who you know, 
it's who knows about you.  So you want to get your resume into one 
of the databases that the employers and recruiters are going to 
search.

STEVE B.:  Hello?  How did you find my resume?

GINA:  Steve posted his resume online a few months ago.  So, tell me 
about your responses.  What kind of responses have you gotten?

STEVE B.:  I've gotten, to my surprise, some very good responses.  
Even though I haven't been actively on the Internet for about a 
month, I average about three responses a day.

GINA:  Online job surfing is a win-win situation for both employers 
and job seekers alike.  Employers say that electronic postings are 
cheaper and more effective than traditional paper ads.  And for the 
people who use the Net as a job-searching tool, they say it gives 
them the competitive edge they need in the worldwide work force.

FEMALE 4:  Being online is a great way to make connections with 
people that you would otherwise never have found.

MALE 5:  I've got about three jobs from looking on the Internet.

FEMALE 5:  I would write to them and say, you know, I've been 
surfing the Net and I thought that it would be impressive to tell 
them that.

MALE 5:  They weren't posting the jobs anywhere else because they 
wanted people who were Internet-savvy.

GINA:  Computerphobes, beware.  Right now, nearly 70 percent of the 
jobs listed on the Net require some computer or technical skills.  But 
as more companies, schools, and state services join the world's 
largest network, career counselors say that people who are wired 
will have a better chance at getting hired.  Well, if you're ready to 
pound the virtual pavement, then head to c|net online.  There you'll 
find links to job-related Web sites as well as practical career advice 
and ways to get jobs where you can actually work on the Internet.  
Richard?

RICHARD:  Last week we featured a story about how the Internet 
was changing the face of politics.  Well, Dave Ross has some 
observations about the connection between computers and 
campaigning.  And as you know, he gets the last word.

DAVE ROSS:  People say the Internet will change politics--for a 
couple of reasons.  For one, you can now read the full text of BILLS 
on the Internet.  You log on to this site: 

(HOLDS UP SIGN READING: http://thomas.loc.gov)  

And you can read the congressional record, get bios and news 
releases, and best of all, you can download bills.  Just to show you, 
here's what a bill looks like in PAPER form.

(TAKES OUT AND DISPLAYS BILL)

Here's what a bill looks like on the Internet.

(POINTS TO COMPUTER SCREEN WITH BILL DISPLAYED)

Now, here's me reading this bill in PAPER form.

(OPENS BILL, SNORES, FALLS ASLEEP ON BILL)

And here's me reading this bill on the Internet.

(MOVES MOUSE, SNORES, FALLS ASLEEP ON KEYBOARD)

So there you have one big advantage of having bills online:  voters 
will be well-rested.  Online, though, it'll cost you.

But then, what about the other big aspect of technology and politics--
namely, email?  Isn't it true, Dave, that computer-literate men and 
women using email--this wonderful new form of instant 
communication--will be able to flood Congress with electronic 
messages?  Isn't it true, Dave, that NO congressman can IGNORE A 
PILE OF ANGRY EMAIL?

Well, let's see...what would it take for a congressman to ignore a pile 
of angry email?

(SHUTS OFF COMPUTER)

And now let's see what it would take for a congressman to ignore a 
pile of angry REAL mail.

(GIANT SACK OF MAIL PLOPS ON DESK.  DAVE DISAPPEARS BEHIND 
MAIL, THEN PEEKS OUT OVER TOP.)

Any questions?

I'm Dave Ross, and I get the last word.


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GINA:  Remember, for every story you see on our show, there's much 
more information online.

RICHARD:  And don't forget to check out one of the newest additions 
to c|net online, c|net radio.

GINA:  That's all for "c|net central" this week.  Thanks for tuning in 
and logging on.


