Difference between revisions of "Echelon" - bocpages

Revision as of 20:44, 14 August 2013

Echelon
Running time	5.48
Appears on	Play By Numbers

Comments

Echelon is the term popularly used for an automated global interception and relay system operated by the intelligence agencies in five nations: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (it is believed that ECHELON is the code name for the portion of the system that intercepts satellite-based communications)" - quote from echelonwatch site [1]. See also this report [2]. This system has been around since the early 70's, but did not become more widely known until the governments of Australia and New Zealand unwittingly admitted to its existence only a few years ago. The US government still declines to comment on its existence.

A more mathematical connection with the title is as follows; a correspondent has reminded me of the "row-echelon form" of a matrix, used in solving systems of linear equations. There is also the simple definition of an "echelon" as a particular geometrical shape.

Others: military troop or aircraft formations - arrangements in parallel lines. In the Navy, the classic "V" or "wedge formation". And "Echelon lens: a large lens constructed in several parts or layers, extending in a succession of annular rings beyond the central lens; used in lighthouses." In all instances, it relates to a particular kind of regularity of arrangement; "echelon" is in fact the French word for a rung of a ladder. [Pat N.]

Ultimately from Lat. "scala" - "a ladder", from which we get the word "scale".

A possible connection with cycling (as in Happy Cycling): when a group of cyclists are in a staggered formation to offset the effect of a crosswind, that is called an echelon. [bodhisattva cam]

The song seems to be the same than the one named "we've started up" frome the release "old tunes vol.2"

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+== Comments ==
+* [[Echelon]] is the term popularly used for an automated global interception and relay system operated by the intelligence agencies in five nations: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (it is believed that ECHELON is the code name for the portion of the system that intercepts satellite-based communications)" - quote from echelonwatch site [http://archive.aclu.org/echelonwatch/faq.phpl]. See also this report [http://cryptome.org/echelon-ep.php]. This system has been around since the early 70's, but did not become more widely known until the governments of Australia and New Zealand unwittingly admitted to its existence only a few years ago. The US government still declines to comment on its existence.
 [[Category: Unreleased tracks]]
 [[Category:Play By Numbers tracks]]
+* A more mathematical connection with the title is as follows; a correspondent has reminded me of the "row-echelon form" of a matrix, used in [http://www.math.hmc.edu/calculus/tutorials/linearsystems/ solving systems of linear equations]. There is also the simple definition of an "echelon" as a particular geometrical shape.
+* Others: military troop or aircraft formations - arrangements in parallel lines. In the Navy, the classic "V" or "wedge formation". And "Echelon lens: a large lens constructed in several parts or layers, extending in a succession of annular rings beyond the central lens; used in lighthouses." In all instances, it relates to a particular kind of regularity of arrangement; "echelon" is in fact the French word for a rung of a ladder. [Pat N.]
+* Ultimately from Lat. "scala" - "a ladder", from which we get the word "scale".
+* A possible connection with cycling (as in [[Happy Cycling]]): when a group of cyclists are in a staggered formation to offset the effect of a crosswind, that is called an echelon. [bodhisattva cam]
+* The song seems to be the same than the one named "we've started up" frome the release "old tunes vol.2"
+{{stub}}