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| Well, guess we have lightsabers now. | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 20 2010, 02:38 PM (591 Views) | |
| Mad Mags | Jun 20 2010, 02:38 PM Post #1 |
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http://www.dailytech.com/WickedLasers+Unve...rticle18681.htm 1. What took them so long? 2. Can I CCW one? |
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| Gauntlet101010 | Jun 20 2010, 02:45 PM Post #2 |
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MM3: Shadowman
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HELL yeah! It's only a matter of time before they can make it a stable blade and then ... epic lightsaber swordfights. Still, this is a cool advancement of technology. Can't wait to see where it goes and if they'll perfect it. |
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MM3: Mechanical Maniacs | |
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| Hunter_Chameleon | Jun 20 2010, 02:48 PM Post #3 |
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The Communist Merc
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I can't help but love an article that precises "powerful enough to set people on fire" right in its title. Also, the world has gotten significantly awesomer by a good bit. |
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Now a full-time Communist. Combatron Chronicles - Transformers RP awaits you ! | |
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| Byron | Jun 20 2010, 03:15 PM Post #4 |
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Apparently a Geometric Array...
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There was a discussion about this on the other forums that I visit. As you can see, they had a very different view of the whole matter. I'll stand by what I said on that forum; you should be required to get a license or something if you want to get a laser that powerful. That being said, the era of lightsabers and madmen threatening the UN with death rays will soon be upon us, and it will be a very terrifying and exciting time to be alive. |
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> I spend quite a bit of time here nowadays. Sorry for any inconvenience... > I also have a blog now! | |
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| Mahajarah | Jun 20 2010, 05:08 PM Post #5 |
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HUZZAH!
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Buy three of these, a roll of ducktape, and a fan. ??? Profit. |
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| Mad Mags | Jun 20 2010, 06:16 PM Post #6 |
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And living in an era where at any moment a Jihadist could blow up your town hall with a radioactive dirty bomb, or hi-jack another airplane to crash into a landmark isn't dangerous and exciting enough for you? You're pretty hardcore, then. All joking aside... The people on that forum make me want to open carry one of these things. Not because it'd make me any safer, or even because its my right...but because knowing that I'd be making these bedwetting-types squirm some more. Then it'd almost be worth the hassling by law enforcement, the vacant stares from 95% of everyone else, and the barrage of stupid questions from irritating Star Wars nerds. Almost. Shit, I dunno...How about we start educating people about how to use things like this instead of trying to regulate the hell out of it (unsuccessfully) like it was the elephant in the room? Or maybe not make a bigger deal out of it than it really is. LET'S TRY THAT. I'm totally against regulation of stuff like this. Not only does it immediately create a lucrative black market for it, which begets even more violence than there would ordinarily be (see: Mexican Drug Cartels), but it creates a false sense of safety by tricking people into thinking that a piece of paper is going to protect you from things like this. I also think that people on that forum (and likely many other places) are blowing it out of proportion, immediately jumping into FEAR MODE, believing that if someone doesn't do something about this grave potential menace, then Hillbilly Bob from down the street is going to immediately run out and buy one of these so he can rob a bank, burn down a church, and kill my family. Hillbilly Bob doesn't have 200 dollars to spend on a laser device that may or may not be able to "instantly light a person's skin on fire". That kind of meek, pussy, lazy-man mindset is what got the world into its sad current state. Oh, save me, politicos that really, truely give a shit about me! Save the children! For God's sake, SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!! Anyways... I'm not even a Star Wars fan, but I have to admit- the idea of owning a lightsaber does seem pretty sweet. It'd be even sweeter if some momma's boy thought I wasn't smart enough to own one, and it would be ideal if they were illegal and I had to buy one off of some shady street vendor in D-Town. That'd be tops. |
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| Byron | Jun 20 2010, 06:17 PM Post #7 |
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Apparently a Geometric Array...
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Correction; The era of madmen threatening the UN with death rays is already upon us... |
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> I spend quite a bit of time here nowadays. Sorry for any inconvenience... > I also have a blog now! | |
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| Regulus | Jun 20 2010, 11:40 PM Post #8 |
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Resident Russian
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Lasers that instantaneously set people ablaze do not exist... yet. This laser would require that some dolt stood still for a several seconds while the laser started a fire on his body. Most people lack that kinda self-control/nerve damage. I remember seeing a bit on the tech that would go into a lightsaber. Currently, the set-up that would provide the necessary effect would produce so much heat that you're better off giving the weapon to your enemy and have him turn it on, causing him to burn to a cinder upon doing so. Call me up next time you need your hopes and dreams dashed
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![]() I nominate Doomguy for next year's Nobel Peace Prize. He's a berserker-packin' man-and-a-half who gets shit done. | |
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| Mahajarah | Jun 21 2010, 01:35 AM Post #9 |
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HUZZAH!
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I have a fan that spins death lasers, Your post is irrelevant. |
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| Byron | Jun 21 2010, 01:36 AM Post #10 |
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Apparently a Geometric Array...
