[extropy-chat] Cool stuff for Newtonmas

[Adrian Tymes]

One would think that would be an obvious way to do it,
but strangely this is the first time I've heard of one
actually doing it...and certain friends of mine have
shown me many "light sabers" over the years.

--- Mike Lorrey <mlorrey at yahoo.com> wrote:

> 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
> 
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