European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 7, 1981, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine the tyranny of tech Nouty a by Robert Locke associated press few decades Earl Alluisi got his first spurred by necessity and he regularly took that old car put it Back to Gether and somehow kept it running for there want anything about that 1934 Ford that i didst know and  Alluisi now he drives a lat Model but when i look under the theres not a darn thing i can do by so it goes throughout much of modern tech from computers to anti smog is becoming Ever More Complex too Complex for most backyard tinkerers Many too Complex for Man to and As our machines grow More Many once cherished skills Are falling victim to the cold efficiency of steel and printed i think weve lost something that at least those of us who practice it Are going to says a psychologist from Virginias old Dominion College who on loan As chief scientist of the air Force human re sources he says part of being human seems to include a rever ence for personal craftsmanship and we ought to protect even if the Only Way we can preserve it is As Hob so College professors restore antique cars and com Puter programmers become backyard Alluisi is the new chairman of the human factors an organization of social Engi neers and others trying to blend humans and machines into a productive and reliable the goal of such Alluisi is to keep humanity in technology to insure that machines remain useful servants rather than tyrannical Alluisi Engineer Harry Snyder of Vir Ginia polytechnic says that since Tjie Pace of technological innovation exploded after world War we have often is this a technology that is Possi ble or is this a technology that will sell but we Haven is this a technology that is Good for society he says the technological Era is not yet out of control and in optimistic that we can do some Good but we truly need More people who Are sensitive to the human part of that Mission involves improved design and training so people can handle the new technologies with out being dwarfed by a breakdown in this Man machine interface can have disastrous As seen in recent jetliner crashes and the nuclear Accident at three mile our Alluisi is that humans dont merely design they also use it and live in it and work with we need to what is the Price we should pay and what Are the on most human factors specialists seem to society is better off with its and in any they were almost certainly stuck with modern american society could not be maintained with out its computers and the Industrial revolution brought massive changes but society adapted to it rather says psychologist Alphonse Chapanis of Johns Hopkins univer one of the founders of the human factors this is a new revolution a revolution of information rather than in a sense it is an intellectual we Are just beginning to realize what a tremendously powerful thing this is and what this revolution can do for Chapanis says technology allows instant communication around the it has conquered diseases that once devastated whole cities and it has freed Man from a lot of the Drudgery that is required just to produce the necessities of it has Given us the Freedom to indulge in All kinds of intellectual he technology is a mixed there Are Good things about it and there Are bad what we must do is harness technology so we can get the Good things it produces without the bad Snyder says Many americans fear this new of computers that talk to other computers and operate a technology is moving so fast in so Many areas that people Are afraid of it because there not familiar with front engineers to Auto mechanics and television All who touch technology must constantly renew their knowledge and training or risk being left but Chapanis Points to one group of americans who Are embracing technologies from computer games to pocket this new generation is not rejecting he the kids Are already part of this computer congressional Gravy train by Jay Perkins associated press whoever you cant take it with never heard of the congressional retirement the program allows Veteran members of Congress to retire earlier and with far higher benefits than most american while the actual retirement income of retiring Congress men is the formula used to figure the benefits is and it shows that some outgoing members still in their Early 50s will be taking a hefty retirement package with them a year in some several of the retirees will doubtlessly Feather their nest further with the lucrative Job offers that often come to heres How the congressional retirement formula if they can put up to 8 percent their Gross salary per year in the retirement or a maximum of a year at the current salary members covered by the plan can retire at age 50 so Long As they have 20 years of government including at least 10 years in the House or military service counts As government with 10 years of participants can retire at age 60 with Only five years in at for each year of government a retired con Gressman covered by the plan gets percent of the average salary earned in the three highest earning years in Congress and the the three year average for members retiring after the november election is percent of that is multiplying by the years of service gives a congressman yearly retirement if he worked in another Federal retirement benefits from those years would be added and benefits Are adjusted every six months to account for changes in the Cost of twice As often As for other Federal workers and social Secu Rity 53yearold John with 22 years in the House and two years of military is eligible for an estimated a or january 1981 times he also will get a few extra dollars because he held a Federal Job for two other this assumes Brademas joined the retirement plan As soon As he entered Al could get about since he was in the House 24 years and had two years in the Tom could be eligible for by virtue of his 32 years in Congress and three years in the but since no member can receive More than 80 percent of the average of his last three years of Steed would apparently have to Settle for about Frank with 24 years in the Senate plus two in the could be eligible for a retirement income of about John with 10 years in the House and six in the could be eligible for about plus retirement benefits for the two years he spent As a legislative assistant to Edward but who is years will have to wait about 18 months before becoming eligible for the Bene the stars and stripes Page 13