[extropy-chat] Cool stuff for Newtonmas

Thu Dec 30 22:04:12 UTC 2004

As a kid I had one that was essentially a flashlight with a telescoping
blade that would recess down to 5-6 inches long. Pretty rugged.

--- Adrian Tymes <wingcat at pacbell.net> wrote:

> 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,
> > 
> === message truncated ===
> 
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> 

=====
Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Sadomikeyism

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