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Honestly, I don't think that they're blowing it out of proportion at all. They are debating the risks that come from using a device like this, including the possibility that some moron who doesn't know how to use a laser this powerful will accendentally blind someone by waving it around the room. At the risk of sounding like a jerk, I feel the need to say that you shouldn't just write them off as being government-hugging pansies; even if you disagree with their conclusions, they do bring up some important points (mainly regaurding the potential for abuse) that will have to be taken into consideration before these lasers hit the open marketplace. Of course, it is just as likely that you were exagerating for effect, in case I apologize for sounding like a jerk. |
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> I spend quite a bit of time here nowadays. Sorry for any inconvenience... > I also have a blog now! | |
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| Regulus | Jun 21 2010, 02:59 AM Post #11 |
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Resident Russian
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And I have a handful of vertebrae and a head full of a mad, whatcha gonna do? |
![]() I nominate Doomguy for next year's Nobel Peace Prize. He's a berserker-packin' man-and-a-half who gets shit done. | |
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| Mahajarah | Jun 21 2010, 04:18 AM Post #12 |
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HUZZAH!
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It's a 200$ laser that's the size of a sword Handle. How are you going to flail that around randomly? That's something you really can't flail and more as "Shake." Besides, 200$! For a laser pointer! The whole flesh thing aside, that's really damn expensive for a overpowered lighter. Not many normal people are gonna buy this and the ones that will should know what they're doing. |
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| Byron | Jun 21 2010, 09:44 AM Post #13 |
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Apparently a Geometric Array...
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Okay, I acknowledge that it is unlikely that anybody who wouldn't know how to use this laser will buy it. All I'm saying is that the potential for abuse is there and shouldn't be ignored. At this point, I think that the laser should come packaged with some form of protective eyewear; that way, you can lessen the risk of blinding youself and look badass while waving your laser around. In any case, I could make toast in the most awsome way possible now. |
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> I spend quite a bit of time here nowadays. Sorry for any inconvenience... > I also have a blog now! | |
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| Mahajarah | Jun 21 2010, 11:30 AM Post #14 |
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HUZZAH!
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It does. |
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| Mad Mags | Jun 21 2010, 11:39 AM Post #15 |
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I see less of a debate there about what sort of damage these things can cause, and more of one regarding whether or not these things should have all sorts of regulations and licensing. That's the issue I have here. Let's face it, if I really wanted to cause someone to "instantly ignite", I don't need $200 dollars- I need $5 dollars and a trip to the gas station for a can of starting fluid and a cheapo lighter. The results would be far more spectacular, anyways. And with that being common knowledge, how many stories do you read about where people do that for shits and giggles? They're out there, but they're not the norm by any means. My issue there is that people immediately start thinking about how to control these things the second after they start thinking about how much damage they can do. Its absurd. I can only imagine how things would go if fire were invented with this mindset... Caveman Inventor: Hey guys, check this out! I call it "fire", and it'll do all sorts of stuff like cook our food and keep us warm! Pretty sweet, huh? Caveman "Progressive": Oh, that's HOT! IN THE WRONG HANDS, YOU COULD KILL MILLIONS. MILLIONS!!!! Caveman Inventor: ...Or cook your food. Caveman "Progressive": The risks outweigh the potential! This thing needs to be controlled and only allowed into the most elite of hands- those who can afford it and those with connections! Only the smartest cavemen should be given access to it, and those people are my friends! Caveman Inventor: You're the dumbest caveman I've ever met. Give me back my fire. Its clear that you're the one who is too immature to handle it. The arguement in a nutshell. The weirdest part is that people like me get accused of being "paranoid" by these people, when its typically these people who immediately start thinking of doomsday scenarios as the inevitable conclusion to any invention that has the potential to cause harm. Good thing these people weren't in charge of the Manhattan Project. |
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| Byron | Jun 21 2010, 01:36 PM Post #16 |
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Apparently a Geometric Array...
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Okay, the Manhatten Project is a pretty bad example to use in your arguement (seeing as H-bombs are intended to be dangerous), but otherwise your point makes a lot of sense. I guess the best way to handle something like this is to wiegh the risks against the benefits and, should the latter outwiegh the former, do your best to minimize said risks. Hence my idea of protective eyewear. Now if you excuse me, I need to make some toast. |
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> I spend quite a bit of time here nowadays. Sorry for any inconvenience... > I also have a blog now! | |
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| Mad Mags | Jun 21 2010, 09:27 PM Post #17 |
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Okay, the Manhattan Project comparison may have a bit of a stretch. Though, what I was trying to say with it was that if the same kind of mentality prevailed back then as it did today, WWII may have ended differently, with a very long, drawn out, much more brutal and violent conclusion on the Japanese main island. Say what you may about the modern day usage of nuclear weapons and potential abuse, but I actually believe that the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were necessary to prevent more inevitable bloodshed. Now, enjoy your toast. If you had a laser to make it with, it'd be even better. Or, you could make safety goggles...out of TOAST. |
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| Rareitor | Jun 21 2010, 10:04 PM Post #18 |
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Computer Eyes
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^this I'm doing it. Expect pics. Carry on. |
| The man in the box. | |
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2:33 PM Jul 11