Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rictor on August 03, 2004, 10:47:59 am
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http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/08/02/directedenergyweapons.ap/
At the same Air Force Research Laboratory in New Mexico, researchers working with Raytheon Co. have developed a weapon called the Active Denial System, which repels adversaries by heating the water molecules in their skin with microwave energy. The pain is so great that people flee immediately.
"It just feels like your skin is on fire," said Rich Garcia, a spokesman for the laboratory who, as a test subject, has felt the Active Denial System's heat. "When you get out of the path of the beam, or shut off the beam, everything goes back to normal. There's no residual pain."
If all goes as planned, the chickens will be frozen in mid-cluck, their leg and wing muscles paralyzed by an electrical charge created by the beam, even as their heart and lungs function normally.
Among those most interested in the outcome will be officials at the Pentagon, who helped fund Schlesinger's work and are looking at this type of device to do a lot more than just zap a chicken.
I for one am thrilled that, even as hundreds of millions are without food, water, shelter and basic medicine, no expense is being spared to develop the latest and greatest weapons technologies. You know, in case the conquered masses decide to take matters into their own hands.
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I always suspected my mother was hiding weapons of mass destruction in her kitchen, damn the home shopping catalogue for supplying here with that microwave! I'll have to send a large force to remove it from our kitchen.
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Originally posted by Rictor
I for one am thrilled that, even as hundreds of millions are without food, water, shelter and basic medicine...
That's not the responsibility of the federal government but charity groups and churches. Believe me, there are plenty of people in this world who are helping the poor and the underdog that aren't from the federal gov't.
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These would be non-lethal weapons you're disputing the value of, yes?
Anyway, didn't we have the discussion in the space elevator thread? It all ground to a halt when you, Rictor, champion of the poor, were asked how much charity work you do, and whether you'd sell your car or computer to feed the starving masses...
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Mind, this thing might be non-lethal, but a bit of a power-up and it'll be pretty lethal.
OLD, BTW, read this in a pop science mag of more then 6 months ago.
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I'll say now what I said then, that it is insane to compare me (or you) to the US (or pretty much any) government. Its a matter of resources, as in I have none. Its just like taxation, bigger taxation for bigger income. Compare the average Joe's income of, say, 20k (after expenses) per year, with the government's income of several hundred billion.
But this isn't about charity, I don't really see what it has to do with the issue. Its a simple matter spending money to harm people instead of using it to help people. In that context, its completely irrelevant if the weapon is lethal, non-lethal or fires french fries, money is being spent on it, money that is badly needed elsewhere.
Rampage, you say that charity is not the government's responsibility. Well, ignoring for a second the issue of foreign policiy and the economics behind it, lets just focus on the US population. If it is the government's job to protect its citizens from let say, invasion, why is it not also their responsibility to protect them from hunger and diesese? Tens, even hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent to protect the US from stuff like terrorism, which has killed a very low number of people, while thousands die from lack of health-care and other necessities. When you ignore all the "scary foreign boogeyman" appeal of terrorism, its actually very harmless, and yet for the money that is being invested into the military, every citizen could easily have universal healthcare.
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Oooh.... last one would be dead useful for Dastardly and Muttley (http://www.80snostalgia.com/classictv/ddmuttley/) if it could be adapted for use on a dodgy looking biplane.
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Rictor mate, kindly get off your soapbox marked 'moral highground' and go do some charity work before you start preaching. For starters, your computer would be worth several hundred pounds, money that could bring several people off the streets for some time or feed dozens of Sudaneese children. It owuldn't solve the world's problems, but it would make a signifigant improvement in several peoples' lives :nod:
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Come on, this isn't strictly military technology, it has plently of civilian uses in terms of policing. Also, i hardly would refer to them as the "greatest weapon technologies" if you want to post examples of that, try looking up articles on the billions that go into nuclear weapons research, instead of posting nonsense about non-lethal weapons which would benefit society.
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Anyway, if it lessens the need to use deadly force, I'm all into it.
When used with moderation, that is :D
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"Active Denial System"
Should come in very useful for government ministers.
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Originally posted by diamondgeezer
These would be non-lethal weapons you're disputing the value of, yes?
Anyway, didn't we have the discussion in the space elevator thread? It all ground to a halt when you, Rictor, champion of the poor, were asked how much charity work you do, and whether you'd sell your car or computer to feed the starving masses...
