Slashdot Mirror
Developing Open Source Defense Projects
An anonymous reader writes "I'm a developer looking to develop an open source surface-to-air missile guidance system, with the aim of helping developing nations develop low-cost missile defense systems to aid them against attack by the warplanes of invading forces. However, given the very nature of the project, I feel I may be walking into a bit of a minefield regarding the legalities of such a project, since, as I'm sure you can imagine, this project could easily benefit hostile nations was well as relatively peaceful ones! Unfortunately, since Google does not seem to shed much light on the subject, I'd be very interested in hearing Slashdot's views on the matter, especially some advice from those in the know about the legal matters - whether there would be any restrictions (exports, perhaps?) or whether it would be simply plain illegal to develop!"
Trying To Lose Weight ? Avoid Water, Doctors Say
BALTIMORE (AP) - Could drinking common tap water make it harder for you to shed a few pounds ?
That's the argument of a well-known obesity researcher. Contrary to what we have all believed for years, water does in fact have calorie content, says Dr. James Korsch of Johns Hopkins University. In an article to appear in this April's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Korsch and his team present new research describing how they used new techniques that show that water has calories.
"In the last five years there has been a big change in how we think about metabolism. Old ideas that we took for granted are now being put to the test with new measuring techniques, and we're finding that many of them just aren't true" Dr. Korsch said at a press conference last week. "If you think about it, there really is no reason to assume that water has zero calories. What we found was that in fact a liter of distilled water has about 40 calories."
But not all of Dr. Korsch's colleagues are buying his hypothesis. "The biggest health problem we're facing in America today is obesity," Dr. Julie Walther, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told The Associated Press last week. "Dr. Korsch has an excellent reputation, but many scientists in the obeisity research community are calling this work into question. Time will tell if he is correct, but right now we're concerned about the public getting the wrong message."
What's the main idea behind Dr. Korsch's work ? "The point is that the conventional methods for finding out how many calories a substance has just don't correspond to how the human body processes food. Typically, a method known as calorimetry is used, where the food is burned and the calories produced are measured by looking at the change in temperature. Well, unfortunately, that's just not how the human body consumes food - we don't have a furnace in our stomachs . What we have is a complex biochemical process. And not only that, but how are we going to burn water to compute its calorie content ? There are many substances which simply can't be studied in this way. Dirt is a good example. Right now we are running a study funded by the Army on the calorie content of dirt and sand. The Army is very interested in the possibility that soldiers could possibly subsist on a diet of dirt alone."
So what are the implications for todays dieters ? "If you are reaching for a bottle of spring water, think twice." says Dr. Korsch. "You're better off with a good diet soda."
Damn I did so many drugs today I thought I was ordering drive-thru at McDick's, turns out I was posting this message on /.
Coz I was high, Coz I was high, Coz I was high....
Mod +5 Drunk
I submit that this is proof that michael is a long-running hoax here on /. . That would explain a lot of things, that's the psuedonym the other editurs hide behind when being an ass.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
My guess is that the first post got flagged by the filter and now you can't mod it up anymore.
[Missle defense is just going to create another arms race as countries build weapons that can get past them.]
Because everyone knows the sword was invented after the shield.
[An open source missile defence would be its very nature be the easiest to fool, so I don't necessarily see the use.]
Just like everyone can hack OpenBSD because it's open source.
The only real problems with the plan are policitians and lawyers.
Forget thrust, drag, lift and weight. Airplanes fly because of money.
put my ween ...in....in your ........butt??
AnulSecks!!!
It's not just for phags nemore!
ATTENTION METAMODS, this is not flamebait in any way shape or form, this is a reference to the Novel Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Snowden and Manning are heroes.