[extropy-chat] Cool stuff for Newtonmas

[Adrian Tymes]

One of the cool things about the light sabers was that
you didn't have to store the blade, just the hilt: the
blade went away when not in use.  Not true for these
toys.

--- Kevin Freels <cmcmortgage at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Has anyone here seen the force FX light sabers? I
> know they aren't very
> fancy technologically, but they are WAY cool!
> 
> http://www.thinkgeek.com/cubegoodies/toys/69de/
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Lorrey" <mlorrey at yahoo.com>
> To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
> Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 2:50 PM
> Subject: RE: [extropy-chat] Cool stuff for Newtonmas
> 
> 
> > The issue is that while DoD has built megawatt
> lasers, they are
> > typically not in any way transportable. The THEL
> and the ABL are the
> > first deployable laser systems, but they are still
> huge, with the first
> > needing two trailers and the other a 747. While
> the THEL is 100kw, and
> > is close to deployability, it still requires quite
> a bit to set up and
> > can only defend one location and a fixed area
> around it. The 747 ABL is
> > mobile, but is itself a vulnerable target and is
> intended for strategic
> > anti-missile use.
> >
> > Making a truly mobile version at 25-50kw capable
> of unit-level defense
> > against tactical weapons is what is really needed
> to defend against
> > mortars, katyusha type rockets, artillery, etc..
> Installed on a
> > fighting vehicle capable of firing in motion,
> while moving with its
> > unit, is what is really needed. Then we just need
> IED/mine sniffer
> > bots.
> >
> > --- spike <spike66 at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > > The way this was written in the popular press is
> a little
> > > confusing.  See below:
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From:  Mike Lorrey
> > >  Subject: [extropy-chat] Cool stuff for
> Newtonmas
> > >
> > >
> >
>
http://www.military.com/soldiertech/0,14632,Soldiertech_Cool121604,,00.html?
> > > ESRC=dod.nl
> > >
> > > COOL TECH THIS WEEK:
> > > Ray Gun Plans, Robotic Fish, Powered Exoskeleton
> Suits
> > >
>
--------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > >   A step closer to working ray guns, RoboPike
> and RoboTuna, and
> > > Starship Troopers for real -- keep up with the
> cutting-edge military
> > > tech news from the past week.
> > >
> > > By Noah Shachtman and Dr. Jeffrey Lewis,
> DefenseTech.org
> > >
> > > Industry Bigs Team Up on Ray Guns
> > >
> > > ... The modified 747
> > > Airborne Laser, after a seemingly-endless
> slumber, is beginning to
> > > make
> > > progress...
> > >
> > >
> > > Im not sure what that comment means.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ...More importantly, electric-powered lasers are
> finally starting to
> > > build
> > > up the power they need to work as weapons. In a
> few months,
> > > researchers
> > > at the Lawrence Livermore national lab and
> elsewhere plan to test a
> > > 25
> > > kilowatt solid-state laser...
> > >
> > >
> > > Starting to build up the power to work as
> weapons?  Were they joking?
> > > The power of the laser is not the recent
> breakthru, but rather its
> > > the
> > > mirror control needed to concentrate that power
> at some intermediate
> > > distance.  Check out the airborne laser mirror
> control.
> > >
> > >
> > > ...If those trials work out as expected, the
> > > Defense Department will then start handing out
> grants for a laser
> > > with
> > > a hundred kilowatts of power -- that's
> widely-considered the
> > > threshold
> > > for ray gun action to begin...
> > >
> > >
> > > Hmmm, again this comment.  Its all about
> concentrating the power,
> > > not about seeing how much power you can make. 
> All you need to
> > > disable
> > > a rocket is to burn a hole in it.  No need to
> actually blast it to
> > > shards, which would endanger the local enemy
> troops unnecessarily.
> > > Without the rockets and advanced weaponry, they
> are harmless as
> > > kittens anyway, so there is no need to slay or
> injure them.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ... One step forward, one step back. The
> Airborne Laser's
> > > first flight test in two years was cut short
> this week, after some
> > > "anomalous instrumentation readings." Space News
> says a cabin
> > > pressure
> > > problem was to blame...
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This comment was made many places, but most of
> the time they
> > > were not careful to explain that it was not a
> problem with
> > > the laser itself.  The flight crew cabin
> pressure is maintained
> > > higher than the area where the laser is carried
> in case of a leak
> > > of the highly toxic materials carried in the
> laser.  With
> > > higher pressure in the cabin, the fumes would
> not get to
> > > the flight crew.  Last I heard, it was a faulty
> pressure
> > > gage, not an actual failure of the pressure
> differential
> > > equipment.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Robo-Crappie, Anyone?
> > >
> > > ...A Japanese toy company has a whole line
> > > of fish, jellyfish, turtles and an ammonite. An
> ammonite?...
> > >
> > >
> > > If you purchase one of these toy ammonites, you
> may
> > > not take it to church, for the Book of
> Deuteronomy
> > > chapter 23 verse 3 saith:
> > >
> > > "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the
> > > congregation of the lord, even to their tenth
> > > generation shall they not enter into the
> congregation
> > > of the lord forever...
> > >
> > > Well which is it, tenth generation, or forever? 
> I
> > > think the latter, for Nehemiah chapter 13 verse
> 1 saith:
> > >
> > > "...the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come
> into
> > > the congregation of god forever..."
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Real-Life Exoskeletons Emerge
> > >
> > > ... article in tomorrow's New York Times
> Magazine,
> 
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