So people, not governments, should feed the poor? Is this your solution to the problem, or merely a way to shove the argument in a new direction, a personal one.
I think if the government was willing to take its war budget and use it for starving people then i might be more inclined to sell my items to help out. However they dont care, and they should, so why should I?
the government taught me independence is life.
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Originally posted by Lonestar
So people, not governments, should feed the poor? Is this your solution to the problem, or merely a way to shove the argument in a new direction, a personal one.
I think if the government was willing to take its war budget and use it for starving people then i might be more inclined to sell my items to help out. However they dont care, and they should, so why should I?
the government taught me independence is life.
I think the point is that it's hypocritical to berate a government for spending its money for non-charitable purposes when you're unwilling to make the same sacrifice.
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yes, but this is not asking them to spend any *more* money, its just asking them to spend it on different things. Its not like they can just hold on to the tax money, they have to spend it somehow, and all I'm saying (and Lonestar too by the looks of it) is that they are spending it in the wrong place.
besides, I already talked about resources above.
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Originally posted by Rictor
yes, but this is not asking them to spend any *more* money, its just asking them to spend it on different things. Its not like they can just hold on to the tax money, they have to spend it somehow, and all I'm saying (and Lonestar too by the looks of it) is that they are spending it in the wrong place.
besides, I already talked about resources above.
Well, will you redirect money from, say, games shopping and donate it to charity instead?
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Not at all, research in to non-lethal weapons is A1 SUPAR in these days of counter-terrorism malarky. Better hit with one of these things than a bullet, don't you think? I mean, look at the thread title and compare with the two quotes in the first post - these are non-lethal weapons which are purposefully being designed to incapacitate without harm...
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Originally posted by diamondgeezer
Not at all, research in to non-lethal weapons is A1 SUPAR in these days of counter-terrorism malarky. Better hit with one of these things than a bullet, don't you think? I mean, look at the thread title and compare with the two quotes in the first post - these are non-lethal weapons which are purposefully being designed to incapacitate without harm...
what they really want, is a super fast acting laxative gas........
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Wanna bet the microwave one causes cancer in the long term?
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Meh, add it to the list under petrol fumes, power lines, mobile phones, microwave ovens, bracken, cigarettes and all the others
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Originally posted by aldo_14
what they really want, is a super fast acting laxative gas........
Dude. Ph33r if that stuff ever gets out... erk, I just got a really disturbing mental image. :ick:
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Now, really, what's the effect of that thing hitting a pacemaker, or a tattoo? Metal particles in tattoo's start to overheat during a CAT scan, I wouldn't like to be tattood and hit with that. And another thing, if you were carrying a ray-gun like this, and you know there is a risk of the non-lethal setting not disabling the target right away, wouldn't you rather flick the switch up a few notches?
As for the government in the USA not doing enough, do us all a favour and look at the difference in taxes between a rich guy and a poor guy. And do the same for approx. the same salary in some other country, your own, or Holland. All the forms are available on the web, and if you make that other country your own, or some which language you speak, the whole thing will be done in a day. I can tell you the results of my attempt at filing taxes, but you probably wouldn't believe me.
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Best way to avoid not being hurt in a riot is not to be in one. People might consider that.
If you get torched by the ADS because you wanted to celebrate your team winning (or losing) The Big Game, or whatever, tough. No sympathy whatsoever.
At least you'll live.
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Mainly I agree, but we get riots even during a peacefull student protest, because the local youths are bored and need a reason to turn a few cars tits up.
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Originally posted by kasperl
Mainly I agree, but we get riots even during a peacefull student protest, because the local youths are bored and need a reason to turn a few cars tits up.
That's the whole problem. A couple of idiots ruin it for everyone, and when a situation like that happens, what do you do?
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Make sure you fenced of the area in advance, and have some bright people with big sticks. I'm not talking figuratively either, big sticks are the most selective and useable weapon, and if you have bright policemen, you don't need to fell everyone.
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I don't fear it's proper application, I fear it's improper application which is very very likely especially in the western climate of "terror" today.
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Ray guns sound like a step in the right direction to me. Stunning Ray Guns vs. Bullets = safety for both the target and the targeter = good government spending! :)
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Originally posted by Knight Templar
Ray guns sound like a step in the right direction to me. Stunning Ray Guns vs. Bullets = safety for both the target and the targeter = good government spending! :)
Well that is true:) good weapon for Police forces